Allow 2 lines that have been merged at start or end points to be exploded

MikeSmith8

After using the Merge tool to merge lines to one another at end or start points, the explode tool can no longer be used to separate the newly merged features. 

I have trails that have different surface types, i.e. wood, asphalt, concrete, gravel, dirt etc. I want my users to be able to select the line representing the trail and see it's attributes as a whole, for instance bring up a elevation profile. This is not possible when multiple line segments represent one continuous trail. I need to keep track of the said different surface types for inventory/maintenance purposes, but my public users don't. Rather than keeping 2 different data sets, it would be nice to only have to manage 1. 

I don't understand why the merge/explode will allow these to be exploded after merged if I simply add another line segment snapped even at the same end/start vertex. This logic doesn't make sense to me.  

Scott_Harris

@MikeSmith8 try making the Z values of the overlapping endpoints a bit different. If they are the same, the Merge tool will output a singlepart feature. If they differ, it will output a multipart feature.

You can also accomplish this with differing M values if your lines are M-enabled.

It also sounds like your trails could be managed using linear referencing, that way you can have a table of "surface types" that can produce a layer based on the surface type at measured intervals. If you did that, you could then produce the layer whenever you need it by running this tool: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/linear-referencing/make-route-event-layer.htm