Show Navigation | Hide Navigation
You are here:
Geoprocessing tool reference > Environment Settings > General settings

Output coordinate system

Release 9.2
Last modified September 4, 2007
E-mail This Topic Printable Version Give Us Feedback

Print all topics in : "General settings"


Related Topics

Specify the coordinate system that will be used for processing and set to the output geodataset. The coordinate system (geographic or projected) defines the location of the spatial data on the earth.

If the geoprocessing tool has an input feature class, and the coordinate system environment is not set, the the coordinate system of the input* will be used as the processing and set as the output feature class' coordinate system. To override this, set the "Coordinate System environment" to the desired coordinate system.

* For tools which have multiple inputs (intersect for example) the coordinate of the first feature class in the list will be used.


Usage tips





Command line syntax

An overview of the command line window

OutputCoordinateSystem <outputCoordinateSystem>


Parameters Explanation Datatype
<outputCoordinateSystem> Specifies the output features coordinate system. If not explicitly set and the output does not reside inside a feature dataset, the spatial reference of the first input will be used.
  • Same As Input—If input features have a coordinate system, then the output features will have the same coordinate system. This is the default.
  • As specified below—Choose a new coordinate system for output features. You may enter a coordinate system name or use the Spatial Reference Properties dialog box.
Coordiante System

Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters

Command line example



outputCoordinateSystem "Coordinate Systems\Projected Coordinate Systems\Utm\Nad 1983\NAD 1983 UTM Zone 22N.prj"



Scripting syntax

An overview of scripting in geoprocessing

OutputCoordinateSystem (outputCoordinateSystem)


Parameters Explanation Datatype
outputCoordinateSystem (Required) Specifies the output features coordinate system. If not explicitly set and the output does not reside inside a feature dataset, the spatial reference of the first input will be used.
  • Same As Input—If input features have a coordinate system, then the output features will have the same coordinate system. This is the default.
  • As specified below—Choose a new coordinate system for output features. You may enter a coordinate system name or use the Spatial Reference Properties dialog box.
Coordinate System

Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters

Script example



import arcgisscripting
gp = arcgisscripting.create()

gp.workspace = "h:/workspace"
gp.OutputCoordinateSystem = "Coordinate Systems\Projected Coordinate Systems\Utm\Nad 1983\NAD 1983 UTM Zone 22N.prj"


Please visit the Feedback page to comment or give suggestions on ArcGIS Desktop Help.
Copyright © Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.