Clip (Analysis)

License Level:BasicStandardAdvanced

Summary

Extracts input features that overlay the clip features.

Use this tool to cut out a piece of one feature class using one or more of the features in another feature class as a cookie cutter. This is particularly useful for creating a new feature class—also referred to as study area or area of interest (AOI)—that contains a geographic subset of the features in another, larger feature class.

Illustration

Clip illustration

Usage

Syntax

Clip_analysis (in_features, clip_features, out_feature_class, {cluster_tolerance})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_features

The features to be clipped.

Feature Layer
clip_features

The features used to clip the input features.

Feature Layer
out_feature_class

The feature class to be created.

Feature Class
cluster_tolerance
(Optional)

The minimum distance separating all feature coordinates as well as the distance a coordinate can move in X or Y (or both). Set the value to be higher for data with less coordinate accuracy and lower for data with extremely high accuracy.

Linear unit

Code Sample

Clip example (Python window)

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

import arcpy
from arcpy import env

env.workspace = "C:/data"
arcpy.Clip_analysis("majorrds.shp", "study_quads.shp", "C:/output/studyarea.shp")
Clip example 2 (stand-alone Python script)

The following Python script demonstrates how to use the Clip function in a stand-alone script.

# Name: Clip_Example2.py
# Description: Clip major roads that fall within the study area. 

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

# Set workspace
env.workspace = "C:/data"

# Set local variables
in_features = "majorrds.shp"
clip_features = "study_quads.shp"
out_feature_class = "C:/output/studyarea.shp"
xy_tolerance = ""

# Execute Clip
arcpy.Clip_analysis(in_features, clip_features, out_feature_class, xy_tolerance)

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcGIS for Desktop Basic: Yes
ArcGIS for Desktop Standard: Yes
ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced: Yes
5/6/2013