ArcScan for ArcGIS

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Can ArcScan for ArcGIS scan my paper maps?: No. ArcScan for ArcGIS works with existing raster images. You must first have your documents scanned to a raster image before use.
What image formats are supported?: ArcScan for ArcGIS can vectorize any raster format supported by ArcGIS Desktop as long as it is represented as a bilevel image. This means that the data is symbolized with two unique colors. The Unique Values or Classify rendering option can be used to separate a raster into two colors.

Most scanned documents tend to consist of two colors that delineate the foreground and background values. Typically, the foreground is represented as a dark color, such as black, and the background is represented as a light color such as white. However, these colors can be reversed or represented by different values. As long as the two colors possess unique values, ArcScan will support vectorization for the current foreground raster cells.
Can I vectorize color maps with ArcScan for ArcGIS?: Yes, you can work with color maps, but the image must first be separated into two classes.
Does ArcScan for ArcGIS support text conversion?: No. ArcScan for ArcGIS does not support optical character recognition.
Can ArcScan for ArcGIS be used while editing vectors?: Yes. All of the ArcGIS Desktop editing functionality is available while ArcScan for ArcGIS is in use. The ArcGIS Desktop editing functionality complements ArcScan for ArcGIS by manipulating vectorized data.