Collapse all Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help Copyright information Acknowledgements GIS Dictionary

What's new in ArcGIS

What's new in ArcGIS 9.3 What's new in ArcGIS 9.3.1 Migration guides

Getting started

Fundamentals of GIS Three views of GIS How maps convey geographic information Georeferencing and coordinate systems Elements of geographic information How GIS represents and organizes geographic information How ArcGIS users work with geographic information Users work with many data types and data formats in ArcGIS Comparing Geoprocessing and Spatial Analysis Introducing ArcGIS Desktop Tutorials Tutorials 3D Analyst Tutorial Animation in ArcMap Tutorial ArcCatalog Tutorial ArcMap Tutorial ArcGIS Publisher Tutorial ArcReader Tutorial ArcScan Tutorial Building a Geodatabase Tutorial Database Servers Tutorial Data Interoperability Tutorial Editing Geodatabases Tutorial Editing GIS Features Tutorial Geocoding Tutorial Geoprocessing Tutorial Geostatistical Analyst Tutorial Getting Started with ArcGIS Tutorial Linear Referencing Tutorial Maplex Tutorial Network Analyst Tutorial Representations Tutorial Schematics Tutorial Spatial Analyst Tutorial StreetMap Tutorial Survey Analyst Tutorial Tracking Analyst Tutorial Toolbars Core ArcMap toolbars ArcCatalog toolbars Extension toolbars ArcScene toolbars ArcGlobe toolbars ArcReader toolbars Getting more help

Map projections and coordinate systems

Getting started with map projections An overview of map projections Projection basics the GIS professional needs to know About the geoid, ellipsoid, spheroid and datum, and how they are related Identifying an unknown coordinate system Converting Degrees Minutes Seconds values to Decimal Degree values Geographic coordinate systems Projected coordinate systems About projected coordinate systems About map projections Projection types Planar projections Conic projections Cylindrical projections Other projections Projection parameters Geographic transformations Geographic transformation methods Equation-based methods Grid-based methods Supported map projections List of supported map projections Aitoff Alaska Grid Alaska Series E Albers Equal Area Conic Azimuthal Equidistant Behrmann Equal Area Cylindrical Bipolar Oblique Conformal Conic Bonne Cassini-Soldner Chamberlin Trimetric Craster Parabolic Cube Cylindrical Equal Area Double Stereographic Eckert I Eckert II Eckert III Eckert IV Eckert V Eckert VI Equidistant Conic Equidistant Cylindrical Equirectangular Fuller Gall's Stereographic Gauss-Krüger Geocentric Coordinate System Geographic Coordinate System Gnomonic Goodes Homolosine Great Britain National Grid Hammer-Aitoff Hotine Oblique Mercator Krovak Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area Lambert Conformal Conic Local Cartesian Projection Loximuthal McBryde-Thomas Flat-Polar Quartic Mercator Miller Cylindrical Mollweide New Zealand National Grid Orthographic Perspective Plate Carrée Polar Stereographic Polyconic Quartic Authalic Rectified Skewed Orthomorphic Robinson Simple Conic Sinusoidal Space Oblique Mercator State Plane Coordinate System Stereographic Times projection Transverse Mercator Two-Point Equidistant Universal Polar Stereographic Universal Transverse Mercator Van der Grinten I Vertical Near-Side Perspective Winkel I Winkel II Winkel Tripel Vertical coordinate systems

Mapping and visualization

An overview of mapping and visualization Using ArcMap Layers, data frames, and the table of contents Starting ArcMap Creating a new map Opening a map Using the table of contents About coordinate systems and map projections Specifying a coordinate system Referencing data in the map Working with data frames Pausing the map's drawing Saving a map and exiting ArcMap Saving to previous versions of ArcGIS Keyboard shortcuts in ArcMap Working with layers Navigating and interacting with maps Navigating maps and layout pages Interacting with maps Adding graphics and text to maps Working with graphics Working with text Symbolizing data Animation Getting started with animation Animation concepts Building animations Playing animations Editing animations Saving, exporting, and loading animations Common animation work flows Using cartographic representations Page layout and map composition Working with graphs and reports Working with web maps in ArcGIS An overview of GIS Web map layers Working with ArcGIS Server in ArcGIS Desktop Using services from ArcGIS Server Using services from ArcIMS Using OGC Services Using KML Using ArcGIS Online Using image service layers Working with service layers in the table of contents Printing and exporting maps containing service layers Publishing optimized map services in ArcGIS

Editing and data compilation

An overview of editing and data compilation Getting started with editing Common editing tasks Creating new features About creating new features Creating point features and vertices Creating lines and polygons Creating segments using angles and lengths Creating segments using angles from existing segments Creating segments that are circular arc curves Creating segments by tracing features Creating buffers Mirroring features Combining features from different layers Intersecting features Merging and separating features Copying parallel line features Creating a fillet curve between two lines Creating cul-de-sac lines Creating lines with the Traverse window Creating lines with the 2-Point Line window Creating lines with the Offset Line window Editing existing features Editing attributes Editing annotation An overview of editing annotation Creating new annotation features Creating and editing annotation that follows features Editing the size and position of annotation features Editing annotation in the Attributes dialog box Editing the appearance of annotation features Editing feature-linked annotation Editing dimension features Using a digitizer About digitizing An overview of preparing to digitize Registering the paper map Digitizing features on a paper map Spatial adjustment Editing topology Editing relationships and related objects COGO

Tables and attribute information

Understanding tables and attribute information An overview of tables and attribute information About tabular data sources Common tables and attributes tasks Keyboard shortcuts for working with tables Creating tables and managing attribute information Creating new tables About ObjectID fields Adding and deleting fields Editing values in a table Making field calculations Working with date fields Reloading the table cache Exporting records About joining and relating tables Joining tables Relating tables Joining the attributes of features by location Creating spatial data from tables Working with Microsoft Excel files in ArcGIS Working with Microsoft Access files in ArcGIS Displaying tables and attribute information

Geoprocessing

What is geoprocessing? A whirlwind tour of geoprocessing Geoprocessing tools Geoprocessing framework Frequently Asked Questions about geoprocessing Fundamental tool concepts Using geoprocessing tools Automating your work with models An overview of models Opening ModelBuilder Creating a simple model Saving a model Model concepts and terms Using ModelBuilder Controlling the flow of processing Model Iteration Automating your work with scripts An overview of writing geoprocessing scripts Getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts Accessing tools within a geoprocessing script Creating script tools Batch processing with geoprocessing scripts Data properties and access when scripting Working with AMLs Scripting object: Properties and Methods Geoprocessing environments Documenting tools and toolboxes An overview of documenting tools and toolboxes An overview of the Documentation Editor Entering topics in the Documentation Editor Using the page editor Documenting models Documenting scripts Viewing documentation for tools Changing tool dialog appearance Referencing a compiled help file Exporting tool documentation to an HTML file Sharing tools and toolboxes Geoprocessing with ArcGIS Server An overview of geoprocessing with ArcGIS Server Key concepts for geoprocessing services Guide to related geoprocessing with server topics Input and output data types Creating models for geoprocessing services Preparing map documents containing tool layers Defining output symbology for geoprocessing tasks Defining symbology for input feature sets Publishing geoprocessing services Managing the jobs directory Deploying services on multiple computers - LocalJobsDirectory Data access considerations for geoprocessing tasks Creating tasks for the UNIX/Linux environment Creating script tools for geoprocessing tasks Using geoprocessing tasks in Python scripts Spatial reference considerations for geoprocessing services Performance tips for geoprocessing services Checklist for authoring and publishing geoprocessing services Python scripts to zip and unzip data Geoprocessing service examples Keeping track of geoprocessing history An overview of geoprocessing history History log files Geoprocessing history in metadata Advanced modeling through simulations

Geoprocessing tool reference

Geodatabases and ArcSDE

An overview of the geodatabase An overview of the geodatabase Essential readings about the geodatabase Table basics Feature class basics Raster basics Types of geodatabases Client and geodatabase compatibility Common geodatabase tasks Architecture of a geodatabase Architecture of a geodatabase Geodatabase storage is based on relational principles Where does the application logic belong? The geodatabase is object-relational Geodatabase storage in relational databases Geodatabase transaction management Geodatabase XML Designing a geodatabase Building a geodatabase Creating a geodatabase Defining the properties of a geodatabase Adding datasets and other geodatabase elements Working with geodatabase datasets Data management workflows, transactions, and versioning Getting started with editing and maintaining data Working with non-versioned data Working with versioned data Managing Distributed Data Archiving data Geodatabase data storage and schema Administering ArcSDE geodatabases Administering File and Personal geodatabases An overview of administering file and personal geodatabases File geodatabases: compressing vs. compacting Compacting file and personal geodatabases About compressing file geodatabase data Upgrading file and personal geodatabases File geodatabases and Windows Explorer File geodatabase size and name limits File geodatabases and locking Working with geodatabases using SQL

Data management with ArcCatalog

An overview of ArcCatalog About workspaces Getting started with ArcCatalog Building the Catalog Managing the Catalog's contents Exploring an item's geography Searching for items About search results Finding items using the Search tool Searching with geographic criteria Searching with temporal criteria Searching with keywords Working with search results Working with metadata

Image and raster data management

Data support in ArcGIS

Extensions

About ArcGIS Desktop extensions Evaluating ArcGIS Desktop extensions 3D Analyst Data Interoperability ArcGIS for AutoCAD What is ArcGIS for AutoCAD? Who should use ArcGIS for AutoCAD Installation What is ArcGIS Online? Map service layers Feature class layers Coordinate systems Customization Tutorial Troubleshooting ArcGIS Publisher ArcScan ArcSketch Business Analyst Geostatistical Analyst JTX Overview of JTX Using JTX Configuring JTX Administering JTX Maplex Getting started with Maplex Label Positions for Points Label Positions for Lines Label Positions for Polygons Label fitting strategies Resolving label conflicts Common labeling tasks Military Analyst Getting started with Military Analyst What's new in Military Analyst Data Management Coordinate tool Terrain Analysis tools Geodesy tools The conversion tools Selection and Web Link tools MA catalog wireframe symbology Military Analyst in ArcGlobe Military Analyst tools reference Military Overlay Editor About MOLE What's new in this release Installation and setup Accessing the Installing and Getting Started with Defense Solutions guide MOLE documentation and additional ways to get help Using MOLE with 2D maps Using MOLE with 3D maps The MOLE geodatabase schema Using MOLE in terrain analysis Tracking, real-time, and MOLE Using MOLE with ArcSDE Using MOLE with ArcIMS Other ESRI applications compatible with MOLE Advanced topics Frequently asked questions Network Analyst Getting started with Network Analyst Network dataset concepts Designing the network dataset Building and editing the network dataset Performing network analysis Migrating to ArcGIS Network Analyst Network Analyst tools reference PLTS Schematics Spatial Analyst Survey Analyst An overview of Survey Analyst Cadastral Editor Survey Editor Tracking Analyst Getting started with Tracking Analyst Working with temporal data Symbolizing temporal data Displaying temporal data Tracking Tools Charting temporal data Creating and applying actions Working with real-time data

Geocoding and address management

Linear referencing

Network analysis

Using the Network Analyst extension Analyzing geometric networks What is a geometric network? Creating and managing geometric networks Editing geometric networks Analyzing geometric networks

Mobile GIS

Interoperability and standards support

Customizing and developing with ArcGIS

An overview of customizing ArcGIS Customizing the user interface About customizing the user interface Basic user interface elements Hiding and showing toolbars Creating custom toolbars Changing a toolbar's or menu's contents Changing a command's appearance Creating shortcut keys Setting toolbar options Saving your customizations Writing macros using VBA Getting started with VBA Creating, editing, and running macros Creating custom commands with VBA and UI Controls Adding custom commands and toolbars from .dlls Updating the ArcID module Locking documents and templates Changing VBA security Sample VBA code Extending ArcGIS desktop applications

Guide to data that comes with ArcGIS

ESRI Data and Maps Working with StreetMap data

Licensing and desktop administration

GIS Servers and services