Using ArcCatalog

What can you do with ArcCatalog?
After connecting to a folder, database, or GIS server, you can
browse through its contents with the Catalog. You can look for
the map you want to print, draw a coverage or page using the
values in a table, find out which coordinate system a raster uses,
or read about why it was created. Accessing and using information
in ArcCatalog is a simple process.
When you’ve found the data you want to use, add it to a map in
ArcMap or analyze it using the tools in ArcToolbox. You
might find data that you don’t need any longer or that must be
altered. The Catalog makes it easy to reorganize your data and
modify its properties.
Browse for maps and data
Select a folder, database, or GIS server in the Catalog tree, then
examine the list of geographic data it contains in the Contents
tab. You can change the appearance of the Contents list using
buttons on the Standard toolbar. Switch your view from large
icons to small icons, or list properties and metadata for each item
to help you decide which is the right one to use. Thumbnail view
lists snapshots illustrating the geographic data contained in each
item in the folder, database, or GIS server.
Explore the data
Thumbnails give you a quick look at the contents of an item, but
you may want to check whether or not a specific feature in a
coverage has been updated. Select an item that contains data in
the Catalog tree, then examine its data using the Preview tab.
Look at geographic data with Geography view. Buttons and tools
on the Geography toolbar let you zoom and pan to explore the
features in a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing, cells in a
Thumbnails provide an overview of data in the selected folder.
Explore an image before adding it to a map.
2 USING ARCCATALOG