Since the
ESRI Resource Centers were released over a year ago, the Code Galleries, organized by product and technology, have been a very popular place to upload and download ArcGIS code samples, models, and scripts. Many staff from ESRI and the global ArcGIS developer community have participated in uploading hundreds of samples, and to date, there have been thousands of downloads as well. As described in a
previous post, they are quite an improvement over the otherwise very successful "
ArcScripts" area on the
ESRI Support Center.
But now that there are two places for accessing samples on ESRI's website, a few questions have come up over the past year from the developer community. Here is a short Q&A below to help answer these.
When should I use the Code Galleries?
Searching: Use any of the dozen or so Code Galleries (here is one example) when you want to search for the latest code and application samples from ESRI and the developer community. Each entry is fully described, searchable, and many have video or Try It Live links for seeing the sample in action before you download it.
Sharing: Use the Code Galleries when you have created helpful samples and would like to share them with the rest of the commmunity.
When should I use ArcScripts instead of the Code Galleries?
ArcScripts continues to exist for older products and versions. If you cannot find a resource center and code gallery for the sample you are trying to search for or upload to, then feel free to use ArcScripts for those. Some examples of ESRI's older products and technologies that are not represented on the ESRI Resource Centers are MapObjects, ArcView 3.x/Avenue, and ArcIMS.
Should I upload my entry to both ArcScripts and the Code Galleries?
That is not necessary. If you want your sample to reach the widest audience, and you are using current products and technologies, then the Code Galleries will give you the best results. However, you will need to continue using ArcScripts if you are searching for older technologies such as MapObjects, ArcView 3.x/Avenue, ArcIMS, or any other older product not represented in the ESRI Resource Centers.
Will ArcScripts be phased out?
Yes, over time. But as long as users and developers are finding those older code samples and tools helpful, it will remain.
- EDN Team
