topic Re: Converting distances from a coverage with lat long coordinates in Geoprocessing Questions

Converting distances from a coverage with lat long coordinates

JinMa — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:19 GMT

I have a coverage that has the latitude and longitude as the basic coordinate system and need to compute distances of the polylines in miles or kilometers (or feet). I was wondering if any of you have a step by step suggestion for doing that. Thanks.

Re: Converting distances from a coverage with lat long coordinates

LucasDanzinger — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:39:08 GMT

Hello Jin,

I recommend you use something similar to following workflow:

1. Export the coverage to a shapefile or feature class
2. Use the project tool (Data Management > Projections and Transformations > Feature) to reproject your data to a Projected Coordinate System (not Geographic Coordinate System)
3. If you exported to a feature class in a geodatabase, shape length will be automatically generated for you using the same units as your coordinate system (likely feet or meters)
4. If you are using a shapefile, open the attribute table, click table options, and select Add Field
5. Name your field Length and make it type Double and click OK
6. Right click your new field header and select Calculate Geometry
7. Click Yes if you receive a message asking if you want to do this outside of an edit session
8. Select that you want to calculate length
9. Select the unit that you want to use and click OK

Re: Converting distances from a coverage with lat long coordinates

JinMa — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:21:30 GMT

Thank you.
But there is no Length, because I have points coverage...

Hello Jin,

I recommend you use something similar to following workflow:

1. Export the coverage to a shapefile or feature class
2. Use the project tool (Data Management > Projections and Transformations > Feature) to reproject your data to a Projected Coordinate System (not Geographic Coordinate System)
3. If you exported to a feature class in a geodatabase, shape length will be automatically generated for you using the same units as your coordinate system (likely feet or meters)
4. If you are using a shapefile, open the attribute table, click table options, and select Add Field
5. Name your field Length and make it type Double and click OK
6. Right click your new field header and select Calculate Geometry
7. Click Yes if you receive a message asking if you want to do this outside of an edit session
8. Select that you want to calculate length
9. Select the unit that you want to use and click OK

Re: Converting distances from a coverage with lat long coordinates

LucasDanzinger — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:18:51 GMT

I'm not sure I follow. In the first post you indicated that you want to "compute distances of the polylines in miles or kilometers (or feet)." Could you please elaborate what you are trying to accomplish with your point features?

Thank you!

Luke