Simplify Building (Cartography)

License Level:BasicStandardAdvanced

Summary

Simplifies the boundary or footprint of building polygons while maintaining their essential shape and size.

Illustration

Simplify Building illustration

Usage

Syntax

SimplifyBuilding_cartography (in_features, out_feature_class, simplification_tolerance, {minimum_area}, {conflict_option})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_features

The building polygons to be simplified.

Feature Layer
out_feature_class

The output feature class to be created.

Feature Class
simplification_tolerance

Sets the tolerance for building simplification. A tolerance must be specified, and it must be greater than zero. You can choose a preferred unit; the default is the feature unit.

Linear unit
minimum_area
(Optional)

Sets the minimum area for a simplified building to be retained in feature units. The default value is zero, that is, to keep all buildings. You can specify a preferred unit; the default is the feature unit.

Areal unit
conflict_option
(Optional)

Specifies whether or not to check for potential conflicts, that is, overlapping or touching, among buildings. A field named SimBldFlag is added to the output to store conflict flags. A value of 0 means no conflict; a value of 1 means conflict.

  • NO_CHECKSpecifies not to check for potential conflicts; the resulting buildings may overlap. This is the default.
  • CHECK_CONFLICTSSpecifies to check for potential conflicts; the conflicting buildings will be flagged.
Boolean

Code Sample

SimplifyBuilding example 1 (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the SimplifyBuilding function in immediate mode.

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
import arcpy.cartography as CA
env.workspace = "C:/data"
CA.SimplifyBuilding("buildings.shp", "C:/output/output.gdb/simplified_buildings", 10)
SimplifyBuilding example 2 (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to use the SimplifyBuilding function.

# Name: SimplifyBuilding_Example2.py
# Description: Aggregate building features and then simplify them
 
# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env
import arcpy.cartography as CA
  
# Set environment settings
env.workspace = "C:/data/Portland.gdb/Buildings"
 
# Set local variables
inBuildingFeatures = "houses"
aggregatedFeatures = "C:/data/PortlandOutput.gdb/residential_areas"
simplifiedFeatures = "C:/data/PortlandOutput.gdb/residential_simplified"

# Aggregate house polygons.
CA.AggregatePolygons(inBuildingFeatures, aggregatedFeatures, 10, 100, 100, "ORTHOGONAL")
 
# Simplify residential building polygons.
CA.SimplifyBuilding(aggregatedFeatures, simplifiedFeatures, 10, 100, CHECK_CONFLICTS)

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcGIS for Desktop Basic: No
ArcGIS for Desktop Standard: No
ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced: Yes
3/3/2014