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1 Introduction

ArcGIS Desktop provides a range of interface options that allow users at different skill
levels to work efficientlyfrom wizards and dialog boxes to a command line interface.
For example, tools in ArcToolbox can be run using a dialog box that prompts for inputs
helpful for less experienced usersor can be entered on a command line, a more direct
way for advanced users to run the tools.
Running the Union tool
using a dialog box.

Running the
Union tool using
the command line.

You can customize the interface, specifying which menus to display and which buttons to
include, for example.

The ArcGIS Desktop interface is customizable (click Customize from the Tools menu in ArcMap or ArcCatalog).
Use the Toolbars tab to specify which toolbars to display, by default. Use the Commands tab to add buttons
(commands) to the various toolbars.

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Using ArcGIS Desktop


Flexible data Another cornerstone of ArcGIS Desktop is its ability to access GIS data in any format and
support to support a range of database configurations.

ArcGIS is designed to work with just about every type of geographic data, from a broad
array of sources. Some data formats ArcGIS can read directly, such as geodatabase
datasets, shapefiles, coverages, and many raster formats. Data in other GIS formats must
be converted to an ArcGIS format before you can display and work with the dataArcGIS
Desktop includes converters for many standard GIS formats. Some data, such as CAD data,
can be read and displayed by ArcGIS Desktop, but must be converted to an ArcGIS format
to take advantage of the full functionality of the software.

ArcGIS Desktop also lets you set up databases that will meet the needs of one person, a
small department or workgroup, or an enterprise that requires that many people to be able
to access and edit the database concurrently. If you already use a commercial DBMSor
need your GIS to work with such a systemyou can take advantage of this by creating
ArcSDE geodatabases.

Types of geographic data and how to manage data are discussed in Chapter 2, Geographic
Data Management.

A generic ArcGIS Desktop was designed to be used across a range of disciplines for a huge variety
application of tasks. It is not industry or application specific. The software provides a comprehensive
approach set of tools and functions that users combine in the way that best addresses the task at
hand. Many users customize the application toolbars and menus to reflect the tasks and
workflows they perform most frequently.

ArcGIS Desktop can also be used with other ArcGIS applications in a way that allows GIS
to be available on different hardware platforms and for a range of GIS usersfrom the
general public to casual GIS users to GIS specialists. For example, maps created in ArcMap
can be published using the ArcGIS Publisher extension. The maps can be distributed on
CD/DVD or over the Internet and read by non-GIS users using ArcReader, a simple,
standalone map display software application.

The book What is ArcGIS? describes the complete ArcGIS system and how ArcGIS
Desktop can be used with other ArcGIS applications to publish data and maps on the
Internet, used by people throughout an organization to access a centralized GIS database, or
used in conjunction with handheld devices to collect and update data in the field.

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