Random Shapes?

Question

I'm well aware of the random point tool....I have many points for which I need to create an irregular, random-shaped buffer around each point. No requirements on the buffer other than it can't be a perfect geometric shape (square, circle, rectangle, etc...). More like a mutated starfish.

bixb0012 · Answer

I haven't tried the following as a script tool, but it should be straightforward to package up that way: import arcpy import os import random def radarBufferPointFeatures( in_features, out_feature_class, num_vertices, distance, spread=0.3, seed=None ): # Check for valid input desc = arcpy.Describe(in_features) if hasattr(desc, 'shapeType') and desc.shapeType == 'Point': pass else: raise arcpy.ExecuteError("Failed to execute. Parameters are not valid. " "Input Features: Dataset not point features") # Create output feature class out_fc = arcpy.CreateFeatureclass_management( *os.path.split(out_feature_class), geometry_type = 'Polygon', spatial_reference = desc.spatialReference ) arcpy.AddField_management(out_fc, "PT_OID", "LONG") # Iterate over input features and perform radar buffer random.seed(seed) if num_vertices > 360: num_vertices = 360 with arcpy.da.SearchCursor(in_features, ["OID@", "SHAPE@"]) as scur: with arcpy.da.InsertCursor(out_fc, ["PT_OID", "SHAPE@"]) as icur: for oid, point in scur: pts = [ point.pointFromAngleAndDistance( angle, random.uniform((1-spread)*distance, (1+spread)*distance) ) for angle in range(0, 360, 360/num_vertices) ] pg = arcpy.Polygon( arcpy.Array([pt.firstPoint for pt in pts]), point.spatialReference ) icur.insertRow([oid, pg]) del icur, scur‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

DanPatterson_Retired · Answer

/blogs/dan_patterson/2016/08/14/script-formatting

comes first …. then print

bixb0012 · Answer

(Time to learn more Python!  
)

The code i provided isn't written for a feature class, just a single ArcPy geometry.  You would need to use cursors to iterate over a point feature class and populate a new polygon feature class.  I can look into expanding on the code.