topic Re: How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow direction type? in Developers Questions

How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow direction type?

BradenAnderson1 — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:27:11 GMT

Here are all the messages that I got from my execution of Flow Direction, trying to use the new Multi Flow Direction algorithm in ArcGIS 10.6.

Executing: FlowDirection C:\Users\A02150284\Documents\GISData\NewBRATFile\01_Inputs\04_Topo\DEM_1\Filled_DEM.tif C:\Users\A02150284\Documents\GISData\NewBRATFile\01_Inputs\04_Topo\DEM_1\Flow\FlowDir.tif NORMAL # MFD
Start Time: Wed Feb 28 11:22:03 2018
ERROR 999999: Error executing function.
Unsupported pixel type
Failed to execute (FlowDirection).
Failed at Wed Feb 28 11:22:03 2018 (Elapsed Time: 0.05 seconds)

I've ran the tool on multiple DEMs, and none have worked. The only tool I've run on the DEM before this is running Fill on it. I haven't seen anyone else have a problem with it, though that makes sense given how new it is. If anyone has advice for how to fix this, I'd appreciate it.

Re: How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow direction type?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:02:56 GMT

Multi Flow Direction so it is a cloud raster format? Any details like the folder name the file name?

The MFD flow direction type only supports creation of output flow direction raster in Cloud Raster Format (CRF), such as, flowdir1.crf, within a folder workspace.

Re: How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow direction type?

BradenAnderson1 — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:07:44 GMT

I must have missed that when I was reading the documentation, now I feel foolish. Changing my output from a .tif to a .crf fixed my problem, thank you!

Re: How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow direction type?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 21:25:45 GMT

I was wondering since you marked the question 'Assumed as Answered' and I didn't know if it was you that did it or someone else, so I had no clue if that was the solution to the problem or not.

Re: How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow direction type?

JenniferGillespie2 — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 03:53:56 GMT

I am getting the same error when attempting to get MFD from Flow Direction. I attempted to specify the output raster as a .crf format and am still getting the error. Is there something else that I am doing wrong?

Re: How do you fix the "Unsupported Pixel Type" error when running the Flow Direction tool while using "MFD" as your flow directio

RAJNEESHSHARMA — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 17:40:26 GMT

I was getting the same error even after changing the name to flowdir.crf. I got it resolved by changing the output directory folder. Seems like the .crf file cannot be saved in the geodatabase folder; it has to be a simple folder.