ArcGIS Desktop II: Tools and Functionality

You can attend this course in the Virtual Classroom.

The second of three courses in the ArcGIS Desktop Foundational Training Curriculum, this course teaches how to use essential ArcGIS Desktop tools to visualize, create, manage, and analyze geographic data. In course exercises, you will use ArcMap and ArcCatalog (the primary applications included with ArcGIS Desktop) to perform common GIS tasks and workflows. By the end of the course, you will understand the range of ArcGIS Desktop functionality and be prepared to work with the software on your own to create GIS maps, work with geographic data, and perform GIS analysis.

• GIS professionals who have no ArcGIS software experience.
• Professionals in other industries who have GIS knowledge but no ArcGIS software experience.

After completing this course, you will be able to

• Identify which ArcGIS Desktop application to use for common GIS tasks.
• Create a file geodatabase to store and manage geographic data.
• Create and edit geographic data to accurately represent real-world objects.
• Explore geographic data in ArcMap.
• Classify, symbolize, and label map features to improve map visualization and interpretation.
• Create data from x,y coordinates and by geocoding addresses.
• Query and analyze GIS data to support decision making.
• Create presentation-quality maps and graphs.
• Create a map template to standardize map production.

Exploring geographic data

• Vector and raster data
• Geodatabase basics and advantages
• Shapefiles, coverages, and CAD data
• Managing data in ArcCatalog
• Displaying data in ArcMap
• Data and layers

Managing map layers

• Using bookmarks and display windows
• Scale ranges
• Group layers
• Selection layers
• Layer files
• Creating hyperlinks

Symbolizing categorical data

• Types of symbols (marker, line, and fill)
• Choosing and creating symbols

Symbolizing quantitative data

• Symbology options (graduated colors, graduated symbols, proportional symbols, dot density, charts)
• Classification methods (natural breaks, equal interval, quantile, manual)
• Excluding data from a classification
• Rendering raster data

Labeling map features

• Label placement for point, line, and polygon features
• Label symbology
• Controlling label display using scale ranges and SQL queries
• Label classes and expressions
• Label ranks and weights
• Annotation

Understanding coordinate systems and map projections

• Geographic and projected coordinate systems
• Datums
• Map projections
• Geographic transformations
• Working with an unknown coordinate system

Making a map layout

• Layout view
• Tools for arranging map elements
• Data frame properties for layouts
• Adding legends, scale bars, and other map elements
• Exporting maps
• Map templates

Managing tables

• Table structure
• Layer attribute tables
• Nonspatial tables
• Field properties
• Creating graphs and reports
• Connecting tables using joins and relates

Editing features and attributes

• Editor toolbar
• Common editing tools
• Edit tasks
• Snapping to features while editing
• Editing attributes
• Calculating values for geometry fields
• Working with coincident geometry in a map topology
• Typical editing workflow

Creating geodatabases and feature classes

• Types of geodatabases
• Geodatabase organization
• Feature class properties and attributes
• Creating, viewing, and editing metadata
• Importing and exporting metadata
• Creating features in a new feature class

Obtaining locations from attributes

• Adding x,y coordinate data
• Finding places and addresses
• Finding routes and nearby places
• Geocoding
• Address matching
• Reference data sources

Solving spatial problems with query and analysis

• GIS analysis basics
• Typical analysis workflow
• Common analysis operations
• Geoprocessing
• Analysis results

Customizing ArcGIS Desktop

• Customize dialog box
• Locating commands
• Adding new toolbars, commands, and menus
• Saving customizations

This course assumes knowledge of GIS concepts. Completion of ArcGIS Desktop I: Getting Started with GIS or Getting Started with GIS or equivalent knowledge is required.

This course is designed to work with the following software:

How do I know what ArcGIS Desktop software I have? [Flash] [Text]