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Symmetrical Difference (Analysis) (ArcInfo only)

Release 9.2
Last modified January 13, 2009
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Computes a geometric intersection of the input and update features. Features or portions of features in the input and update features which do not overlap will be written to the Output Feature Class.

Learn more about how Symmetrical Difference works


Illustration

Symmetrical Difference illustration

Usage tips

Command line syntax
An overview of the Command Line window
SymDiff_analysis <in_features> <update_features> <out_feature_class> {NO_FID | ONLY_FID | ALL} {cluster_tolerance}

Parameter Explanation Data Type
<in_features>

The input feature class or layer. Geometry type must be polygon.

Feature Layer
<update_features>

The update feature class or layer. Geometry type must be polygon.

Feature Layer
<out_feature_class>

The feature class to which the results will be written.

Feature Class
{NO_FID | ONLY_FID | ALL}

Determines which attributes will be transferred to the Output Feature Class.

  • ALL — All the attributes from the Input Features and Update Features will be transferred to the output. This is the default.
  • NO_FID — All the attributes except the FID Input Features and Update Features will be transferred to the output.
  • ONLY_FID — Only the FID from the Input Features and Update Features will be transferred to the output.

String
{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
Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters


Command line example

workspace d:\test_data
symdiff forest\polygon cutzones.shp gdb.mdb\futurecut no_fid 0.25

Scripting syntax
About getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts
SymDiff_analysis (in_features, update_features, out_feature_class, join_attributes, cluster_tolerance)

Parameter Explanation Data Type
in_features (Required)

The input feature class or layer. Geometry type must be polygon.

Feature Layer
update_features (Required)

The update feature class or layer. Geometry type must be polygon.

Feature Layer
out_feature_class (Required)

The feature class to which the results will be written.

Feature Class
join_attributes (Optional)

Determines which attributes will be transferred to the Output Feature Class.

  • ALL — All the attributes from the Input Features and Update Features will be transferred to the output. This is the default.
  • NO_FID — All the attributes except the FID Input Features and Update Features will be transferred to the output.
  • ONLY_FID — Only the FID from the Input Features and Update Features will be transferred to the output.

String
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

# Create the geoprocessor
import arcgisscripting
gp = arcgisscripting.create()

# Use error trapping in case a problem occurs when running the SymDiff tool
try:
    gp.SymDiff("c:/test_data/covs/forest", "c:/test_data/shp/cutzones.shp", "c:/test_data/gdb.mdb/futurecut", "only_fid" "0.25")

except:
    print gp.GetMessage()

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