Geoprocessing tool reference > Analysis toolbox > Overlay toolset > Tools
Erase (Analysis) (ArcInfo only) |
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Release 9.3
Last modified January 11, 2011 |
Print all topics in : "Tools" |
NOTE: This topic was updated for 9.3.1.
Creates a feature class by overlaying the Input Features with the polygons of the Erase Features. Only those portions of the Input Features falling outside the Erase Features outside boundaries are copied to the Output Feature Class.
Learn more about how Erase works.
Illustration
Usage tips
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Input Feature polygons that are coincident with Erase Feature polygons will be removed.
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The Erase Features must be polygons.
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This tool may generate multipart features in the input even if all inputs were single part. If multipart features are not desired, use the Multipart to Singlepart tool on the output.
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When processing datasets that contain any individual feature with a very large number of vertices (e.g., hundreds of thousands to millions of vertices within a single feature), some geometric processing operations may run out of memory. For more details, see Geoprocessing with large datasets.
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The following environment settings affect this tool: Coordinate system, Extent, XY Tolerance, Z Tolerance, M Tolerance, XY Resolution, Z Resolution, M Resolution, Output XY domain, Output Z domain, Output M domain, Output has M values, Output has Z values, Default Z value, Configuration keyword, Output Spatial Grid.
Command line syntax
An overview of the Command Line window
Erase_analysis <in_features> <erase_features> <out_feature_class> {cluster_tolerance}
| Parameter | Explanation | Data Type |
| <in_features> |
The input feature class or layer. |
Feature Layer |
| <erase_features> |
The features whose outer polygon defines the erasing area. |
Feature Layer |
| <out_feature_class> |
The feature class that will contain only those Input Features that lie outside the Erase Features area. |
Feature Class |
| {cluster_tolerance} |
The minimum distance separating all feature coordinates (nodes and vertices) as well as the distance a coordinate can move in X or Y (or both). You can set the value to be higher for data that has less coordinate accuracy and lower for datasets with extremely high accuracy. |
Linear unit |
Command line example
erase_analysis d:\ workspace\vegetation.shp d:\workspace\fire_poly.shp d:\new_workspace\no_damage.shp 1.3
Scripting syntax
About getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts
Erase_analysis (in_features, erase_features, out_feature_class, cluster_tolerance)
| Parameter | Explanation | Data Type |
| in_features (Required) |
The input feature class or layer. |
Feature Layer |
| erase_features (Required) |
The features whose outer polygon defines the erasing area. |
Feature Layer |
| out_feature_class (Required) |
The feature class that will contain only those Input Features that lie outside the Erase Features area. |
Feature Class |
| cluster_tolerance (Optional) |
The minimum distance separating all feature coordinates (nodes and vertices) as well as the distance a coordinate can move in X or Y (or both). You can set the value to be higher for data that has less coordinate accuracy and lower for datasets with extremely high accuracy. |
Linear unit |
Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters
Script example
import arcgisscripting
gp = arcgisscripting.create()
gp.workspace = "c:/test_data"
gp.toolbox = "analysis"
gp.erase("vegetation.shp", "fire_poly.shp", "no_damage.shp", "1.3")