REDLANDS, Calif., Jan. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Python Scripting for ArcGIS is a technical guide that provides a clear, step-by-step process for the creation of Python scripts to enhance ArcGIS 10.1 capabilities.

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"Python scripting is a fundamental tool for GIS professionals to extend the functionality of ArcGIS and automate workflows," says author Paul A. Zandbergen. "You can use it to modify the existing capabilities of ArcGIS and create new ones."

Python Scripting for ArcGIS is a guide for experienced users of ArcGIS and students that are interested in learning how to create Python scripts. No previous programming experience is necessary. Each chapter in the book has a corresponding exercise on the accompanying DVD, and a free 180-day trial of ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop is included.

Python is the scripting language of choice for ArcGIS users because of these characteristics:

• Simple and easy to learn
• Free and open source
• Cross-platform compatible
• Interpreted, not compiled
• Object oriented

Zandbergen is an associate professor of geography at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque where he teaches classes in GIS and spatial analysis. His areas of expertise include GIS applications in criminology, economics, health, and ecology, as well as spatial and statistical analysis techniques using GIS.

Python Scripting for ArcGIS (ISBN: 978-1-58948-282-1, 368 pages, US$79.95) is available at online retailers worldwide, at esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options, or visit esri.com/distributors to contact your local Esri distributor. Interested retailers can contact Esri Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.

About Esri Press
Esri Press publishes books on GIS, cartography, and related topics. The complete selection of GIS titles from Esri Press can be found on the web at esri.com/esripress.

About Esri
Since 1969, Esri has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS, Esri software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. Esri applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of Web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world's mapping and spatial analysis. Esri is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at www.esri.com.

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