Getting to Know ArcGIS for 9.3
ESRI has just announced an updated version to one of their best selling books entitled Getting to Know ArcGIS. This information coming out on December 1st through a ESRI Press Release. The enhancement has added about 18 pages and updates the exercise data to be compatible with ArcGIS 9.3.
This book is a great resource for those who are looking to learn the ArcGIS interface. As the press release states:
The workbook introduces GIS concepts and capabilities and describes the features and functionality in ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo, the core products in the ArcGIS Desktop line. Step-by-step exercises, accompanied by richly detailed illustrations, teach basic GIS tasks such as how to conduct spatial analysis, make maps, and build and edit spatial databases.
However, if you do not have ArcGIS 9.3 then the older version would be fine. Both books contain the same quality information. There is a slight price difference in the books though.
Getting to Know ArcGIS (9.2 and earlier)
Related GIS Pathway Posts
ArcGIS 9.3 Enables More Functionality in Adobe PDF
As GIS users begin migrating to ArcGIS 9.3, they will find more functionality when they export their map as a PDF. I have been using 9.3 for a few months now, and I have found that ESRI has made things a lot better for this export option. Options that I have found include:
1. Ability to enable a viewer to turn on/off layers in PDF
2. Ability to include map georeference information within PDF
3. Ability to embed attribute data in PDF
The coolest of these options is the ability to embed the attribute data. The user looking at the PDF can actually query by pointing and clicking the visual features to get the attribute data returned just like the Identify Tool in ArcMap.
The press release from ESRI discusses the new functionality in ArcGIS 9.3 and Adobe PDF 9.
