ArcReader is a free, easy-to-use desktop product that allows everyone to view, explore, and print published map files (PMF). PMFs are created with ArcGIS Publisher, an extension to ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo, which converts Esri map documents (MXD) to PMF files.

At version 9, ArcGIS Publisher offers a new ActiveX developer control called the ArcReaderControl. With this component, developers with an ArcGIS Publisher license can create custom applications that view, explore, print, and export PMF files. Developers can build custom ArcReader software-like viewers and can embed a custom viewer in other applications with no royalty fees.

Deployment of custom viewers built with the ArcReaderControl requires ArcReader 9 to be installed on the target computer. ArcReader can be downloaded from www.esri.com/arcreader.

Other new functionality in ArcGIS Publisher includes wizard driven utilities that facilitate packaging map data with PMF files and new application and security settings. For more information on ArcGIS Publisher, visit www.esri.com/publisher.