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500,000+ ArcView 3.x Users and Counting; ArcView 8.1 Excels in PrereleaseA New World for ArcView UsersArcView is the world's most popular solution for desktop GIS and map presentation. Esri will continue to solidify this position as the de facto standard for geographic data viewing, query, integration, and analysis in upcoming developments. ArcView appeals to two major groups of users. The first group needs a flexible stand-alone desktop GIS with basic data management capabilities. The second group wants to integrate ArcView within a larger system to add advanced data automation, management, and dissemination provided by ArcInfo, ArcSDE, and ArcIMS software.  ArcView 3.x is currently used in both of these roles and it will remain a popular choice for stand-alone desktop GIS. ArcView 3.2a will soon be supplemented by the 8.1 release. ArcView 8.1 is the entry point into the ArcGIS system and provides dramatic improvements for those integrating ArcView into a larger GIS system. ArcView 3.x ContinuesEsri will continue to support, maintain, and license ArcView 3.x after ArcView 8.1 is available. Esri recently released several patches for ArcView 3.2a that can be downloaded from the Internet. Updated features of the ArcView 3.2a patch release include Database Access 2.1a, CADReader support for AutoCAD 2000 .dwg files, Shapefile Projection Utility, NITF Data Reader, and ERDAS IMAGINE Data Reader. Introducing ArcView 8.1ArcView 8.1 is an entirely new ArcView. Not only is it the next release of the 3.x architecture, it is a huge leap forward with an entirely new architecture and user environment. ArcView 8.1 not only maintains the base ArcView 8.1 is built using the same, scalable, unified, and extensible architecture as ArcInfo 8.1 and is fully interoperable with all ArcGIS software (ArcInfo, ArcEditor, ArcSDE, ArcIMS) and the new ArcGIS extensions. The optional ArcGIS extensions being released at version 8.1 include ArcGIS Spatial Analyst, 3D Analyst, Geostatistical Analyst, StreetMap, ArcPress, MrSID Encoder, and TIFF/LZW Compression. At version 8.1, the user interface and applications are the same as ArcInfo. The three applications are ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcToolbox. ArcMap is the Above left: Thumbnail views in ArcCatalog provide a snapshot of the geographic data contained in the selected folder. New features available at ArcView 8.1 include on-the-flyintegration of geographic data (including imagery) to a common map projection and datum. Other features include support for annotation, transparent map layers, advanced editing including sophisticated construction tools, support for true curves, and snap to multiple layers, cartographic tools, and wizards to facilitate exceptional cartographic production, two-dimensional and three-dimensional Business charts for enhanced charting and reporting, and more. Designed for Windows, ArcView 8.1 includes VBA for customization, Component Object Model (COM)-based tools for advanced customization, and is fully interoperable with Microsoft Office and other Windows applications. In addition, ArcView 8.1 is Internet-enabled to facilitate the integration of Internet map data with your local data. ArcView 8.1 includes a direct connection to ArcIMS server technology and the Geography Network (www.geographynetwork.com) for easy access to a wealth of geographic data. At the 8.1 release, ArcView and ArcInfo merge into a single, integrated platform. Users will see a common user interface, common architecture, and a single development environment. ArcView is available as a single-use or concurrent license. Regardless of the license type, the functionality of ArcView is identical. ArcGIS extensions are also licensed as either single use or concurrent. Single-use extensions operate only with the single-use version of ArcView. Concurrent extensions operate with ArcInfo, ArcEditor, and the concurrent version of ArcView. Users can upgrade to either single-use or concurrent licenses. The concurrent license, however, has two distinct advantages. First, it can float or be shared across the network. Second, it can share concurrent extensions. (See also "ArcGIS Licensing" for further details.) AvailabilityArcView 3.2a is available for Windows 95/98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and several UNIX platforms. The ArcView 3.2a release is a free downloadable upgrade for existing ArcView 3.2 users. ArcView 8.1 is in prerelease and is scheduled to be available in Spring 2001 for Windows NT and Windows 2000. For more information on ArcView 3.2a or ArcView 8.1, visit www.esri.com/arcview. To purchase ArcView in the United States, visit www.esri.com/gisstore, contact your local reseller, call 1-800-447-9778, or call your Esri regional office. Outside the United States, please contact your local Esri distributor. |
functionality of ArcView 3.x, it also adds many new features that users have needed and requested for many years. These include on-the-fly coordinate and datum projection, customization with Microsoft's Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) built in, a catalog for browsing and managing data, support for annotation, new editing tools, and much more.
map-centric application for display, query, and analysis that expands on the familiar concepts and interfaces of ArcView 3.x. ArcCatalog is a completely new tool to ArcView users. With ArcCatalog, you can browse, manage, create, and organize your geographic and tabular data. In addition, ArcCatalog comes with support for several popular metadata standards to allow you to create, edit, and view information about your data. ArcView 8.1 also includes ArcToolbox with basic data conversion tools.