Trail Profiles

Question

Hi, 
I'm working with trails data and looking to create profiles for each trail segment to be exported as an image. My issues are twofold:

1) I used Interpolate Shape (based on a DEM) to convert my polyline trails to 3D and then selected the Profile Graph Tool. For straight segments, all is great but with switchbacks and loops, the profiles are totally crazy. It looks like the profile is being captured from a single vantage point and does not adjust position with the line. Does that make sense? I need the viewing point to remain at 90 degrees to the trail. What am I doing wrong?

2) Since I am working with many trails and trail segments, I want to write a python script to handle the creation and saving of profile images. But, the ArcGIS 10.1 Help documentation for Profile Graphs doesn't give the usual scripting syntax and examples. Anyone know where I can get this information?

Thanks so much in advance,
Juliana

RichardFairhurst · Answer

Thanks for the tip to use routing, bondah.

Does anyone out there know how to go about the batch production of trail profiles? I sure have a lot of trail segments and it would be terrible to have to do manually. Thanks, J

The Create Route tool can convert all of your trails to routes.  If your separate trails have some type of field for an ID or name you can use that to define the Route ID field which will create separate routes for each trail in a single run of the tool.  Complexities like branching or full loops are not handled well by the tool, so I normally create a new ID or name for minor branches and create a very small break in full loops so that the main trail/road is joined together and measures are not messed up by branching or loops.

For example, I created two text fields called SUBROUTE and ROUTE_NAME in my road network.  Initially the SUBROUTE field is calculated to a blank value and the ROUTE_NAME is simply the road name.  As I encounter complex routes I begin identifying the minor branches and loops and assigning them SUBROUTE values like 001, 002, etc.  I was pretty precise in separating each branch into its own route, but if I had only cared about the main route I could have just assigned all minor branches and loops to a single SUBROUTE that could go crazy and only use the routes that had blank SUBROUTE values.  Then I recalculate the Route Name to be: Trim([STREET_NAME & " " & [SUBROUTE]).  Once everything has simple measures I can run efficient analysis.

Beyond that I don't have experience with trail profiles or a clear idea of what they look like, so I can't be of much help without seeing some examples.  I work with transportation networks and linear referencing a lot, so I know most of the techniques that take advantage of LR.

JulianaQuist · Answer

Thanks for the tip to use routing, bondah.

Does anyone out there know how to go about the batch production of trail profiles? I sure have a lot of trail segments and it would be terrible to have to do manually. Thanks, J

BondHarper · Answer

Hi!
I've had that issue with the crazy lines on profiles too. The fix that worked for me was to select the entire trail segment you want a profile for and then create a route (Route Editing toolbar). This ensures that your trail is properly linear referenced (added bonus that you can label distances in plan view to match your profile view).

Not sure on the automation bit.