geoprocessing environment - does not retain set processing extent

Question

I am working through the virtual campus training module on surface analysis. I am trying to set the environment for running a geoprocessing tool to limit interpolation to a defined area.

The Processing Extent always defaults back to 'As Specified Below' rather than keeping the extent I've specified (Same as layer Boundary).  Even if I click ok and immediately reopen the Environment Settings it has reverted to the default.

How do I get the geoprocessing environment to respect the settings I have selected?

curtvprice · Answer

Ok, that explains why the setting has been reset when I reopen the tool.

Environment set from the tool with th Environments button only apply to that run of the tool -- if you open the tool again from the search box or toolbox, all the environments are set new from the application environment.

However the environment is saved in the results, so the environment are "remembered" if you open the tool from the Geoprocessing Results window.
 Shouldn't it still run as I've specified right when I set it?

Yes it should. Provided the particular tool honors that environment setting. According to the tool ref (9.3 and 10), IDW does recognize the current mask setting.

AngelaCunningham · Answer

Ok, that explains why the setting has been reset when I reopen the tool.

....but shouldn't it still run as I've specified right when I set it? You say that the 'extent from the source is applied then forgotten', but it would appear that the setting is never actually applied. When I run the tool it's as though I never set the variable at all.

I don't know if it's helpful or not, but I've attached a screen shot of the ESRI tutorial I'm using where it says how to set the environmental variables and their example of what it's supposed to look like in the end (mine doesn't confine itself to the border like that).

Thanks.

sm_tutorial.jpg

curtvprice · Answer

The Same as Layer choice does not work dynamically, just like Same as Display -- ie the extent from the source is applied right then and then the source is "forgotten." The extent environment is either four coordinates or a rule (Union, Intersection of inputs) and does not reference a dataset or layer after it is set. In contrast, the Snap Raster setting is applied to the extent when a tool runs -- it does point to a dataset and work dynamically.

The only way you can make it work "at runtime" dynamically is to set it up that way inside ModelBuilder by linking a dataset to a tool, specifying Environment>Extent when you do so.