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Geoinformatics-8-2009
review gis for everyone the new arcgis explorer in the realm of virtual globes, esri's arcgis explorer occupies a unique niche with distinctive features and gis capabilities. designed for those who need to use gis data, but are not gis experts themselves, arcgis explorer offers a compelling way to deliver access to gis content and functionality. esri's virtual globe opens the doors to a wealth of geographic knowledge by providing users a way to access information that may have previously only been available to gis professionals. arcgis explorer can also be extended to include powerful gis tools in an easy-to-use framework that enables anyone, not just gis analysts, to apply the power of gis to solving problems. by matthew demeritt ality, a built-in help guide provides more in-depth explanation. as it's best to cover the basics first, a handy topic to get started with is navigating and exploring maps. clicking on it opens a list of subtopics showing how to navigate with the mouse, keyboard, and navigation control located on the lower left of the globe viewer panel. the topics are illustrated with graphics and diagrams, reducing the amount of text that can sometimes be intimidating to first-time users. expanded basemaps and controls an important feature update in arcgis explorer is the built-in basemap gallery. this feature allows users to choose from imagery, streets, topographic maps, and more at the click of a button while maintaining all other layers on the map. among the basemaps to choose from are the microsoft bing maps for enterprise, aerials, hybrid, and roads. the gallery can also be extended with custom basemaps, making it easy to tailor to specific needs. arcgis explorer includes a new basemap gallery with a range of useful options for a variety of needs. he new arcgis explorer is ready to use with content and capabilities delivered via arcgis online, a comprehensive collection of basemaps, layers, and tools that provide users with the essentials to start making globes and maps. arcgis explorer also supports a wide variety of common gis data sources, including arcgis map and globe services, layer files, layer packages, raster files, shapefiles, geodatabases, and more. in addition, users can import gps data or connect to georss feeds. photos, reports, links, and other data can also be embedded into maps and easily presented with its new presentation mode. arcgis explorer is available in five languages: english, french, german, japanese, and spanish. it is a free download on esri s web site. t also new in this version is a 2d/3d button. clicking it switches the view from 3d to 2d mode, providing complete map visualization control. in 2d mode, arcgis explorer supports the same projections as the new ribbon interface the latest version of arcgis explorer was released this past summer and includes some new features and capabilities that further distinguish it from other virtual globes. among these is a word 2007-style ribbon interface that provides a whole new user experience. because the interface is so familiar, the new ui makes arcgis explorer intuitive to use and easy to learn. conveniently, hovering over the controls on the ribbon explains what each tool does. for more advanced function- switching between 2d and 3d mode is simple as clicking 2d/3d on the home tab. 10 december 2009
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