Multiple Single Observer Viewsheds

Question

I have been trying to figure this out for a while now but I can't seem to find a way to make multiple viewsheds quickly, or at least without hand jamming in the details on each one.

I have access to 9.3 and 10 so solution can be on either one, but the problem is that I need to run 250+ single observer viewsheds all with the same settings.

I have had some success hand making a single observer in MA and sticking it in to 3d analyst but I can't figure out a way to make the whole table into observers unless I cut and past each row individually into the batch tool, which in turn creates 250 individual shapefiles which is a pain.

Also is there a way to automatically clip the raster down to the RADIUS2? Right now it is making a raster of the whole dted mosaic (about a 300km square) and the radius is only 10km.

I am sure there has to be some solution for this that I am overlooking but I have not been able to find one yet.

Thanks.

RyanHowell1 · Answer

I'm not sure if anyone is still monitoring this since it's been a couple years since anyone has posted anything...

what is the data type used for Get Field Value?

How does the result of Get Field Value (Radius2Value) connect to the buffer tool? Is the "Selected Features" the input for the buffer?

JessicaBarnabei · Answer

This method seems like it may work for me, but before I try building this model iterator, I'd like opinions.  I have 500 points of wind turbine locations (offset 100 meters) and a DEM.  I want to find out the visibility up to 15 miles per point (this radius will overlap with other points).  Using this method, after each viewshed is created and clipped to the preferred distance, can you create a vector polygon file containing just the visible viewshed area?  I'd then like to merge each of these polygon viewshed boundary shapefiles into one shapefile.  I need to ultimately analyze the demographics (which is a polygon shapefile of census blocks) within each tower's visible viewshed.  Does this seem like it would work using this method?

WendyLewis · Answer

Hi, just wondering if you guys could help me out - you seem to know what you're doing!!
I'm looking to create a viewshed analysis for a road network, in order to analyse which route has the best view.
I have a DEM and road network, but cannot figure out how to compute the viewshed for each road within the network, rather than the entire network itself.
Once i have worked out which roads have views or not, i'll then run a network analysis and find the route with the best view.

The only way I can think of is to run a model, clipping the road network into each segment and running the viewshed, however this is way more in depth than I'd like to go if possible. I've read a few papers that have done viewshed's on trails or roads, but they don't go in enough depth for me to follow what they've done.

Any ideas? Tips? Suggestions?
Cheers!