topic Re: Trim multiple lines to a polygon edge in Data Management Questions

Trim multiple lines to a polygon edge

ChrisRado — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:50:55 GMT

Can it be true that the Trim tool on the Advanced editing toolbar will only work with Line features? Is there a way to Trim multiple lines to a polygon edge? I can't use the Trim Line GP tool, these are not all dangles, They need to be inspected...
While actively editing, the only way I know of is to select the lines and use the split tool with intersection snapping. This is unbelievably tedious as each line has to selected, split, and the part to delete must be selected and deleted.
I suppose I could make a "construction line" feature class, make my trim lines there, and run the Trim tool using the selected "trim" lines to Trim my line features... seems ridiculous... Anyone know of a better way?

Re: Trim multiple lines to a polygon edge

JohnSobetzer — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:23:23 GMT

Depending on your particular circumstances, you could add your selected polygon or polygons to your line layer, in a way that adds them as line, run the planarize tool, and that will split all the lines at the polygon edge. It's best to have a unique attribute (or a unique lack of an attribute) so you can simply select the polygon lines to remove them from your line layer. You still have to go around and select the lines for deletion although you have multiple selection tools to grab more than one at a time.

Re: Trim multiple lines to a polygon edge

MatthewComartin — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 17:11:55 GMT

You're correct - the trim tool only seems to work with other line features.

Faced with a similar situation that you laid out, I first performed a spatial selection that targeted line segments intersecting with a polygon feature (in my case it was a parcel fabric). Using this selection, I targeted the parcel boundaries that intersected with the line features. I then used the Clip geoprocessing tool to create a new feature class containing the overhangs using the selected parcel features as a reference. Finally, I used the Erase (Analysis) geoprocessing tool to delete the overhang segments from my line feature by setting the overhang feature class as the "Erase Features".