ArcGIS Desktop Advanced Settings Registry Keys
ArcGIS Desktop Advanced Settings Registry Keys
ArcGIS Desktop Advanced Settings Registry Keys
Desktop10.0
Server10.0
Engine10.0
Editor Tab
Data and editing behavior
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\EmptyStringIsNull
Description: When editing attribute values ArcMap will assume that an empty string () really means
Null if set to 1, or if set to 0, it really is an empty string.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\WarnOnSubtypeChange
Description: Shows a warning message when you change the existing subtype of a feature. A value of 0
means the warning will not be shown and 1 (default) means the warning will be shown.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\InitDefaultsOnSubtypeChange
Description: If this value is 1, the database will reinitialize values based on your subtype such that those
values will be based on your new value, if 0, you will have to do this manually, or you continue to use
the old values.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Annotation\ShowFollowWarning
Description: For the Edit Annotation tool in Follow Feature Mode, this determines whether or not a
warning is shown if the feature that an annotation is following is outside the current map extent. A
value of 0 means the warning will not be shown and 1 (default) means the warning will be shown. In
both cases the Follow Feature Mode will be suspended.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\UseTemplates
Description: When checked, the editing environment uses feature templates and the Create Features
window when adding new features. When unchecked, any user interface element used with feature
templates is removed, and the Editor reverts to its appearance and use from the ArcGIS 9.3 release. For
example, the Editor toolbar contains the Sketch tool palette, target layer menu, and task menu, and edit
tasks are used in conjunction with the target layer to create and edit features. Due to the usability
benefits that feature templates provide, it is recommended that this setting remain checked. However,
it is available to allow organizations to continue to use their existing editing customizations while they
transition their development work to the editing template model.
REG_DWORD: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\Jet 4.0\MaxLocksPerFile
Description: If you are calculating more than 9,500 records against an Access database when inside of
an edit session, the operation will abort because of the Jet engine lock count limitation. If you increase
this value, you can calculate more features. Note: Changing this registry key requires administrative
privileges.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\VertexSearchFactor
Description: This is a factor that is multiplied by the current snap tolerance setting to determine a
distance to search for features to show their vertices. The factor is used when the V key is pressed with
any standard editing tool. All vertices of features within "factor * snap tolerance" will be drawn. The
default is 5.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\ZControl Width
Description: This is the width in pixels of the Current Z control that is available in the customization
dialog.
Miscellaneous Tab
Monitor settings
The advanced settings utility displays customized monitor settings on the Miscellaneous tab. If monitor
settings have not been customized, the utility calculates a range of values that will work to obtain the
calculated dpi (dots per inch) values the same way it is done in ArcMap, and it picks a value that is close
to the middle of this range. The most precise way to specify the monitor dimensions is to use a ruler to
physically measure the display area of your monitor and enter these values (in millimeters) in the
settings utility then click Apply. Then ArcMap will begin using the customized values.
If you change your monitor, you may want to measure the new monitor and reapply settings, or delete
customized settings so ArcMap will calculate a dpi setting for you.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Monitor\Height
Description: This is the height in millimeters of your monitors display area. If monitor settings are not
customized, ArcMap gets the dpi setting from your display driver to use for scaling purposes. Changing
this setting to reflect the setting for your monitor will cause some things like legend items in the user
interface to draw at their correct size. Click Delete customized settings to delete customized monitor
settings and replace customized settings with default values.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Monitor\Width
Description: This is the width in millimeters of your monitors display area. If monitor settings are not
customized, ArcMap gets the dpi setting from your display driver to use for scaling purposes. Changing
this setting to reflect the setting for your monitor will cause some things like legend items in the user
interface to draw at their correct size. Click Delete customized settings to delete customized monitor
settings and replace customized settings with default values.
Hyperlink base
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Hyperlinks\HyperlinkBase
Description: This sets whether to disable inserting a slash separator between the hyperlink base and the
link (1), or disable (0).
Panning and scrolling
Mouse wheel roll behavior (support for this new registry key added in 9.2 Service Pack 3)
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\MouseWheelScroll
Giving this registry key a value of 1 tells ArcMap to scroll the map when you roll the mouse wheel.
When this registry setting has not been specified, or when it has a value of 0, rolling the mouse wheel
will zoom in/out, the default behavior at 9.2.
Behavior involving single-clicking or holding down the mouse wheel is unaffected by this registry setting.
This registry setting is not recognized by ArcMap 9.2 prior to Service Pack 3.
For example, you may have used ArcMap 9.1 with a mouse with a 'tilt' wheel that can be tilted from side
to side in addition to being rolled, enabling you to pan in four directions. Using a tilt wheel mouse to pan
in four directions in ArcMap 9.2 doesn't work by default because rolling the mouse wheel zooms in/out
instead of scrolling up/down. So you could give this registry setting a value of 1 to restore this behavior.
Pan delay
By default, when you pan the map in ArcMap you can immediately commence another pan without
waiting for the first one to complete redrawing the display. The first pan gets interrupted by the next, so
you don't have to wait. You may prefer to be able to do several successive pans without interrupting the
drawing by adding a slight delay to the pan function via an optional registry setting. The delay tells
ArcMap to wait for a specified number of milliseconds after a pan before starting to redraw the map to
see if another pan is started. This can make the pan function smoother and less 'jumpy', especially when
your maps contain a large number of layers because it allows you to do multiple small pans before the
display starts to redraw. However because it adds a delay it does slow down the time it takes for a single
pan to complete. For this reason, there is no delay by default.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Display\Scroll Delay
Specify the number of milliseconds delay as a decimal number. A delay of 400 or 500 is suggested if you
want this behavior. To have no delay, either set the value to 0, or delete the registry setting. ArcMap
behaves as normal if it doesn't find this registry setting.
Buffer wizard
buffered. The Feature optimized coordinate system method creates temporary spatial references for
each feature being buffered (this method provides the least distortion of the 4 but takes the longest to
process). The Coordinate system of the data frame (output) uses the spatial reference of the data
frame. This method produces buffers that are uniform (not distorted). This method would be used for
creating cartographic effects like a coastline vignette. Finally, the Coordinate system of the feature
class (input) method uses the spatial reference feature class.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Wizards\Buffer Dialog\Simplify Shapes
During Processing
Description: The buffering of very complex shapes may lead to unexpected results. Checking the Force
geometric simplification during buffer processing check box (a registry value or 1) forces the application
to re-evaluate (i.e., simplify) geometric structures of the buffered shapes. Using this approach will add
time to the buffering process.
License timeout warning
REG_SZ: HKLM\Software\ESRI\License10.0\TimeoutWarning
Description: This setting determines whether or not you will be warned, starting 15 days prior to your
license or evaluation license expiration, for any ArcGIS application or extension timing out. The default
value is True (written as a string). Note: Changing this registry key requires administrative privileges.
degree and can seriously impact performance when working with a map that covers a large area, such as
a world map. For this reason we recommend that you use finer levels of densification only when you can
see on the map that the graticule doesnt quite line up with your data. When this registry setting has not
been specified, or when it has a value of 1, graticules will appear the same as they do in 9.2. This registry
setting is not recognized by ArcMap 9.2 prior to Service Pack 3.
Display rotation alpha factor
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Display\Rotation Alpha
Description: This sets the relative transparency of the superimposition of your data as you rotate it
using the rotate tool on the data frame tools toolbar. Valid values range from 0 (completely transparent
so you don't see what you're rotating) to 255 (where you only see what you're rotating). The default is
200, which makes the original data look faded out. A value of 100 will effectively reverse that effect.
Marker symbol rotation
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Symbology\Settings\RotateWithTransform
Description: The default value for this setting is 1, which means that marker symbols will rotate
additionally with dataframe rotation. When set to 0, marker symbols will not rotate with data frame
rotation and instead maintain their orientation with respect to the page.
Description: This tells ArcMap and ArcCatalog the locations for locator files. Note: Changing this
registry key requires administrative privileges.
Current user
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\ Reference Systems\Predefined Path
Description: This tells ArcMap the location of the coordinate systems.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI \Output\TempPath
Description: Overrides the system's temp directory location when creating output temp files. Take
caution when setting this value, since changing it to a directory that doesn't exist can cause printing and
exporting to fail.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Export\ExportObjectsParams\svg_MaxVertices
Description: SVG export polygon vertex limit (default is 5,000)
Description: Control the maximum number of vertices per polygon (output dicing limit). When a vector
format export encounters a polygon feature with more vertices than defined in this limit, the polygon
will be split into multiple polygons in the output file. This splitting process is called polygon dicing.
Exported files with "diced" (split) polygons are easier for applications like Acrobat and Illustrator to
interpret, resulting in faster view times for users. However, if you are using the application to edit
polygons in the export file, you may wish to preserve single GIS feature polygons as single graphic
objects in the export file. You can do this by increasing the polygon vertex limit for the target output
format.
TOC/Data Tab
Default patch size and shape
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\PatchWidth
Description: The default for this is 12. This is the width of the default patch line. This can be
customized in ArcMap (Tools | Options | TOC). This value is saved with a document; when the
document is opened, the setting is restored. This registry setting (as with all patch width size and shape
settings) sets the default for new documents only.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\PatchHeight
Description: The default for this is 12. This is the height of the default patch line. This can be
customized in ArcMap (Tools | Options | TOC). This value is saved with a document; when the
document is opened, the setting is restored. This registry setting (as with all patch width size and shape
settings) sets the default for new documents only.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\LinePatch
Description: The default for this is Horizontal. This is the default patch line. This can be customized in
ArcMap (Tools | Options | TOC). This value is saved with a document; when the document is opened,
the setting is restored. This registry setting (as with all patch width size and shape settings) sets the
default for new documents only.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\AreaPatch
Description: The default for this is Rectangle. This is the default patch shape. This can be customized in
ArcMap (Tools | Options | TOC). This value is saved with a document; when the document is opened,
the setting is restored. This registry setting (as with all patch width size and shape settings) sets the
default for new documents only.
Working with data
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\SkipDatumCheck
Description: This turns on (0) or off (1) the check that ArcMap makes when data is added to the map.
The check reports when the reported datum of one or more data sources is missing or different than the
display datum.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Garcia\WarnSpatialRefMismatch
Description: If this value is 1, ArcMap displays a warning message when editing datasets with
unmatched coordinate systems. If the value is 0, the warning message is not displayed.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\MaxNumOverflowLabels
Description: This determines the maximum number of labels that the overflow window can display. The
purpose is to keep large labeling jobs, whether intended or accidental, from causing ArcMap to take all
the memory on the machine and then crash the machine. The way this works is that if ArcMap
determines there are more than this number of unplaced labels, it stops tracking the unplaced labels
and does not return any labels to the overflow window.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\MaxNumCachedImages
Description: This is the number of images that ArcMap tracks in the Temporary Internet Files directory
so that when the user uses the zoom forward and backward buttons, ArcMap doesnt need to actually
go back to the IMS server for the imagesaving time. Set this to 0 (zero) if you do not want caching to
be turned on.
Number of legend entries shown for ArcGIS Server map service sublayers (support for this new
registry key added in 9.3)
When you add an ArcGIS Server map service into your map, you can expand the sublayers to see their
legends. However, due to some technical limitations, ArcMap can sometimes run out of Windows GDI
resources (and therefore crash) if there are a very large number of items in the legend of a sublayer in
an ArcGIS Server map service layer. We therefore impose a limit of 100 to the number of legend items
that will be displayed for any sublayer. If the sublayer has more than 100 legend items, then we do not
show any of these legend items, and instead the sublayer is displayed in the Table Of Contents without
an expansion control, so none of its legend items can be seen.
The following registry key lets you override the default number of 100:
Description: This controls the number of decimal places for numbers used on the Identify Route
Locations dialog. Valid values are 0 to 10; anything else (or non-existent) will result in the default of 3
being used.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\DynSeg\ShowIdentifyRouteLabels
Description: This controls whether the 'route' and 'measure' text will be included when labeling route
locations. If 0, then do not show labels; anything else (or non-existent) will show labels.
Hatching
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\DynSeg\HatchDefaultPrecision
Description: This controls the default precision of numbers in text for newly added hatch definitions.
Valid values are 0 to 10; anything else (or non-existent) will result in the default of 2 being used.
Raster Tab
Default resampling mode
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Raster\ResampleMode
Description: This setting is used to control initial raster display resampling. A value of 0 (default) is
nearest neighbor resampling for all rasters; 1 causes bilinear interpolation to be used only on continuous
rasters, and 2 causes cubic convolution to be used only on continuous rasters.
Raster unique value limit
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Raster\UniqueValueDefaultRenderer_ValuesLimit
Description: This is a value used to control the maximum number of values that ArcMap will use the
Unique Value renderer on. By default this is set to 25, whereby any dataset with >26 values will use the
Stretched renderer instead. An error is displayed if you enter a value outside the range 1-256.
Attribute limit
REG_DWORD: HKLM\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Raster\Preferences\grid.max_table_range
Proxy file locator
REG_DWORD: HKLM\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Raster\Environment\TMPDIR
Description: This determines the location where auxiliary and pyramid proxy files are created and
stored. Proxy files are created on read-only raster data, raster data that is located on read-only media,
or within a read-only folder. Note: Changing this registry key requires administrative privileges.
Drawing block option
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Raster\DrawingMode
Description: This setting is used to control the type of screen drawing rasters use. A value of 1 (default)
is top-to-bottom-progressive-row mode, 0 is left-to-right-progressive-block mode, and 2 is full-raster-atonce refresh mode.
Symbols/Graphics Tab
Symbol defaults
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\ColorRamp\DefaultRamp
Description: This is the name of the default color ramp that the Quantities, graduated colors symbology
user interface uses.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\ColorRamp\DefaultScheme
Description: This is the name of the default color scheme that the Categories, unique values symbology
user interface uses.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\Display\Background RGB
Description: This is the color (RRR GGG BBB) that ArcMap will use as the background for its display.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Symbol Defaults\MarkerSize
Description: This will be the size of marker symbols for point data when initially added to ArcMap.
REG_SZ: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Symbol Defaults\LineWidth
Description: This will be the width of line symbols for line data when initially added to ArcMap.
Selection feedback rectangle outline symbol
REG_DWORD:HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\LineFeedbackStyle
Description: This is the style of the line symbol used for the line symbol for the outline of the selection
rectangle used to select graphics or features. The styles match the ISimpleLine style enumerations.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\LineFeedbackWidth
Description: This is the line width of the symbol used for selecting rectangles for the graphics and
feature selection tools. This is also the line width of the edit sketch. If this value exceeds 1, the dash- or
dot-patterns will not be shown.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\LineFeedbackColor
Description: This is the RGB value of the color for the line symbols used for the outline of the rectangle
used to select graphics or features.
Label annotation
REG_DWORD:
HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Annotation\RotateSymbolsOnTheFly
Description: This determines whether or not text labels should be rotated with data frame rotation. A
value of 0 (default) means no rotation and 1 means rotation. Created when labeling is applied (Layer
Properties Labels tab).
REG_DWORD:
HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Annotation\RotateSymbolsOnConvert
Description: Determines whether or not text annotation should be rotated with data frame rotation.
This is set only when you convert labels to annotation in ArcMap (right-click on layer > Convert Labels to
Annotation), or when you create a new feature-linked annotation feature class in ArcCatalog. 0 means
do not rotate annotation when the data frame rotates, and 1 (default) means do rotate the annotation.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Settings\Annotation\DensifyAnnoBaseline
Description: Determines whether or not straight annotation text should be curved when projected. 0
(default) means do not densify. This means that only the endpoints of straight annotation will be
projected when the annotation is displayed in a map with a different coordinate system. 1 means that
the baseline of straight annotation will be densified. These intermediate points are projected to provide
a curved effect when the annotation is displayed in a map with a different coordinate system.
At 9.3 we have added the ability for you to suppress the addition of the trailing asterisk. If you do not
want the asterisk to be applied when truncation occurs, change the value for this DWORD registry key
from 1 to 0:
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\TableWindow\Flag truncated values with
an Asterisk
When this key is set to 1, you will still get the same warning message shown above when truncation
occurs, but the
The timeout that ArcGIS Desktop uses to access third party tiled internet services like Microsoft Bing
When you access a tiled internet service like Microsoft Bing, ArcGIS Desktop defaults to a 6 second
timeout before it gives up waiting for a tile to be returned from that server. This default is specified in
this registry key and is also used if this registry key is not found. You can press the Refresh button in
ArcMap to also force it to request all the tiles for the current display again. However if you find that you
frequently get missing tiles either in your display or in printed or exported maps, you should try
increasing this timeout. For example start by increasing it to 10 seconds. This timeout is used by both
ArcMap and ArcGlobe.
REG_DWORD: HKCU\Software\ESRI\Desktop10.0\InternetTiledLayer\httpTimeout
Note: This mechanism doesn't apply to ArcGIS.com services.