topic Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 23:11:20 GMT

I've got about 200 DEM LiDAR raster files. Using the "Raster to Point" tool easily converts the cell data to points, but it'll be a slow process if I have to convert every file individually.

Is there a tool in Pro that'll allow me to select multiple raster files at time for point conversion?

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

DanPatterson — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 00:19:49 GMT

you will have to code it

Raster to Point (Conversion)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

or you can create a temporary batch tool and edit it to do 100's.

Below is an example of just creating a batch for 2 rasters.

arcpy.Tmp.BatchRasterToPoint("topo2raster.tif;Extract_topo1.tif", \RasterToPoint_OutPointFeatures_%Name%", "Value") # or in_rasters = # use ListRasters to get the semi-colon list above gdb = r"C:\Arc_projects\Test_29\Test_29.gdb" base_name = "Out_" arcpy.Tmp.BatchRasterToPoint(in_rasters, f"{gdb}\\{base_name}_{%Name%}")

totally untested though

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 03:01:58 GMT

Interesting. I haven't batched anything since pre-Windows DOS. I'll have to give this a look.

Also wondering if I could merge several layers and run R-t-P on the new merge file?

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

DanPatterson — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 04:52:53 GMT

What you are doing will determine an appropriate solution.

I can only assume that raster to point is for some reason, since I would not normally want a bunch of closely spaced points holding the data.

I would use RasterToNumPyArray if the spatial location of all the data were coincident. You can make a multidimensional array, The location (x, y) values of the cells can be determined and the multiple layers hold information from different layers occupying the same space.

If the rasters are adjacent I probably would only use points if the Z values were floats/doubles and I had to retain every last decimal place, otherwise I would convert to polygon using an appropriate reclassification.

Your end use isn't specified, so no specific recommendations can be made

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

SteveLynch — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:39:31 GMT

...or use ExtractMultiValuesToPoints

For this you'll run RasterToPoint once and then use that output to extract the values from all the remaining rasters.

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 12:12:54 GMT

The goal is to display elevation measurements every three feet.

So... I run RasterToPoint once, then use ExtractMultiValuesToPoints on multiple other companion raster files, directing the results into the first RTP result file? Sound like that might result in one larger merged file... Interesting.

The files were downloaded from five large geographical LiDAR blocks stretching 180 miles, with each block having about 50 files and some 28m points in each file. With the size of these ultimate files, I'm guessing it'd make sense to keep these blocks of points separate, thinking that five smaller blocks should be easier to utilize than one massive point file. Does this sound appropriate?

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

DanPatterson — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 12:27:56 GMT

An image would help. Converting raster to point isn't going to help with a display issue. And a point file covering the same spatial extent as an equivalent raster is going to be many times larger. So I am still not seeing any advantage of a point file for visualization purposes

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:42:04 GMT

We display the elevation measurements for a variety of floodplain management purposes, both for staff, construction and the general public.

In the following example, the LiDAR measurements are shown in black. The measurements in red are ground-proofed Surveyor measurements, used for comparison to validate the accuracy of the LiDAR in given areas.

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

Luke_Pinner — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 08:21:07 GMT

Right click the "Raster to Point" tool and select "Batch".

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

DanPatterson — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:00:41 GMT

that was suggested earlier with possibilities to code it... they have a large number to process so manual selection would be out of the question

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

DanPatterson — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:03:16 GMT

viewed at such a small extent, I can see the utility,

carefully selecting areas which may be of interest prior to processing will certainly cut down on your output data size

Did you try the suggestions

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

SteveLynch — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:41:38 GMT

Rather than have all the rasters in the map, you can browse to the rasters and using shift click select first and last. This is much quicker than manually adding them.

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 16:09:56 GMT

Didn't seem to allow shift-click on multiple files. Would only accept one at a time. However, the suggestion of batching them via the right-click is much more efficient.

thanks,

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 16:12:03 GMT

Oh yeah... much easier. Wasn't aware there was a batch option hiding under the right-click.

Thanks Luke.

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

SteveLynch — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 16:51:46 GMT

click on the first raster and then shift click on the last raster

Re: Raster to Point - Converting Multiple Files at a Time

ScottFraser_Key-West — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 17:20:12 GMT

Just figured out how to do what you suggested about selecting multiple files. I'd been trying to select multiple files from within the "Batch Raster to Point" pane.

Then it dawned on me, multiple files can be selected in the "Contents" panel and dragged to the "Batch Raster to Point" pane and they'll be added to the batch. Ah ha!

As my father used to say: "Finally, light dawns on Marble Head."

thanks