Using ArcCatalog

Maps, layers, and graphs
You can access maps, layers, and graphs from ArcCatalog. A map
is essentially a printed map stored on disk. It can contain
geographic data, titles, legends, and North arrows. You can use
custom map templates to create a series of maps with the same
layout. You can also embed map documents in other documents—for
example, in Microsoft Word. Published maps can
make your work available to a wider audience by letting people
interact with and print your maps using ArcReader.
Layers include symbology, display, label, query, and relationship
information, all of which define how geographic data is drawn on
a map. For example, a layer might select specific cities from a
shapefile, draw them as blue squares, and label them with text
stored in a related table. Layers don’t include the data itself; they
reference data sources stored elsewhere.
Layers can be stored either inside a map document or as individual
layer files. They are an effective communication tool that
can be shared in an organization. For example, you can place
predefined layers in a shared folder on the network. By using
those layers, others can add data to their maps without having to
know where the geographic data is stored, how to join it to a
related table, or what each column means.
Several layers can be combined to form a group layer. When
added to a map, all layers in the group will be represented by one
entry in the table of contents. For example, you might create a
group layer representing the background material for a map.
Similarly, you could combine road, railroad, and ferry shapefiles
into a single transportation theme.
In ArcMap, you can create graphs illustrating the attributes of
features or records in a table. For example, your graph could
illustrate population density within the regions that appear on the
map. By saving a graph to a file you can add graphs with the
same format to a series of maps. When added to a map, the graph
establishes a link to the data and will change dynamically to
reflect the currently selected features or records.
Map templates let you create a series of maps with the same layout.
Graphs give you a dynamic view that compares the attributes of selected features.
Layers include shortcuts to geographic data and symbology.
Map documents are printed maps stored on disk.
Published maps can be explored and printed with ArcReader.
Group layers combine several layers but have one entry when added to a map.
WHAT’S IN THE CATALOG? 53