Chapter 2. Using ArcGIS Pro – Navigating through the Interface

Now that you have successfully installed ArcGIS Pro, it is time to begin examining how it works. ArcGIS Pro is the first Esri desktop product to make use of a ribbon interface, which has become common in many current desktop applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and AutoCAD. The new ribbons make finding and accessing tools and functionality quicker and easier than the traditional drop-down menu and toolbar interface used by ArcGIS for Desktop.

So, you may ask yourself how the new ribbon style interface makes accessing tools and functionality quicker. This new interface is smart. It will present you with tools and information relevant to your current operation. When working in a layout, tasks associated with creating and printing a layout are presented. If you switch your focus to performing analysis, then a new series of menu options will be presented automatically that allows you to access analysis tools.

This automatic behavior is referred to as contextual menus or tabs. These smart ribbons present you with the tools you need when you need them. When you move on to other tasks, they automatically update accordingly. This not only puts the tools you need at your fingertips, but it also removes the need to have a large number of toolbars and windows open at one time, thus reducing screen clutter and opening up real-estate for other uses.

The interface can be further customized to meet your specific needs. You can group tools you use most commonly, so they are readily available at all times. You can make changes to the Quick Access Toolbar located at the top of ArcGIS Pro. You can also share these customizations with others in your organization. So, ArcGIS Pro can be even easier to use.

In this chapter, you will:

• Learn terminology associated with ArcGIS Pro ribbon menus
• Work with the ribbon menus and understand how the contextual tabs work
• Locate several commonly used tools in the ArcGIS Pro interface
• Learn how to move between maps, scenes, and layouts
• Learn how to customize the ArcGIS Pro interface