Using the Buffer Wizard to create buffers around features
Release 9.1 Last modified December 7, 2006	Print all topics in : "Querying maps"

About creating buffers around features

The ArcMap Buffer Wizard lets you buffer features in a layer or graphics you draw on top of your map. You can buffer features at a specific distance or use an attribute value to create variable width buffers. Use multiple ring buffers to show features within distinct bands of distance, for example, 50, 100, and 150 meters.

Buffers can be used to define an area according to a set distance around a feature. For example, a forester may need to avoid removing trees from 400-meter area around an animal's nesting site. Buffers can also be useful for selecting features within an area around a feature. For example, a developer may want to identify the number of gas stations within a two-kilometer radius around his land.
Distance is one way of defining and measuring how close something is. You can also measure what's nearby in terms of cost. Time is one of the most common costs; it takes longer, for example, for customers to get to a store through heavy traffic than it does with light traffic. Other costs include money (such as the operating cost per mile for a delivery van) and effort expended (for instance, a deer walking through thick underbrush versus open forest to reach a stream). These are often referred to as travel costs.

How to buffer features

Buffering features at a specified distance

1. Click the Tools menu and click Buffer Wizard.
If you've placed the Buffer Wizard in another location, then go to this location and click the Buffer Wizard to open it.

2. Click to buffer the features of a layer.
3. Click the dropdown arrow and select the layer to buffer.
Optionally, check Use only selected features.

4. Click Next.
5. Click to create buffers at a specified distance and type the distance.
6. Click the Distance units dropdown arrow and click the appropriate units.
7. Click Next.
8. Click to Dissolve barriers between buffers.
9. Click to output the buffer as a graphic on the map or as a new layer (feature class).
10. Click Finish.

Tips

The Buffer Wizard does not, by default, appear in any of the menus or on any of the toolbars. To add it, see Adding the Buffer Wizard to the Tools menu. To use the buffers you create on different maps, save the buffer as a new data source such as a shapefile. Then you can easily add the data to another map. You need to set the data frame's map units before buffering. You can do this in the Data Frame Properties dialog box on the General tab. Creating a buffer provides a visual representation on your map of the area within a certain distance of one or more features. You can also use the buffer to select features in other layers that fall within the buffered area (using Select By Graphics). For more conceptual information on buffering features, see The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis.

Buffering features at multiple distances

1. Click the Tools menu and click Buffer Wizard.
If you've placed the Buffer Wizard in another location, then go to this location and click the Buffer Wizard to open it.

2. Click to buffer the features of a layer.
3. Click the dropdown arrow and select the layer to buffer.
Optionally, check Use only selected features.

4. Click Next.
5. Click to create buffers As multiple buffer rings.
6. Type the Number of rings.
7. Type the Distance between rings.
8. Click the Distance units dropdown arrow and click the appropriate units.
9. Click Next.
10. Click to Dissolve barriers between buffers.
11. Click to output the buffer as a graphic on the map or as a new layer (feature class).
12. Click Finish.

Tips

The Buffer Wizard does not, by default, appear in any of the menus or on any of the toolbars. To add it, see Adding the Buffer Wizard to the Tools menu. To use the buffers you create on different maps, save the buffer as a new data source such as a shapefile. Then you can easily add the data to another map. You need to set the data frame's map units before buffering. You can do this in the Data Frame Properties dialog box on the General tab. Creating a buffer provides a visual representation on your map of the area within a certain distance of one or more features. You can also use the buffer to select features in other layers that fall within the buffered area (using Select By Graphics). For more conceptual information on buffering features, see The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis.

Buffering features based on a field

1. Click the Tools menu and click Buffer Wizard.
If you've placed the Buffer Wizard in another location, then go to this location and click the Buffer Wizard to open it.

2. Click to buffer the features of a layer.
3. Click the dropdown arrow and select the layer to buffer.
Optionally, check Use only selected features.

4. Click Next.
5. Click to create buffers Based on a distance from an attribute and click the dropdown arrow to select the field.
The values in the field need to be numeric.

6. Click the Distance units dropdown arrow and click the appropriate units.
7. Click Next.
8. Click to Dissolve barriers between buffers.
9. Click to output the buffer as a graphic on the map or as a new layer (feature class).
10. Click Finish.

Tips

The Buffer Wizard does not, by default, appear in any of the menus or on any of the toolbars. To add it, see Adding the Buffer Wizard to the Tools menu. To use the buffers you create on different maps, save the buffer as a new data source such as a shapefile. Then you can easily add the data to another map. You need to set the data frame's map units before buffering. You can do this in the Data Frame Properties dialog box on the General tab. Creating a buffer provides a visual representation on your map of the area within a certain distance of one or more features. You can also use the buffer to select features in other layers that fall within the buffered area (using Select By Graphics). For more conceptual information on buffering features, see The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis.

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