topic How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? in Data Management Questions https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433231#M24751 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Hi all, I'm trying to convert a contour map (PDF file) to a DEM layer in ArcMap. The contour lines are at 1-meter interval and digitalizing&nbsp;them all manually is too time-consuming for my project due to time limitation. Can anyone offer some suggestions for me to do it in a more efficient way? &nbsp;Thank you, L.&nbsp;</P><P><IMG alt="Contour pdf image" class="image-1 jive-image j-img-original" src="https://community.esri.com/legacyfs/online/326656_Capture.JPG" style="width: 620px; height: 665px;" /></P></BODY></HTML> Mon, 20 Feb 2017 16:53:25 GMT Zihan_Lin 2017-02-20T16:53:25Z How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433231#M24751 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Hi all, I'm trying to convert a contour map (PDF file) to a DEM layer in ArcMap. The contour lines are at 1-meter interval and digitalizing&nbsp;them all manually is too time-consuming for my project due to time limitation. Can anyone offer some suggestions for me to do it in a more efficient way? &nbsp;Thank you, L.&nbsp;</P><P><IMG alt="Contour pdf image" class="image-1 jive-image j-img-original" src="https://community.esri.com/legacyfs/online/326656_Capture.JPG" style="width: 620px; height: 665px;" /></P></BODY></HTML> Mon, 20 Feb 2017 16:53:25 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433231#M24751 Zihan_Lin 2017-02-20T16:53:25Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433232#M24752 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>I think I would spend the time trying to track down the original dem and re-contour if possible.&nbsp; Nothing will make this task easier.&nbsp; Maybe you can convert the image to vector lines, but assigning them meaningful values will be difficult.</P></BODY></HTML> Mon, 20 Feb 2017 17:18:41 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433232#M24752 DanPatterson_Retired 2017-02-20T17:18:41Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433233#M24753 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>I can't see contour line values. If it not in your PDF that mean not to be DEM never.</P></BODY></HTML> Mon, 20 Feb 2017 19:52:12 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433233#M24753 AbdullahAnter 2017-02-20T19:52:12Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433234#M24754 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Thank you for the suggestion. I will do it manually.&nbsp;</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 22 Feb 2017 21:43:29 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433234#M24754 Zihan_Lin 2017-02-22T21:43:29Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433235#M24755 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>There is value in every contour line which is not displayed in the screenshot. Thanks for the reminder.</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 22 Feb 2017 21:44:12 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433235#M24755 Zihan_Lin 2017-02-22T21:44:12Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433236#M24756 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>the values may be on the screen, but you need to create the value in a polylineZ featureclass or add a Z field to your table, otherwise you will just end up with a bunch of lines with no z values should you need to construct a dem from them</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 22 Feb 2017 22:43:40 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433236#M24756 DanPatterson_Retired 2017-02-22T22:43:40Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433237#M24757 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Thanks for the guidance.</P></BODY></HTML> Thu, 02 Mar 2017 14:51:21 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433237#M24757 Zihan_Lin 2017-03-02T14:51:21Z Re: How to digitize a contour map (PDF) to generate a DEM layer? https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433238#M24758 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Look into the ArcScan toolset. Part of its functionality includes converting raster to vector. You will still need to hand attribute, but perhaps you can avoid hand digitizing.</P><P>Best Regards,</P><P>Jim</P></BODY></HTML> Thu, 02 Mar 2017 17:16:48 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/how-to-digitize-a-contour-map-pdf-to-generate-a/m-p/433238#M24758 JimCousins 2017-03-02T17:16:48Z