topic Re: Break contours into segments in ArcGIS Spatial Analyst Questions

Break contours into segments

CarolineAntonelli — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:28:42 GMT

Hi

I am working on 50cm interval contours derived from a DEM.

Some of the contours are very long segments, and I want to either 1) select a segment of a contour line and create a layer from that selection or 2) Split the contour into different segments - each with different properties attributed to them.

I am working on a contour map of an archaeological site with dozens of large mounds. I want to identify the base contours of these mounds; however, some of the base contours are at the same elevation as a larger natural platform. I want to select the segment that is part of the archaeological mound so I can code it as such in its attributes.

Thanks

Caroline

Re: Break contours into segments

michaelcollins1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:34:05 GMT

Use the Explode Multi-part Feature tool under Advanced Editing. That will separate the polylines out.

Re: Break contours into segments

CarolineAntonelli — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:53:23 GMT

This won't work because I am trying to break a single contour - one polyline into several different ones. If I could select a segment to extract in between two vertices that would be ideal.

Does this make sense?

Thanks for your reply,

C

Use the Explode Multi-part Feature tool under Advanced Editing. That will separate the polylines out.

Re: Break contours into segments

michaelcollins1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:10:35 GMT

Are the mounds spatially defined yet, or is that what you are trying to do?

Re: Break contours into segments

CarolineAntonelli — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:29:51 GMT

Defining is what I am trying to do. They are easy to see on the contour map, but I am now going back and coding which contours represent the base and which contours represent the highest point. I am doing this so that I can then figure out the average height of mounds (top contour elevation - bottom contour elevation).

Are the mounds spatially defined yet, or is that what you are trying to do?

Thanks

Re: Break contours into segments

michaelcollins1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:27:41 GMT

Sounds like you'll have to manually split the contour lines then.

Re: Break contours into segments

ChrisSnyder — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:48:26 GMT

See the new Dice tool in v10 and/or take a look at one of these tools: http://arcscripts.esri.com/scripts.asp?eLang=39&eProd=&perPage=10&eQuery=densify