topic ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5? in ArcGIS Pro Questions

ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

RandyMcGregor_BMcD — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:07:57 GMT

The red flat end buffer is ignoring the yellow line, claiming it's too short and throwing up a warning. The line is 1.5 miles long. And the SHAPE_LENGTH field knows it. I've tried at least ten times. I've exported it and tried to buffer it all by itself, same deal. I created a new empty feature class and appended the lines into it. This line absolutely will not be buffered. When I buffer with rounded ends, I get no errors, and this (yellow) line is buffered. I just upgraded to 3.5. Is this a bug in 3.5?

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

DanPatterson — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:19:01 GMT

Check Geometry (Data Management)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Tools for checking and repairing geometries—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Did you check for geometry issues?

BUG-000155817 for ArcGIS Pro

remotely close but apparently fixed.

but there are others

Esri Support Search Results

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

RandyMcGregor_BMcD — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:24:07 GMT

Graphic buffer with butt end works. I think the regular buffer tool is having a problem with flat ends.

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

DanPatterson — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:27:15 GMT

If the suggested checks don't show anything, then Tech support would be your best bet, since the public facing list may not show all cases

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

Robert_LeClair — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 20:35:21 GMT

Are you using the Buffer tool and/or the Pairwise Buffer tool? If it's present in the Buffer GP tool, try the Pairwise Buffer GP tool and see if there is a difference in the outputs.

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

RandyMcGregor_BMcD — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 14:09:15 GMT

Regular buffer tool. Pairwise version has no 'flat' end option. I did have luck with 'graphic buffer.' I think there is an issue with the regular buffer flat end option.

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

RandyMcGregor_BMcD — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 14:12:45 GMT

Thanks. The first thing I tried was repair geometry. Didn't work. I made a new empty feature class and appended features in. Exported the single line. None of that worked. The repair geometry tool did not report any errors and the shape_length of the segment accurately reflected it's length.

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

DanPatterson — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:40:30 GMT

curious. The feature looks simple enough, but I wonder if there are extraneous/unnecessary vertices along the latter portion of the bend in your image since the error suggests the process may be working on segments (... claiming it's too short ...). You might want to check this if any are found give simplification a try

Simplify Polygon (Cartography)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

otherwise Tech Support to report the issue, and keep using the workaround

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

Robert_LeClair — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:42:14 GMT

Thank you for your feedback Randy. I too recommend reaching out to Esri Support Services to see if this is a bug in the GP tool. I did not see anything in the internals about this item.

Re: ArcPro having trouble with flat buffers in 3.5?

JBeasley — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:17:07 GMT

Hi Randy, I notice this behavior too and have done my best to ensure the geometry of the input line is clean- even ran a swath of Data Reviewer tools on it. I am at Pro 3.6. Curious if you filed a tech support case or got anywhere with this?