Geoprocessing tools for terrain datasets

Geoprocessing tools allow you to create, conduct surface analysis on, modify, and convert terrain datasets.

Conversion tools

There are three geoprocessing tools associated with conversion of terrain datasets. The following table describes the geoprocessing tools designed for converting a terrain dataset to either araster, TIN dataset, or point feature class.

Tool

Description

Terrain To Points

Converts a terrain dataset to a point or multipoint feature class

Terrain To Raster

Converts a terrain to a raster

Terrain To TIN

Converts a terrain to a TIN

Conversion tools

Functional Surface tools

There are four geoprocessing tools associated with functional surface analysis using terrain datasets. The following table describes the geoprocessing tools designed to work directly with a terrain dataset.

Tool

Description

Add Surface Information

Adds surface-related information to a given feature class

Interpolate Shape

Interpolates z-values for features based on a surface

Line Of Sight

Creates a line feature class containing visibility information

Surface Volume

Calculates the area and volume of a surface above or below a given reference plane

Functional Surface tools

Triangulated Surface tools

Triangulated Surface tools allow you to create feature classes that extract 3D information from terrain or TIN surfaces. Using the Terrain and TIN Surface toolset, you can determine patterns that are not readily apparent in the original surface, such as slope and aspect.

Tool

Description

Interpolate Polygon To Multipatch

Creates surface-conforming multipatch features from a polygon feature class using a raster, terrain, or TIN surface.

Locate Outliers

Identifies anomalous elevation measurements from terrain, TIN, or LAS datasets that exceed a defined range of elevation values or have slope characteristics that are inconsistent with the surrounding surface.

Polygon Volume

Calculates the volume and surface area between a polygon and terrain or TIN surface.

Surface Aspect

Creates polygon features that represent ranges of the horizontal direction of slope measurements from a triangulated surface.

Surface Contour

Creates contour lines derived from a terrain, TIN, or LAS dataset surface.

Surface Difference

Calculates the volumetric difference between two surface models stored as either a triangulated irregular networks (TIN) or terrain dataset.

Surface Slope

Creates polygon features that represent ranges of slope values for triangulated surfaces.

Terrain and TIN Surface tools

Visibility tools

One tool in the Visibility toolset accepts Terrain datasets as input.

Tool

Description

Skyline

Generates a line or multipatch feature class containing the results from a skyline or silhouette analysis.

3D Features tool

Related Topics

9/3/2014