The ArcMap document (MXD) is a cornerstone component of an ESRI implementation. It is used both on the desktop and on the server to define the “look and feel” for a map display. Yet, in spite of the prevalence of the MXD, very few users understand the impact that the choices of configuration can have on the performance of the map display. Therefore, when performance of the map display does not meet users expectations, few Utilities understand what tools and methods can be used to identify and modify aspects of an MXD’s configuration to improve performance.

This presentation will walk the audience through the process of using the “MXDPERFSTAT” tool to identify performance problems with an MXD configuration. Common MXD configuration issues for Utilities, such labeling, symbology, and scale constraints will be discussed. The presentation will show how to use the MXDPERFSTAT tool to capture the per layer fetch and render times. This information will be used to show the impact that simple modifications to the MXD’s layer configurations can have on performance.

The MXDPERFSTAT tool is freely available and downloadable from ESRI’s Arcscript Web site.