Split (Analysis) (ArcInfo only)

The INPUT features will be split into four OUTPUT feature classes based on the split field represented by the values Zone 1 through Zone 6 in the SPLIT FEATURES. Based on this split field, the maximum number of OUTPUT feature classes would be six, since there are six unique values. However, in this illustration, there are only four OUTPUT feature classes. There is no Zone 5 or Zone 6 OUTPUT feature class because there are no INPUT features that correspond to these areas.

Usage tips

• The Split Field data type must be character. The output feature classes will be named for Split Field values; therefore, they must start with a valid character.

• The Split Features must be polygon(s).

• The number of output feature classes is dictated by the Split Field of the Split Features. The number of output feature classes equals the total number of unique values in the Split Field.

• The target workspace must already exist.

• The feature attribute table for output feature classes contains the same items as the Input Features attribute table.

• The Split command will not produce an empty output feature class for Split Features' areas in which no Input Features' features are located.

• Annotation features are split and saved in the output features based on the Split Features polygon in which the lower left starting point of the annotation string falls.

• In the ModelBuilder interactive window, Split will display what appears to be an additional input parameter "output workspace (2)". This is actual the Target Workspace parameter and it is being displayed because it's a required input parameter. Although it will contain the output features that result from the Split, the name of the pre-existing workspace must be stated as a required input parameter.

  The output workspace parameter that appeared when the Split tool was first introduced into the interactive window remains and is treated as an output parameter thereby allowing the Split tool to be a chained process.

• 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.

• Learn more about the xy tolerance environment

• Learn more about xy tolerance

• 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
Split_analysis <in_features> <split_features> <split_field> <out_workspace> {cluster_tolerance}

Command line example

analysis_split  c:\city.mdb\landuse  c:\workspace\splitcov\polygon  zonecode   c:\workspace  1.25  

Scripting syntax
About getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts
Split_analysis (in_features, split_features, split_field, out_workspace, cluster_tolerance)

Script example

# In this example all outputs will be shapefiles.
import arcgisscripting
gp = arcgisscripting.create()

gp.workspace = "c:/test_data.mdb"
gp.toolbox = "analysis"
gp.split "midwest", "watersheds", "volume", "c:/workspace", "2"