com.esri.arcgis.geoprocessing.tools.datamanagementtools
Class MakeFeatureLayer

java.lang.Object
  com.esri.arcgis.geoprocessing.AbstractGPTool
      com.esri.arcgis.geoprocessing.tools.datamanagementtools.MakeFeatureLayer

All Implemented Interfaces:

GPTool

public class MakeFeatureLayer
extends AbstractGPTool

Creates a feature layer from an input feature class or layer file. The layer that is created by the tool is temporary and will not persist after the session ends unless the layer is saved to disk or the map document is saved. The Make Feature Layer tool is contained in the Data Management Tools tool box.

Usage tips:

• The temporary feature layer can be saved as a layer file using the tool or can be saved as a new feature class using the tool.
• Complex feature classes, such as annotation and dimensions, are not supported by this tool.
• Layers created in ArcCatalog cannot be used in ArcMap unless they are saved to a layer file using the tool.
• If an SQL expression is used but returns nothing, the output will be empty.
• Field names can be given a new name by using the Field Info control. The second column on the control lists the existing field names from the input. To rename a field, click the field name and type in a new one.New field names defined in the Field Info control will be honored in subsequent tools. However, if this tool is the last tool in a model, the field names will be obtained from the source data on disk. To maintain new field names, the new layer has to be written out to a new data using or tools.
• The field names will be validated by specifying an input workspace. Thus, if the input is a geodatabase feature class, and the output workspace is a folder, the field names may be truncated, since shapefile attibutes can only have names of ten characters or less. The new names may be reviewed and altered using the Field Info control.
• A subset of fields can be made unavailable in the new layer by using the Field Info control's visible property. The third column in the control provides a dropdown option to specify whether a field will be visible or hidden in the new layer. The default is TRUE. Selecting FALSE will hide that field. You cannot use the hidden fields in a workflow if the newly created layer is input to a subsequent process or tool. If the output is saved to disk, only the fields listed as visible will appear in the new data.
• A split policy can be set by using the Field Info controloption. The split policy comes into effect any time the feature layer is being used as an input to a tool and a geometry of the input feature layer is split during processing. When the split geometry is sent to the output, a ratio of the input attribute value is calculated for the output attribute value. Whenis enabled, whenever a feature in an overlay operation is split, the attributes of the resulting features are a ratio of the attribute value of the input feature. The output value is based on the ratio in which the input feature geometry was divided. For example, if the input geometry was divided equally, each new feature's attribute value is assigned one-half of the value of the input feature's attribute value. Use Ratio Policy only applies to numeric field types.The default is NONE (unchecked). This means the attribute of the two resulting features takes on a copy of the original object's attribute value.Geoprocessing tools do not honor geodatabase feature class or table field split policies.
• When using ModelBuilder to create a tool, you need to ensure that the input data variable to this tool is not flagged as intermediate. If the input is flagged as intermediate, it will be deleted after the model is run from its dialog and the output layer will not be added to the display.

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class com.esri.arcgis.geoprocessing.AbstractGPTool

vals

Constructor Summary

MakeFeatureLayer()
Creates the Make Feature Layer tool with defaults.

MakeFeatureLayer(Object inFeatures, Object outLayer)
Creates the Make Feature Layer tool with the required parameters.

Method Summary

Object	getFieldInfo() Returns the Field Info parameter of this tool .
Object	getInFeatures() Returns the Input Features parameter of this tool .
Object	getOutLayer() Returns the Output Layer parameter of this tool .
String	getToolboxAlias() Returns the alias of the tool box containing this tool.
String	getToolboxName() Returns the name of the tool box containing this tool.
String	getToolName() Returns the name of this tool.
Object	getWhereClause() Returns the Expression parameter of this tool .
Object	getWorkspace() Returns the Workspace or Feature Dataset parameter of this tool .
void	setFieldInfo(Object fieldInfo) Sets the Field Info parameter of this tool .
void	setInFeatures(Object inFeatures) Sets the Input Features parameter of this tool .
void	setOutLayer(Object outLayer) Sets the Output Layer parameter of this tool .
void	setWhereClause(Object whereClause) Sets the Expression parameter of this tool .
void	setWorkspace(Object workspace) Sets the Workspace or Feature Dataset parameter of this tool .

Methods inherited from class com.esri.arcgis.geoprocessing.AbstractGPTool

getParameterValues, toString

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

MakeFeatureLayer

public MakeFeatureLayer()

Creates the Make Feature Layer tool with defaults.

Initializes the array of tool parameters with the default values specified when the tool was created.

MakeFeatureLayer

public MakeFeatureLayer(Object inFeatures,
                        Object outLayer)

Creates the Make Feature Layer tool with the required parameters.

Initializes the array of tool parameters with the values as specified for the required parameters and with the default values for the other parameters.

Parameters:

inFeatures - the input feature class or layer used the make the new layer. Complex feature classes, such as annotation and dimensions, are not valid inputs to this tool.

outLayer - the name of the feature layer to be created. The newly created layer can be used as input to any geoprocessing tool that accepts a feature layer as input.

Method Detail

getInFeatures

public Object getInFeatures()

Returns the Input Features parameter of this tool . This parameter is the input feature class or layer used the make the new layer. Complex feature classes, such as annotation and dimensions, are not valid inputs to this tool. This is a required parameter.

Returns:

the Input Features

setInFeatures

public void setInFeatures(Object inFeatures)

Sets the Input Features parameter of this tool . This parameter is the input feature class or layer used the make the new layer. Complex feature classes, such as annotation and dimensions, are not valid inputs to this tool. This is a required parameter.

Parameters:

inFeatures - the input feature class or layer used the make the new layer. Complex feature classes, such as annotation and dimensions, are not valid inputs to this tool.

getOutLayer

public Object getOutLayer()

Returns the Output Layer parameter of this tool . This parameter is the name of the feature layer to be created. The newly created layer can be used as input to any geoprocessing tool that accepts a feature layer as input. This is a required parameter.

Returns:

the Output Layer

setOutLayer

public void setOutLayer(Object outLayer)

Sets the Output Layer parameter of this tool . This parameter is the name of the feature layer to be created. The newly created layer can be used as input to any geoprocessing tool that accepts a feature layer as input. This is a required parameter.

Parameters:

outLayer - the name of the feature layer to be created. The newly created layer can be used as input to any geoprocessing tool that accepts a feature layer as input.

getWhereClause

public Object getWhereClause()

Returns the Expression parameter of this tool . This parameter is an SQL expression used to select a subset of features. The syntax for the expression differs slightly depending on the data source. For example, if you're querying file or ArcSDE geodatabases, shapefiles, or coverages, enclose field names in double quotes: "MY_FIELD" if you're querying personal geodatabases, enclose fields in square brackets: [MY_FIELD] in the Python Window enclose the {where_clause} in parentheses to ensure the spaces (which are delimiters between parameters) are correctly interpreted. for more information on SQL syntax and how it differs between data sources, see SQL Reference. This is an optional parameter.

Returns:

the Expression

setWhereClause

public void setWhereClause(Object whereClause)

Sets the Expression parameter of this tool . This parameter is an SQL expression used to select a subset of features. The syntax for the expression differs slightly depending on the data source. For example, if you're querying file or ArcSDE geodatabases, shapefiles, or coverages, enclose field names in double quotes: "MY_FIELD" if you're querying personal geodatabases, enclose fields in square brackets: [MY_FIELD] in the Python Window enclose the {where_clause} in parentheses to ensure the spaces (which are delimiters between parameters) are correctly interpreted. for more information on SQL syntax and how it differs between data sources, see SQL Reference. This is an optional parameter.

Parameters:

whereClause - an SQL expression used to select a subset of features. The syntax for the expression differs slightly depending on the data source. For example, if you're querying file or ArcSDE geodatabases, shapefiles, or coverages, enclose field names in double quotes: "MY_FIELD" if you're querying personal geodatabases, enclose fields in square brackets: [MY_FIELD] in the Python Window enclose the {where_clause} in parentheses to ensure the spaces (which are delimiters between parameters) are correctly interpreted. for more information on SQL syntax and how it differs between data sources, see SQL Reference.

getWorkspace

public Object getWorkspace()

Returns the Workspace or Feature Dataset parameter of this tool . This parameter is the input workspace used to validate the field names. If the input is a geodatabase table and the output workspace is a dBASE table, the field names may be truncated, since dBASE fields can only have names of ten characters or less. The new names may be reviewed and altered using the field information control. This is an optional parameter.

Returns:

the Workspace or Feature Dataset

setWorkspace

public void setWorkspace(Object workspace)

Sets the Workspace or Feature Dataset parameter of this tool . This parameter is the input workspace used to validate the field names. If the input is a geodatabase table and the output workspace is a dBASE table, the field names may be truncated, since dBASE fields can only have names of ten characters or less. The new names may be reviewed and altered using the field information control. This is an optional parameter.

Parameters:

workspace - the input workspace used to validate the field names. If the input is a geodatabase table and the output workspace is a dBASE table, the field names may be truncated, since dBASE fields can only have names of ten characters or less. The new names may be reviewed and altered using the field information control.

getFieldInfo

public Object getFieldInfo()

Returns the Field Info parameter of this tool . This parameter is can be used to review and alter the field names and hide a subset of fields in the output layer. A split policy can be specified. See the usages for more information. This is an optional parameter.

Returns:

the Field Info

setFieldInfo

public void setFieldInfo(Object fieldInfo)

Sets the Field Info parameter of this tool . This parameter is can be used to review and alter the field names and hide a subset of fields in the output layer. A split policy can be specified. See the usages for more information. This is an optional parameter.

Parameters:

fieldInfo - can be used to review and alter the field names and hide a subset of fields in the output layer. A split policy can be specified. See the usages for more information.

getToolName

public String getToolName()

Returns the name of this tool.

Returns:

the tool name

getToolboxName

public String getToolboxName()

Returns the name of the tool box containing this tool.

Returns:

the tool box name

getToolboxAlias

public String getToolboxAlias()

Returns the alias of the tool box containing this tool.

Returns:

the tool box alias