Getting Started with ArcGIS at the GSD

ArcGIS is a Geographic Information System package developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). It is useful for manipulating digital representations of geographic entities and their relationships with one-another. This document explains how to get started with ArcGIS at the Harvard Design School. ArcGIS should be installed on all the public Windows computers in the GSD. There is no supported Macintosh version of ArcGIS, but it does run well in Bootcamp and Paralells on Apple OSX.

Install ArcGIS from the GSD Software Directory

Just like all other software available at the GSD, you can find the instructions for installing ArcGIS in the public\software folder within your GSD Network Home Directory. If you are unfamiliar with the GSD's system for distributing software, please refer to Accessing GSD Software.

The GSD has a license to run an unlimited number of ArcGIS sessions on our network. In order to enforce this, each copy of ArcGIS makes contact with a license server, esri-lm.harvard.edu to check out a license. This will work anywhere on the Harvard network. Our license agreement with ESRI prevents us from letting students or faculty from using ArcView off of our network on their own computers.

Find Tutorial Information

There are many resources available for learning ArcGIS listed on the web site of the Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis web site you will need to log in to this site by clicking the login link at the upper right-hand corner of the page to see these resources.

The user-Guides for all ESRI software are available in PDF form at the bottom of the CGA Services / Techincal Support page.
The official ESRI Tutorials with datasets can be downloaded from the CGA Services / Tutorials page half-way down on the right side of the page.
Some of the courses on the ESRI Virtual Campus may be taken for free by Harvard students, staff and faculty. See the links on Harvard's ESRI Virtual Campus Web Page.

While working in ArcGIS, you should make a habit of using the software's On-Line help to answer the inevitable questions that come up.


	Geographic Information Systems (+/-) Geographic Information Systems in the Design School Getting Started With ArcGIS at the GSD GIS Software Manuals GIS Courses at the GSD Links for GSD GIS Fans Data Resources (+/-) GIS Data Resources Understanding GIS Data, Metadata and Schema GSD Data Collection About Census Data US Census Data: 2000-1970 from Geolytics US Business Directory Digital Elevation Models Sources of Geographic Images Data Handling (+/-) Understanding GIS Data, Metadata and Schema ArcMap 101: Exploring Peoria Data Geotagging Site Photos Beginning a GIS Database Concepts of Geographical Referencing Systems Why Don't My Layers Line Up? AKA: ArcMap Projections Tutorial Georeferencing Scanned Maps and CAD Data Converting GIS Layers to DXF Geocoding Clipping an Ocean Polygon A Random Tutorial Effective Cartography (+/-) Elements of Cartographic Style Basic Cartography in ArcMap Mapping with Nominal-Class Data Mapping with Quantitative Data Mapping Census Data Tutorial Analytic Techniques (+/-) Spatial Models in Scholarship and Decision Support Guidelines for Documenting Models Setting up a Geoprocessing Environment A Development Buildout Model Real Estate Tutorial Mastering Relational Procedures in ArcMap Vector GIS Procedures in ArcMap (Allston) Vector GIS Procedures in ArcMap (Transit) Raster GIS Procedures in ArcMap (Earthshelter) Raster GIS Procedures in ArcMap (Winter Olympics) Processing the Census Transportation Planning Package Classifying Satellite Images Designing for Visibility Studying Urban View Corridors Evaluating Development Scenarios Reverse Engineering New Urbanism Topographic Modeling in 3D (+/-) Conceptualizing and Modeling Sites Good Site Model Structure in Sketchup Basic Terrain Modeling (ArcGIS) Experimenting with Massing Scenarios in SketchUp Beginning a 3d Site Model in SketchUp Experimenting with Zoning Dimensional Regulations in 3d A rough Understanding of 3D Site Context with ArcGlobe Graphics and Animation in ArcGlobe Workflow for Automated Milling of Site Models Interchanging 3D Data between ArcGIS and 3dStudio Topographic Modeling in FormZ (+/-) FormZ 101: A Field of Dreams Modeling Terrain with Contours and Surfaces (formZ) Modeling Surfaces with Mapped Images (formZ) Analytical Graphics from 3-D Site Models (formZ) Metropolitan Scale 3d Models (+/-) The Boston Virtual City Collective Retrieving Scenarios from the Metropolitan Model Repository Creatning Historic and Future Scenarios Studying Urban View Corridors Integrating Administrative CAD Data, GIS and Google Earth Export NYC Data to Sketchup
				Getting Started with ArcGIS at the GSD ArcGIS is a Geographic Information System package developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). It is useful for manipulating digital representations of geographic entities and their relationships with one-another. This document explains how to get started with ArcGIS at the Harvard Design School. ArcGIS should be installed on all the public Windows computers in the GSD. There is no supported Macintosh version of ArcGIS, but it does run well in Bootcamp and Paralells on Apple OSX. Related Documents Take FREE on-line ArcGIS courses! What_is_ArcGIS.pdf a PDF document published by ESRI. Using ArcMap a PDF document published by ESRI. Harvard Site License Lists software and on-line course resources available to Harvard Students and Faculty Install ArcGIS from the GSD Software Directory Just like all other software available at the GSD, you can find the instructions for installing ArcGIS in the public\software folder within your GSD Network Home Directory. If you are unfamiliar with the GSD's system for distributing software, please refer to Accessing GSD Software. The GSD has a license to run an unlimited number of ArcGIS sessions on our network. In order to enforce this, each copy of ArcGIS makes contact with a license server, esri-lm.harvard.edu to check out a license. This will work anywhere on the Harvard network. Our license agreement with ESRI prevents us from letting students or faculty from using ArcView off of our network on their own computers. Find Tutorial Information There are many resources available for learning ArcGIS listed on the web site of the Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis web site you will need to log in to this site by clicking the login link at the upper right-hand corner of the page to see these resources. The user-Guides for all ESRI software are available in PDF form at the bottom of the CGA Services / Techincal Support page. The official ESRI Tutorials with datasets can be downloaded from the CGA Services / Tutorials page half-way down on the right side of the page. Some of the courses on the ESRI Virtual Campus may be taken for free by Harvard students, staff and faculty. See the links on Harvard's ESRI Virtual Campus Web Page. While working in ArcGIS, you should make a habit of using the software's On-Line help to answer the inevitable questions that come up.

Getting Started with ArcGIS at the GSD

Related Documents

Install ArcGIS from the GSD Software Directory

Find Tutorial Information