----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Friends, ESRI's FTP site of interest to you has a new and improved generic "starter" ArcView2 project. The improvements are subtle, so I'll describe them for you. First, the site: REDLANDS.ESRI.COM\PUB\K12-LIB\SAMPLES Look for "aaa.apr" Now, the modifications from a basic generic default project. First, the two newest enhancements (post-ALA). (1) The disk buttons which used to direct the project to do a "FILE/SAVE" now direct the project to do a "FILE/SAVE AS", so that you can rename a project on the fly, and more easily protect serial versions of the project, in case things go awry. If you are anxious to do a regular fast FILE/SAVE, you can still do so thru the Menu choices or the hotkey combo CTRL-S. Thus, we hope this will make it easier for you to be more careful without making it hard for you to be efficient. (2) The View and Table interfaces each have a new button which allows you "one-button access" for bringing in external tables. Previously, you had to know that you needed to go back to the project window, then click on the TABLES button, then click ADD before you could add a table. Now, you can bring in a joinable table with more natural "flow" to the movements and thinking. Next, the "pre-ALA enhancements", which many of you have already seen. (3) The View interface is already set to "decimal degrees", so that decimal degree data you bring in will automatically come in with an intelligible scale. (4) The View interface has special pull-down buttons for selecting shapes by point, line, circle, rectangle, or polygon. The default project only allows selecting by rectangle. (5) The View interface has a button for identifying the projection. If you are using an orthographic projection, it allows you to change center points on the fly. (6) The View interface has a button for toggling all other buttons and all tools off and on. More just a gimmick right now, but easy to modify. (7) The View interface/View menu has an option built in for merging themes, which is especially handy if you are working with DCW or "incomplete" data sets. (8) The View interface has lost references to geocoding, which were more confusing than helpful for most newcomers. (9) The Table interface has a "histogram" button to allow you to build a rough, quick histogram of values for a field. And there are a few other odds and ends. We'll be working on preparing better and better generic starting projects. For now, you should download this one and use it for your basic projects. Charlie ---------- Charlie Fitzpatrick ESRI K-12 Education & Libraries 3460 Washington Drive, Suite 101 St.Paul, MN 55122-4301 v: 612/454-0600 x.26 f: 612/454-0705 e: "[log in to unmask]" or "[log in to unmask]"