@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Geoprocessing
Geoprocessing is the processing of geographic
information.
Perform spatial analysis and modeling via tools that
transform datasets

Includes methods to automate GIS workflows

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Geoprocessing
Three general classes of tools
Breaking features into smaller features (e.g. Clip,
Intersect, Union)
Aggregating features into larger features (e.g. Dissolve,
Merge)
Creating new polygon features through buffering (e.g.
Buffer)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Geoprocessing in ArcGIS
Perform geoprocessing in ArcGIS
Run a tool using its dialog box.
Run tools at a command line.
Build and run a model
Create and run a script

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Geoprocessing in ArcGIS
Several ways to do this.
Run a tool using its dialog box.
Run tools at a command line.
Build and run a model
Create and run a script

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Finding Geoprocessing Tools

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Vector Overlay Functions

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Slide courtesy of Leslie Morrissey

Introduction to GIS

Union

Combines features of two or several themes

Keeps all line work (extent contains both inputs)
Breaks down features, and creates new polygons
Keeps all attributes
Polygon only (no points/lines)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Image source: ESRI Arc Info electronic help

Introduction to GIS

Tools: Union
Polygons
only

A list of
Polygon
datasets
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Intersect

Yields areas that are common to both layers

Preserves line work within common extent
Usually creates many new, smaller polygons
Preserves all attributes from both
Polygon overlaid with

Polygon
Line (output: line)
Point (output: point)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Tools: Intersect
Two
layers

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Union vs. Intersection

Union is the complete combination of two

overlapping sets of features and intersect is the

intersection of inputs (only the overlapping parts)

1 AND 2

Intersect:
Layer 1

+ Layer 2

Union:

1 OR 2
Layer 1

+ Layer 2
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Union vs. Intersection:

Example
Heres an example. Say we have deer
wintering areas in one layer and conserved
lands in another.

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Union vs. Intersection:

Example
Union gives us land that is EITHER
conserved OR that is a deer wintering areas

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Union vs. Intersection:

Example
Intersect gives us land that is BOTH, and preserves
all polygon boundaries within that common extent

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Identity

Identity performs a special type of intersection

Keeps all input features and attributes but only

overlapping identity features and their attributes

First (input) layer determines geographic extent
Polygon with polygon, point, or line
Kept, as with union
Common
(intersecting) areas

Not kept, as
with intersect
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Overlay trouble warning.

Output layer combines spatial polygons

and attribute tables

Overlay

Parcels

Impervious/Pervious

Yikes!
Zillions of
polygons!
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Illustrative material courtesy of Leslie Morrissey

Introduction to GIS

Overlay trouble warnings.

Can result in polygon slivers Yikes!
Output file type (shapefile vs. feature class)
Shapefile output: no recalculation of area,

perimeter, or length fields Double yikes!

Output as GDB feature class for accurate area,
perimeter, and length calculations!

Input layers must have matching

projection/datum (spatial reference)

No automatic recalculation of numeric attributes
for polygons that depend on a spatial unit!
More error!
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Slide content courtesy of Leslie Morrissey

Introduction to GIS

Overlay attribute errors

All input layer attributes are preserved as is
Population is attributed to each output polygon
Count is not recalculated proportional to area
Total population for output is wrong!

Country

States
A

Population
= 9 million

Output

A+
9M
C+
9M

B+
9M
D+
9M

Uh oh!

Sum Pop. = 36M??

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Slide content courtesy of Leslie Morrissey

Introduction to GIS

Clip

This uses one theme to clip, or serve as

the outer boundary of another theme

Breaks down features into smaller units
Preserves the input themes attributes

Polygon only
Point, line, or
polygon
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Tools: Clip

Point,
line,
polygon

Polygon

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Clipping highways for Merced

Note that the use selected features only option was used
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Clipping roads

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Dissolve

Tool for aggregating polygonsmaking

them bigger.
Single layer operation

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Tools: Dissolve

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Dissolve: Example

Dissolve zip codes (small) into counties

(large)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Dissolve: Example
Choose the dissolve field: e.g. Dissolve based

on the County field

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Dissolve : Example

Summarize the resulting field values. For instance, you could

sum population for each county, or average size of ZIP code
zones for each county

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Dissolve : Example
Now we have

created a
county map,
and for each
county we
have an
attribute
containing the
sum of
population of
the constituent
zip codes
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Merge

Allows you to join two adjacent or non-

adjacent themes into the same layer

Like tiling
Best when attributes match

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Tool: Merge

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Merge

Often when you merge you will want to

follow up by dissolving.

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Tools: Buffering

Buffering is when you draw a polygon

around a feature (point, line or polygon)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Tools: Buffering
Based on
distance

Based on
attribute

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Introduction to GIS

Tools:Variable Width Buffering

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Introduction to GIS

More Overlay Tools

Update
merge new
features,
e.g., add
new parcel
to parcels
layer

Erase remove some interior

portion of a layer

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Some content courtesy of Leslie Morrissey

Introduction to GIS

Combining Geoprocessing
Tools
Involve multiple tasks performed in sequence, such

as those that clip, buffer, intersect, union, then

select datasets.
Step by step
Build and run a model
Create and run a script

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing: Example
Question: How to find areas that are near

deer wintering areas and water bodies but

far from traffic?
Geospatial Data
Polygon layer for deer wintering areas
Polygon layer for Water bodies
Roads layer: line features
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing:
Example
Question: How to find areas that are near deer
wintering areas and water bodies but far from traffic?

Near or Far from: Buffering

Areas that are near deer wintering areas AND

water bodies: Intersect

Combining the layers: Union
Selecting: Query for areas that are not within a
traffic buffer
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing: Example

Buffering:

Made fixed
buffers
around deer
wintering
areas and
water
bodies, and
a variable
buffer
around
roads, based
on traffic
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing:
Example

Intersecti
ng: The
intersection
of deer
wintering
buffers and
water
buffers (the
area in the
red)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing: Example

The

union of
that
intersecti
on with
the traffic
buffer:

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing: Example
Selecting:

Query for
polygons that
are not
within (far
from) a traffic
buffer

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Combining Buffering and

Geoprocessing: Example
Create a new

layer by
exporting the
selected
features
(polygons)

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Introduction to GIS

Flow Chart for Analysis

Deer
wintering
areas

Water

Traffic

Buffe
r

Buffe
r

Buffe
r

Deer_buff

Water_bu
ff

Traffic_bu
ff

Interse
ct
Deer
wintering &
water
buffers

Union
@ 2007 Austin Troy

Deer/water
buffers
away from
roads

Select

Deer/water
buffers plus
traffic buffer

Expor
t

Deer/water
buffers
away from
roads

Introduction to GIS

Geoprocessing Summary

Union

Intersect

Identity

Clip

Dissolve

@ 2007 Austin Troy

Merge

Buffer