ArcGIS.com (Online GIS)
(Making a simple map)

See also: http://www.arcgis.com/home/

See also: http://explorer.arcgis.com/

ArcGIS.com provides quick and simple mapping and (very) basic GIS functionality for free. Maps can be created and viewed online via ArcGIS.com or via ArcGIS Explorer Online.

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Basic steps for Making a Simple Map using ArcGIS.com

• Using a web browser to to ArcGIS.com (you will need an ESRI Global Account to save and share maps)
• Sign In using your Global Account
• Click on the Map button to create a new map (once you have saved maps you can access them from the My Content tab)
• Click on the Details tab to get started...
• Zoom / Pan to the desired area
• Click on the Basemap button to select a pre-made basemap
• Recommended: Bing Maps Road, Bing Maps Aerial, Light Gray, Open Street Map, Streets or Topographic
• NOTE: Basemaps have different levels of detail that will be displayed depending upon the scale of the map
• NOTE: All basemaps have a limited scale range (beyond which they won't display) - different basemaps have different maximum scales (the Bing basemaps have some of the best resoulution, the Oceans basemap has much less detailed data, and the Streets and Topographic basemaps are in between...)
• To add map data (on top of the basemap) use the Add drop down menu
• You can Search for Layers to locate existing online data (either from ESRI's ArcGIS Online or from the Web)
• You can Create an Editable Layer (to add custom points, lines, polygons, arrows...)
• Recommended: Use the basic Map Notes layer at first
• You can click the Edit tab to add or edit data later
• Return to the Details tab when you are finished editing
• You can Add a Layer from a File (to add an existing GIS data layer in a shapefile, GPS file or text file format)
• You can Add a Layer from the Web (to add data from a Web Service or KML file - if you know the URL for the data)
• Optionally change the symbology and/or configure Pop-ups for your data layers
• Click on the Show Contents of Map tab (under the Details tab)
• Click on a layer to expand it's symbology
• Use the arrow beside a layer to open symbolgy options, configure pop-ups, set scale ranges, etc.
• NOTE: some online layers (basemaps and web data) have limited customization options...
• Click on the Show Map Legend tab (under the Details tab) to view your map
• Click Save (from the main menu bar)
• Enter a Title, Tags (descriptive thematic and/or location key words) and a brief Summary for your map
• Optionally, click Share (from the main menu bar)
• You can share maps with Everyone, or with a select Group of users (if you belong to a group, or want to set one up)
• If you want to make your map into a web map you will need to select Everyone to make your web page public
• Once your map is Shared you can:
• Share the link with people (via the Link to this map or Facebook or Twitter)
• Add it to a website (click the Embed in Website button to copy/paste code)
• Create a webmap (click Make a Web Application button)
• Recommended: try the Basic Viewer for starters
• Note: you can simply click on the Web Application template icons to see a preview of how you map would look in that map template
• Different templates have differnt funtionality (ability to turn layers on/off, etc.)
• To add text (map annotation) you can use ArcGIS Explorer (see below) or Microsoft Word (see below)
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• Use New Map to create a different map...
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• Return to My Content from the ArcGIS Home drop down menu to see your map(s)
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Using Maps in ArcGIS Explorer Online

• NOTE: ArcGIS Explorer Online requires Silverlight to be installed on the computer (most Windows computers have Silverlight)
• Log in to ArcGIS.com using your ESRI Global Account
• Open My Content
• Click on an existing ArcGIS.com map to open it's properties page
• From the Open drop down list, choose Open in ArcGIS Explorer Online
• Note you can also open maps in ArcGIS.com map viewer (as above) or in ArcGIS Desktop
• Similar to the ArcGIS.com map viewer, you can change basemaps, add data, create an editable layer, ec.
• You can also add Map Text (as a type of editable layer)
• Maps can be saved as part of a Presenation (similar to an online PowerPoint file)
• When creating a Presentation you will beprompted to create a slide from the map, with a slide Title, etc.

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 Using Maps in Microsoft Word

• For quick and easy map creation (Titles, map annotation) you can also use Word (or similar graphics program)
• Log in to ArcGIS.com using your ESRI Global Account
• Open My Content
• Click on an existing ArcGIS.com map to open it's properties page
• From the Open drop down list, choose Open in ArcGIS.com Map Viewer
• Use the Print Screen button on your keyboard to capture an image of the computer screen
• Alternatively you can use the Ctrl and Alt buttons along with the Print Screen button to capture just the Map window
• Alternatively you can use other Screen Capture programs, such as Jing, HyperSnap, etc.
• Open Microsoft Word (or other program with basic graphic editing)
• Paste the screen capture image into Word
• Click on the image of the map to select the graphic
• From the Format menu tab select the Crop button
• Use the Crop tool to crop the screen capture down to just the desired portion of the map
• You may need to go back to ArcGIS.com to change the pan/zoom of the map to get what you want & repeat
• Optionally crop out the undesired parts of the map (zoom bar, etc.)
• From the Insert tab, choose Text Box
• Insert a text box to add map annotation and/or title, etc.
• Title and map credits can also be entered above/below the map using normal typing
• Text boxes can be set with no outline and/or no background fill (or semi-transparent) as desired
• Save/Print map from Word...