ArcGIS 9.1 Now Available

ESRI (CA, USA) has announced that ArcGIS 9.1 is now available. ArcGIS 9.1 is a full release of ArcGIS Desktop (ArcReader, ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo), ArcGIS Engine, ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS, and ArcSDE. In addition, it is the main vehicle for the release of Network Analyst on the ArcGIS platform.

Key features of ArcGIS 9.1:

• ArcGIS 9.1 includes user-requested quality improvements and enhancements across all products and adds support for large datasets
  
• ArcGIS 9.1 matches the graphical user interface with the geoprocessing functionality by adding geoprocessing tools to the ArcGIS Desktop products: 63 tools to ArcView, 86 tools to ArcEditor, and 22 tools to ArcInfo
  
• new Merge tool for combining data
  
• pan to selection, pause drawing, better support for longer field names, Swipe tool, and much more
  
• the Save As tool allows users to save a copy of documents (.mxd, .sxd, .lyr) as in version 8.3 with no changes required in 8.3 projects
  
• ArcGIS 9.1 offers broader support of OGC map standards including Web Map Service, Web Feature Service, and Catalog Services
  
• with ArcGIS 9.1, all users have access to 150-metre worldwide natural view imagery and nationwide street data.

This new extension to the ArcGIS platform provides network-based spatial analysis including routing, travel directions, closest facility, and service area analysis in addition to multimodal network support. The Network Analyst functionality is available for ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server.

With the release of ArcGIS 9.1, ESRI is announcing changes in the licensing of some existing extensions. Specifically, StreetMap for ArcGIS is included with the ArcGIS Desktop products, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server. ArcPress for ArcGIS is included with the ArcGIS Desktop products, ArcScan for ArcGIS is included with ArcEditor and ArcInfo, and Maplex for ArcGIS is included with ArcInfo.

In addition, ArcGIS Data Interoperability and ArcGIS Schematics are integrated as optional ArcGIS Desktop extensions, and 3D globe documents as well as 2D maps can be published using ArcGIS Publisher and read using ArcReader.