Polyline Z to Buffer with same Z dimensions??

[MorganHarris]

Does anyone know how I might be able to take a polyine z and create a planar buffer that extends horizontally, but retains the same vertical contour as the polyline? Buffer 3D seems to only create a tubular buffer around the line and the buffer tool in analysis creates a planar buffer, but it is not a polygon z and therefore does not retain the same shape as the polyline z. Any suggestions?

[MorganHarris · Accepted solution]

I figured out a way that works! So, the only way that I was able to complete this task (without a crazy amount of manual editing) was to load my line features into ArcScene and change the symbology of the line to a 3D simple line symbol with type "Strip" (for some reason this same process doesn't work in ArcMap itself because there is a limit of 100m width for lines). This makes it so that the line is extended to whatever distance you specify on the sides, but does not create a tube. It creates a flat plane that follows the same contour as your 3D line. Here is a picture of the settings for changing the symbology:

Once you have changed the symbology, then (still in ArcScene) you can use the "Layer 3D to Feature Class" tool and it will retain the symbology in a multipatch feature class. Below is a picture of the Multipatch feature class:

Then, since I needed a raster I loaded the multipatch back into ArcMap and used the tool "Multipatch to Raster". A picture of the raster is below:

I couldn't find any information on how to accomplish this so I hope this helps anyone else who might have the same problem!

[SeverinHohensinner]

Dear Morgan,

Many thanks! Your method helped me lot!

Best,

Severin