topic Clipping Lines in Geoprocessing Questions

Clipping Lines

MorganGardner — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:25:03 GMT

I'm relatively new to ArcGIS, so bear with me here:

I'm trying to clip several layers within a .5 mile radius of a specific point. My .5 mile buffer has already been taken care of, and I've clipped layers including building footprints and sidewalk outlines to everything within this buffer. I'd like to do the same with roads, but I'm not able to clip it. It pops up with an error saying, "ERROR 000438: Overlay not a Polygon".

It's true - my roads are a line geometry type, while the other layers are not. However, I thought that I had clipped roads and stuff before (not recently) and I don't think it should be a difficult thing to do if it can clip everything else.

What do I do from here, in order to to clip the roads layer down to the .5 mile buffer like the others? If it is the case that I absolutely can't clip lines, then how do I do this? Can I change it into a compatible geometry type and clip it that way?

Thanks in advance!

Re: Clipping Lines

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:27:00 GMT

And your buffer is definitely a polygon shapefile??

Re: Clipping Lines

MorganGardner — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:29:09 GMT

Yes, my buffer is a polygon too. I'm trying the same routine I've been doing with all the others, and am only having trouble with the line files.

BTW, I'm running ArcGIS 10 if that helps.

Re: Clipping Lines

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:30:27 GMT

There is absolutely no reason that line shapefiles can't be clipped using a polygon. I would suggest that both files be in shapefile format in a folder without spaces on your hard drive. Start a new project, then try the clip. You might also be advised to right-click on the line and polygon files and go to the File menu, select data and export it to a new shapefiles incase the originals are somehow corrupt.

Re: Clipping Lines

TiffanyBledsoe — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:47:45 GMT

Did you ever figure out a solution to this?

I am getting the same error (ERROR 000438: Overlay not a Polygon) when I try clipping. One shapefile is a line geometry type and the other is a polygon geometry type. I tried the above solution, exporting the data and saving to a different folder, and new document. I am still getting the same error every time.
Thanks.

Re: Clipping Lines

RobertBorchert — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:23:13 GMT

How are you performing the clip.

the easy way is to select your polygon and then from the editor toolbar select the editor drop down tab and choose clip

Did you ever figure out a solution to this?

I am getting the same error (ERROR 000438: Overlay not a Polygon) when I try clipping. One shapefile is a line geometry type and the other is a polygon geometry type. I tried the above solution, exporting the data and saving to a different folder, and new document. I am still getting the same error every time.
Thanks.

Re: Clipping Lines

TiffanyBledsoe — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:42:34 GMT

Thanks for your suggestion Robert.

I was going to Geoprocessing -> clip. When I tried starting an edit session after I selected the polygon I was given an error. Saying it is "not licensed to edit layers with relationship classes". What I ended up doing was created a small buffer around my line and clipping through geoprocessing -> clip and it worked.