Frequently Asked Questions
Java Edition
This FAQ covers most of the questions that come up with the installation and use of ArcExplorer 9.3—Java Edition. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for here, visit the online discussion forum.
General Questions
- What data formats are supported by ArcExplorer 9.3.1?
- Shapefiles
- ArcSDE Layers (3.02 or later)
- Coverages using ArcSDE for Coverages (8.02 or later)
- Images
- What image formats are supported?
- ArcExplorer 9.3.1 uses Java Advanced Imaging (JAI) to support TIF, PNG, BMP, GIF, and JPG. Other images are supported if they are included in an ArcMap MapService started by ArcIMS Administrator.
- What is a world file?
- A world file is a text file containing information about where an image should be displayed in real-world coordinates.
- Does my image need a world file?
- Yes. For those formats that use world files, the world files must accompany the image when used in ArcExplorer 9.3.
- Are there any limitations with MrSID files when running ArcExplorer on the Solaris operating system?
- CMYK imagery is not supported.
- 11- or 16-bit imagery is not supported.
- Encrypted MrSID files are not recognized.
Software Questions
- Can I use universal naming conventions (UNC) pathnames when in my AXL file?
- Yes. UNC (universal naming convention) pathnames instead of mapped drives can be used in AXL files. However, you cannot use UNC pathnames in the Open Project dialog box.
- I see an *ImageDirectory entry in the Catalog. What is that?
- If ArcExplorer 9.3 finds more than one TIF, PNG, BMP, GIF, or JPEG in a folder, the *ImageDirectory entry appears at the top of the Catalog. Clicking this will allow you to add every TIF, PNG, BMP, GIF, and JPEG found in the folder.
- What is an AXL (.axl) file?
- ArcExplorer saves map documents as AXL (.axl) files. An AXL file is a configuration file that contains all the basic information about the content in an ArcExplorer map document, such as the location of the data and the layer symbology. AXL files do not contain the map data, just instructions to find and display the data.
- Can I add an AXL that references server side supported images using the Open Project button?
- Yes. If you create an AXL with shapefiles and images that are not supported client side, you can open the AXL (using the Open Project button) in ArcExplorer 9.3.1, but you will not see the image displayed in the map (it will appear in the legend). An AXL referencing an image that has a non-standard extension, such as the CIB image format, cannot be opened in ArcExplorer 9.3.
- Why can't I see my transparent GIF?
- Transparent GIFs cannot be displayed in ArcExplorer due to a known limitation with Java Advanced Imaging (JAI). However, support for transparent PNGs is available.
Java Edition for Education
- What's the purpose of AEJEE? Why was it created?
- ArcExplorer—Java Education Edition (AEJEE) was designed to provide an introductory-level desktop application that could handle basic GIS data and spatial processes on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. Because it was conceived with a K–12 education audience in mind, the tools address many of the basic tasks that students and teachers want to accomplish with GIS.
- What's different about AEJEE versus other tools? Can I do anything useful with it?
- AEJEE covers most of the basic functions users need to do with spatial data: display, pan, zoom, identify, select, classify, symbolize, hyperlink, and make layouts. AEJEE can also open and save projects and work with data both from local sources and from ArcIMS servers over the Internet. And AEJEE is free, so teachers and students can use it both at school and at home, even if they are on different platforms.
- Can I use AEJEE if I'm not in education?
- Yes. The tool has been optimized for education, but others have found its basic capacities, modest interface, and multiplatform access useful. Use and distribution outside of noncommercial education is limited by the click-through license and constraints mentioned in the tutorial and below.
- Can I give AEJEE to other people?
- Yes. The click-through license and constraints in the tutorial describe this more fully. Fundamentally, the software can be shared with others at no cost if the installer is provided in exactly the form supplied by ESRI. It may be easiest to link people to the download page for best access to the latest version.
- How do I learn to use AEJEE?
- AEJEE installs a quick-start tutorial guide as a PDF file found in the folder AEJEE/DATA/LESSONS. Additional lessons using AEJEE can be found on ESRI's ArcLessons Web site (choose "By Software—ArcExplorer").
- What kind of GIS data can AEJEE handle?
- Shapefiles
- ArcSDE layers
- CAD data (DXF and DGN support on Windows only)
- Image formats including .tif and.jpg
- X/Y point data from .dbf, .txt, and .csv files
- ArcIMS services
- Does AEJEE come with any usable data?
- AEJEE includes sample world, U.S., local, and Cartesian data that you can use to learn the software, practice spatial thinking, and explore a variety of interesting spatial patterns.
