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 Toolbars Getting more help Using this Help system Getting help within the applications ArcGIS Desktop Resource Center ArcGIS Desktop Documentation Library Accessing ESRI Software Training Using the GIS Dictionary Contacting Technical Support Support for users located outside the United States Contacting ESRI

Map projections and coordinate systems

Getting started with map projections 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 Vertical coordinate systems

Mapping and visualization

An overview of mapping and visualization An overview of ArcMap Data frames Map layers Symbols and styles Text on maps Cartographic representations Map layouts and map printing Graphs, reports, and animations Common tasks within ArcMap Keyboard shortcuts for use within ArcMap ArcMap application patterns Using ArcMap Working with layers Adding layers to a map Adding a layer package to your map Adding x,y coordinate data as a layer Changing a layer's drawing order Changing a layer's text description Setting layer properties Managing group layers Saving a layer to disk Copying layers Displaying layers at certain scales Displaying a subset of features in a layer Repairing broken data links Viewing a layer's metadata in ArcMap Setting HTML pop-up properties for feature layers Navigating and interacting with maps Adding graphics and text to maps Working with graphics Working with text Symbolizing data Animation Using cartographic representations Page layout and map composition Working with graphs and reports Working with web maps in ArcGIS Publishing optimized map services in ArcGIS Publishing optimized map services Drawing differences between ArcMap and optimized map services Map Service Publication Toolbar error messages Map Service Publication Toolbar warning messages Map Service Publishing Toolbar information messages

Editing and data compilation

Tables and attribute information

Understanding tables and attribute information 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

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 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 Working with metadata About metadata Metadata standards and the ArcGIS metadata format ArcGIS support for the ISO 19139 metadata standard Exploring an item's metadata Changing the default stylesheet Printing metadata Creating and updating metadata Metadata synchronization Writing metadata documentation Importing and exporting metadata with ArcCatalog Importing and exporting metadata Editing metadata Using the FGDC metadata editor Using the ISO metadata editor Managing enclosures Requirements for publishing metadata to an ArcIMS Metadata Service Adding information required by the ArcIMS Metadata Service Publishing metadata to an ArcIMS Metadata Service Managing published metadata documents Changing a published document's properties Adding custom places to a Gazetteer Metadata Service Customizing metadata

Image and raster data management

Understanding raster data Supported raster data Supported raster dataset file formats Technical specifications for raster dataset formats About the ESRI Grid format About MrSID rasters BIL, BIP, and BSQ raster files Raster data with subdatasets Building a customized raster format Properties of raster data Designing a raster database Building and managing a raster database How raster data is stored in a geodatabase Exploring geodatabase raster catalogs Creating raster datasets in a geodatabase Creating raster catalogs in a geodatabase Importing raster datasets Exporting or converting raster datasets Exporting raster catalogs Mosaicking raster datasets Persisting a transformation to a raster dataset without rectifying it Migrating your 8.x raster catalog Updating your geodatabase raster catalog footprints Loading large raster datasets into ArcSDE Transferring large raster datasets Building large raster datasets-case studies Raster data and disconnected editing Raster display and visualization Displaying rasters Adding a raster dataset to a map Adding a raster catalog to a map Saving a raster dataset or catalog layer file About setting default raster display options Choosing which raster formats can be viewed Setting the default bands to display multiband rasters Displaying the raster's spatial resolution Georeferencing a raster dataset Georeferencing video sample Orthorectifying a raster dataset About projecting raster datasets on the fly Improving the display of raster data Color correcting using raster data Working with the histogram when displaying raster data Changing the appearance of background values Symbolizing values of NoData in raster datasets Interactively viewing pixel values using the Pixel Inspector Interactively reveal rasters using the Swipe Layer tool Panchromatic sharpening Performance tuning for displaying raster data Raster analysis and geoprocessing Serving raster data

Data support in ArcGIS

An overview of data support in ArcGIS Data formats supported in ArcGIS CAD data The composition of a CAD drawing Working with CAD data in ArcGIS Displaying CAD features Georeferencing CAD data CAD feature attributes and queries CAD data translation Geoprocessing tools for CAD translation Common CAD data workflows Coverages NetCDF: multidimensional, time series data Shapefiles About shapefiles, dBASE tables, and file types Shapefile file extensions Creating new shapefiles and dBASE tables Adding and deleting fields in shapefiles Creating and updating indexes in shapefiles Defining a shapefile's coordinate system How to salvage a corrupt shapefile Terrains An overview of terrain datasets FAQs for terrain datasets Terrain dataset troubleshooting Known limitations of terrain datasets Understanding terrain datasets Properties of terrain datasets Building terrain datasets Managing terrain datasets Terrain analysis Terrain visualization

Extensions

About ArcGIS Desktop extensions Evaluating ArcGIS Desktop extensions 3D Analyst Data Interoperability About the Data Interoperability help system An overview of Data Interoperability Key concepts of the Data Interoperability extension Using the Data Interoperability tools Common tasks using Data Interoperability Using the Data Interopability tools ArcGIS for AutoCAD ArcGIS Publisher ArcScan Getting started with ArcScan Interactive vectorization Automatic vectorization Cell selection Raster cleanup Vectorization options and settings ArcSketch A whirlwind tour of ArcSketch Getting started with ArcSketch Creating and modifying features Managing Symbols Business Analyst Geostatistical Analyst JTX Overview of JTX Using JTX Configuring JTX Administering JTX Maplex 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 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 Welcome to PLTS for ArcGIS What's new in PLTS for ArcGIS Getting started with Foundation Production procedures Managing map documents with the product library Creating a geodatabase Editing data in PLTS Symbolizing data Validating data with GIS Data ReViewer Generating grids with the Grid Manager Creating map series with MPS-Atlas Working with PLTS cartographic elements Creating map series with Map Production System Geoprocessing tools in PLTS for ArcGIS PLTS for ArcGIS Aeronautical Solution PLTS for ArcGIS Defense Solution PLTS for ArcGIS Nautical Solution PLTS for ArcGIS product specification development Schematics Spatial Analyst Survey Analyst 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

Mobile GIS

An overview of Mobile GIS ArcGIS Mobile integration GPS Tablet PC ArcPad integration An overview of ArcPad Adding the ArcPad toolbar About managing data in ArcPad Getting data for ArcPad Checking in edits from ArcPad Undoing a checkout for editing

Interoperability and standards support

Overview of interoperability Overview of OGC and ISO support ESRI protocols and programming interfaces GML support in ArcGIS WFS support in ArcGIS WCS support in ArcGIS WMS support in ArcGIS KML support in ArcGIS

Customizing and developing with ArcGIS

An overview of customizing ArcGIS Customizing the user interface Writing macros using VBA Extending ArcGIS desktop applications

Guide to data that comes with ArcGIS

Licensing and desktop administration

Administering the ArcGIS License Manager Setting up license managers for ArcGIS 93 concurrent use products Checking license availability Viewing and changing the license manager Common license manager problems and how to solve them Setting the software product Registering ArcView or ArcEditor and extensions Evaluating an ArcGIS Desktop extension Error reporting for ArcGIS software crash data Frequently asked questions about error reporting

GIS Servers and services