topic Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types? in ArcGIS Pro Questions

URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:30:55 GMT

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/2.8/tool-reference/feature-analysis/create-buffers.htm

As per the website this buffer tool exists - I need the one where you can remove end types. I have used it before!! But I cannot find it now. Has it been removed? I cannot even find the standard feature analysis toolbox

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/feature-analysis/an-overview-of-the-standard-feature-analysis-toolbox.htm

This is pretty urgent, thanks !

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:36:38 GMT

Hi @FraserB

Go to the Geoprocessing tab, search for buffer and select the tool you want

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:37:58 GMT

Hi Stefan - this tool does not have the end type option?

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:41:21 GMT

also there was an option where you could only choose do buffer on left side or right side etc

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

JohannesLindner — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:42:31 GMT

I believe the line end option is only available with an Advanced license.

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:46:00 GMT

in the buffer tool in the screendump you have the side option.

can you post an image what you want to achieve?

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:48:44 GMT

I have this - do I need an advanced licence?

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:53:53 GMT

has that been recently updated - as I have used it before ?

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:55:20 GMT

let me check this for you

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:00:00 GMT

I have changed from Advanced to Basic and you will see a lock below a tool and then you know if you need another license

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:09:25 GMT

yes, so I have the tool. But not the options for side and end type. Which is odd. Especially as I know I have used them before. Do you still have access to side and end types with the basic licence?

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:13:22 GMT

You are right. when basic license the tool looks like this

With advanced it is

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

Stefan_Thorn — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:16:47 GMT

You will need the advances license..unfortunatly. see my reply to JohannesLindner @

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

JohannesBierer — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:19:19 GMT

According to the help pages JohannesLindner is right - you need a advanced license in Pro 2.8 and 2.9. Also in ArcMap 10.6.1 you need a advanced license ... https://pro.arcgis.com/de/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/analysis/buffer.htm

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

JohannesBierer — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:43:55 GMT

If it's really urgent maybe you're able to use open source GIS like QGIS or OpenJump GIS:

https://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/115687/achieving-flat-end-line-buffers-in-qgis

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:20:11 GMT

ah that is useful, thank you!

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

JohannesLindner — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 23:31:09 GMT

Open your Python window in ArcGIS Pro

Copy and Paste this script, execute

def _get_perpendicular_line(line_geometry, point_geometry, half_length): """returns a line (arcpy.Polyline) that is perpendicular to the input line line_geometry: arcpy.Polyline, the input line point_geometry: arcpy.Point or arcpy.PointGeometry, the location of the returned line half_length: length of the perpendicular line to each side of the input line """ # clip input line at input point if isinstance(point_geometry, arcpy.Point): point_geometry = arcpy.PointGeometry(point_geometry) clip_extent = point_geometry.buffer(0.1).extent clipped_line = line_geometry.clip(clip_extent) # get angle of clipped line -> angle of input line at input point fp = arcpy.PointGeometry(clipped_line.firstPoint) lp = arcpy.PointGeometry(clipped_line.lastPoint) line_angle = fp.angleAndDistanceTo(lp, "PLANAR")[0] # construct nad return perpendicular line new_line_points = arcpy.Array([ point_geometry.pointFromAngleAndDistance(line_angle + 90, half_length, "PLANAR").firstPoint, point_geometry.pointFromAngleAndDistance(line_angle - 90, half_length, "PLANAR").firstPoint, ]) return arcpy.Polyline(new_line_points, spatial_reference=line_geometry.spatialReference) def _get_buffer_with_flat_ends(line_geometry, buffer_distance): """returns a buffer (arcpy.Polygon) with flat ends around the input line line_geometry: arcpy.Polyline, the input line buffer_distance: distance of the line to each side of the buffer """ # create a normal buffer buffer = line_geometry.buffer(buffer_distance) # get perpendicular lines at the line end points buffer_cutoffs = [ _get_perpendicular_line(line_geometry, line_geometry.firstPoint, buffer_distance), _get_perpendicular_line(line_geometry, line_geometry.lastPoint, buffer_distance), ] # cut the buffer with those lines, keep the largest part for bc in buffer_cutoffs: buffer_parts = buffer.cut(bc) buffer = sorted(buffer_parts, key=lambda bp: bp.area)[-1] return buffer def buffer(in_features, buffer_distance, out_path, out_name): """creates a polygon feature class with flat-end-buffers in_features: input Polyline feature class path or layer name buffer_distance: distance of the line to each side of the buffer out_path: path of the output feature class out_name: name of the output feature class """ # read ObjectID and geometry of line fc in_data = [row for row in arcpy.da.SearchCursor(in_features, ["OBJECTID", "SHAPE@"])] # create output fc out_fc = arcpy.management.CreateFeatureclass(out_path, out_name, "POLYGON") arcpy.management.AddField(out_fc, "ORIG_FID", "LONG") # buffer and insert with arcpy.da.InsertCursor(out_fc, ["ORIG_FID", "SHAPE@"]) as cursor: for oid, line in in_data: try: polygon = _get_buffer_with_flat_ends(line, buffer_distance) cursor.insertRow([oid, polygon]) except Exception as e: print(f"Could not buffer line {oid}: {e}")

Call it like this

buffer("TestLines", 200, "C:/Your/output/path", "FlatEndBuffer")

This will probably throw all kinds of errors for complicated geometries, hopefully it helps.

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:22:20 GMT

ok thank you. My licence must have changed from advanced to standard. I thought I was going crazy because I distinctly remembered you could change end lines etc with Arc but just could not find it! thanks for looking into it

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:24:18 GMT

ooh I will give this a try, thank you !

Re: URGENT- where do I find the buffer tool with end types?

FraserB — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:25:00 GMT

Thanks for all the help guys!