EDN: ESRI Developer Network

This section introduces you to the areas in the EDN Web site. Use this section as a guide to most of the information that you want to find quickly.

Finding what you need on EDN

• The banner at the top of each page has the EDN logo in the upper-left and the EDN globe logo in the upper-right corner. You can click each logo to go back to the Home page. In the upper-right corner are additional links to ESRI.com, the Support Center and More ESRI Sites....

• The Login link in the upper-right banner area, allows you to log in and take advantage of more options. After you log in, the Login link changes to Logout. You must have an ESRI Global Account to login. If you don't, you can create one on the EDN Login page.

• Global navigation tabs are located across the top of each page. The tabs that make up the global navigation are Home, Documentation Library, Discussion Forums, Downloads, Code Exchange, Media Center, and Conferences. Click these tabs to jump directly to that section of EDN.

The Home page is where you can find the latest EDN headlines. The Home page can consist of the following components:

• Community—This area has three community-focused tabs on EDN's home page (Discussion Forums, Code Exchange, and Media Center). Each tab is linked to each community-based specific area.
• Featured in the Documentation Library—This area lists (on a rotating basis) the product name associated with the article (shown in italics) and the title (title is linked to the complete article) of the featured article with an abstract.
• Program Now Airing—This section shows a thumbnail graphic and the title (the title and thumbnail graphic is linked to the video) of the video being highlighted with a synopsis. When you click the highlighted video title or thumbnail graphic, it opens on the Media Center's home page.
• Search—The default in the dropdown list on the Home page is 'Entire EDN Web site.' You can leave the default or select another option from the dropdown list before typing in your keyword and clicking GO. After typing in a keyword and clicking GO, you will be able to refine your search query and select more advanced options to narrow your search.
• Subscription Program—The subscription program is tailored to the needs of developers and provides all resources, including software, documentation, and tools. This area consists of two links: Manage my subscription and Program information. You must be logged in before you can manage your subscription. Once logged in and the 'Manage my subscription' link is clicked, you can activate your EDN subscription by entering your subscription number. When the 'Program information' link is clicked, the subsequent page explains the EDN subscription program.
• Quick Poll—This area consists of an online Web survey form so that we can get your feedback with "real-time" voting for accurate results on different topics.
• Other Resources—This area can include links to the Site Help, Browser Support, Coming Soon, Frequently Asked Questions, and Feedback pages.

The Documentation Library page includes technical articles, tutorials, and conceptual materials for the technologies included in EDN. The following areas can be found on this page:

• ArcObjects Development—This area focuses on ArcObjects-based development. When the ArcObjects Development link is clicked, the 'EDN Documentation Library for ArcObjects' Help system displays.
• ArcIMS—This area includes articles and topics related to ArcXML, the communication protocol of ArcIMS. When the ArcIMS link is clicked, the 'ArcXML Programmer's Reference Guide' opens in another browser window.
• ArcSDE—This area provides conceptual materials related to data and its storage, API references for the C and Java APIs to ArcSDE, and an administration command reference. When the ArcSDE link is clicked, the 'ArcSDE Developer Help' opens in another browser window.
• ArcWeb Services—This area provides conceptual documentation, tutorials, samples, and reference help for each of the available services relevant to ArcWeb Services. When the ArcWeb Services link is clicked, the 'ArcWeb Online' Help system opens in another browser window.
• Search—The default in the dropdown list on the Documentation Library page is 'Documentation Library.' You can leave the default or select another option from the dropdown list before typing in your keyword and clicking GO. After typing a keyword and clicking GO, you will be able to refine your search query and select more advanced options to narrow your search.
• Hot Topics—This section includes the same articles as found in the 'Featured in the Documentation Library' section on the Home page.
• Other Resources—This area can include links to the Site Help, Browser Support, Coming Soon, Frequently Asked Questions, and Feedback pages.

The Discussion Forums page includes a list of forums for our community of GIS professionals to browse and post focused questions or respond to others in the community. The forums are grouped as follows:

• ArcGIS Desktop
• ArcGIS Engine
• ArcGIS Server
• ArcIMS
• ArcSDE
• ArcWeb Services

You can view the available postings without logging in. However, if you want to respond to an existing post or post your own questions, you are required to login to your ESRI Global Account.

The Downloads page provides you with access to the latest developer-related tools, add-ins, service packs, and product updates. The elements on this page include:

• Featured Download—A download is highlighted with a short description. When you click the linked download title, the description page for that download displays.
• Search Downloads—This area contains dropdown filter lists, in which you can search for downloads by developer environment, as well as choose to view 20, 30, 40, or 50 results per page.
• Download Results Table—This table displays the available downloads based on the filters selected. You can click one of the column headers to sort the list of results. To download one of the results, click the name of that item in the table. When you click one of the items in the table, the Download Description page displays with more information about that download.
• Search—The default in the dropdown list on the Downloads page is 'Downloads.' You can leave the default or select another option from the dropdown list before typing in your keyword and clicking GO. After typing in a keyword and clicking GO, you will be able to refine your search query and select more advanced options to narrow your search.
• Top 5 Downloads—The top five downloads display as links in this area with the number of times each item has been downloaded. When you click one of these links, the description page displays for that download.
• How to setup the Add-ins—This area contains links to articles that explain how to setup add-ins. When you click one of these links, an article for that add-in displays.
• Related Sites—This area has links to the Support Center's home page and to the Support Center's patches and service packs page. When you click one of these links, that information displays.
• Other Resources—This area can include links to the Site Help, Browser Support, Coming Soon, Frequently Asked Questions, and Feedback pages.

The Downloads description page elements include:

• Download Name—The name of the download with a short description.
• Quick Info—This area includes the file name, the supporting language for the download, the date the download was last modified, and the file size.
• System Requirements—This shows the platform, products, and operating system requirements for the download to work.
• Installation Instructions—A set of procedures for the installation and the use of the download.
• Usage Guide—This area has a link that when clicked, goes to information on how to use the download.
• Additional Information—More information relevant to the download.
• Download Now—You can click this area when you are ready to download the file. The download can be saved to disk or opened from the 'File Download' dialog box.

The Code Exchange contains samples and scripts that are written by ESRI staff or contributed by ArcGIS product users. The following areas can be found on this page:

• Upload a script—If you want to share a script, you can add it here by clicking the 'Upload a script' link. However, you are required to login to your ESRI Global Account to add scripts.
• Edit my scripts—Click this link to view, edit or delete scripts you have previously uploaded. However, you are required to login to your ESRI Global Account to edit scripts.
• Search Filter area—This area has two tabs: 'ESRI Samples' and 'Search ArcScripts.' When you click a tab, the focus is on that area for searching.
  ESRI Samples tab—There are two categories of samples: Tips—small code examples, shortcuts, and insights designed to help you write better code; Tools—more complex examples, such as how to build a new tool for the Editor or a custom symbol for ArcMap. You can search by using the 'Language' and 'Category' filters in the dropdown lists in this area. You can also select from the 'Results per page' dropdown list to view 20, 30, 40, or 50 results on a page and continue to sort with the 'Order by' dropdown list to organize the search results. (You can also click one of the column headers to sort the list of results.) When you click one of the sample titles in the search result list, an additional page of information for that item displays.
  Search ArcScripts tab—You can search by using the 'Language' and 'Product' filters in the dropdown list in this area. You can also select from the 'Results per page' dropdown list to view 20, 30, 40, or 50 results on a page and continue to sort with the 'Order by' dropdown list to organize the search results. When you click one of the ArcScript titles in the search results list, another page of information for that item displays.
• Search—The default in the dropdown list on the Code Exchange page is 'Code Exchange.' You can leave the default or select another option from the dropdown list before typing in your keyword and clicking GO. After typing in a keyword and clicking GO, you will be able to refine your search query and select more advanced options to narrow your search.
• Most Popular ArcScripts—The top ArcScripts display as links in this area with the number of times each item has been downloaded. When you click one of these links, another page of information for that item displays.
• How to use the ESRI Samples—This area contains links to articles that explain how to use ESRI samples.
• Other Resources—This area can include links to the Site Help, Browser Support, Coming Soon, Frequently Asked Questions, and Feedback pages.

The Media Center page contains a list of available videos organized by product categories. When you click one of the available video titles on the page, it displays on a description page with additional information. The following elements display on the Media Center's home page:

• Search—The default in the dropdown list on the Media Center page is 'Media Center.' You can leave the default or select another option from the dropdown list before typing in your keyword and clicking GO. After typing in a keyword and clicking GO, you will be able to refine your search query and select more advanced options to narrow your search.
• Subscription Program—The subscription program is tailored to the needs of developers and provides all resources, including software, documentation, and tools.This area consists of two links: Manage my subscription and Program information. You must be logged in before you can manage your subscription. Once logged in and the 'Manage my subscription' link is clicked, you can activate your EDN subscription by entering your subscription number. When the 'Program information' link is clicked, the subsequent page explains the EDN subscription program.
• Other Resources—This area can include links to the Site Help, Browser Support, Coming Soon, Frequently Asked Questions, and Feedback pages.

The Video description page elements include:

• Video display—This area contains the video you are viewing.
• Description and Clip Length—A short description of the video and the length in minutes and seconds.
• Average Review—This area contains the review statistics for the video you are viewing. Five stars display to represent a "poor" (one star) review to an "outstanding" review (five stars). The 'Rate this movie' link jumps down the page to allow you to rate the video. The number of people who've already rated the video also displays.
• How would you rate this movie?—You can use this area to submit your own rating for the viewed video.

In this section you have learned the basic information that you need to navigate through the EDN site. You have learned about the six main sections of the site: Home, Documentation Library, Discussion Forums, Downloads, Code Exchange, and Media Center.

You have also learned that each main section in the site can be searched alone by selecting that section from the Search dropdown list or you can select to search the entire site by selecting 'Entire EDN Web site.' For more information on the search engine in EDN, please read: Search Help.

If you have suggestions on how to improve this section or experience problems with the site, please complete and submit the feedback form.