topic Re: Intersecting lines returns no records in Geoprocessing Questions

Intersecting lines returns no records

jamesjohnston1 — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:45:42 GMT

I'm trying to use the intersect function to combine attributes of overlapping line features. This has always worked in the past and it's pretty simple; put the attributes from the intersected feature onto the transect line that crosses it. These features clearly cross each other but the output returns no new features while adding all the fields from both to an empty set.
I've attached a sample with two lines that intersect. Doe this function just not work in ArcGIS10 or am I doing something wrong?

Re: Intersecting lines returns no records

DanLee — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:33:44 GMT

Did you attach the sample data?

Re: Intersecting lines returns no records

jamesjohnston1 — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:48:02 GMT

yes i did, but I don't see it. here it is again.

Re: Intersecting lines returns no records

DanLee — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:46:09 GMT

James,

I took a look of your data - a line in one shapefile crosses a line in another shapefile at a point (intersection). If you used INPUT or LINE for the Output Type parameter, your output should be empty because the two lines are not overlapping.

When you said "This has always worked in the past", perhaps you used POINT as the Output Type?

You can have a look of the examples on line inputs vs. output types:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/How_Intersect_works/00080000000z000000/

Hope that helps.

Re: Intersecting lines returns no records

PatrickMoulden — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 17:50:21 GMT

Anyone figure this out yet? I am having similar issues with several feature classes, all of which clearly intersect at multiple locations (the reason I am reluctant to manually digitize them) but the output is consistently empty no matter which parameters I adjust.

Re: Intersecting lines returns no records

DanLee — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:13:11 GMT

Please have a look of the intersecting feature examples at the link I provided.

Only if two lines have a common/coincident/overlapping segment, you will get a line record of the coincident portion in the output.

If you need to break your lines where they intersect, try Feature To Line tool.