topic Re: New to model builder in ModelBuilder Questions

New to model builder

LonSharp — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:16:31 GMT

Hello all. I'm very new to model builder, and I'm hoping there is a very simple solution to this.

I have a set of tiled LiDAR las files - 1,600+. I also have a matching set of bare-earth DTM tiles.

What I'd like to get is a matching set of DSM tiles. I can figure out turning a single las file into a DSM easily enough with the LAS Dataset to Raster tool, however I don't want to go through all 1,600 files one-by-one. (I also don't want - at least not yet - a single county-wide DSM. Again, I know I can use that same tool).

Is there a way, in Model Builder, to step through a set of las files, one by one, and generate a raster from each? So far all I can figure out is how to process one.

Or, alternately, am I overlooking a tool that already exists?

Many thanks.

Re: New to model builder

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:23:51 GMT

If you have the basic process established, then you need to example Iterators in Modelbuilder

Re: New to model builder

LonSharp — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:53:19 GMT

OK, I think you got me on the right track. I assume I need to connect the iterator to my process somehow? I'm pretty sure I didn't do it correctly. I just added it and ran it to see what I'd get, but it just seems to be writing the same output over and over, rather than moving on to the next.

How do I put it all together?

Re: New to model builder

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:29:18 GMT

you have to set parameters to control the output filenames etc. Perhaps have a look at the basic tutorial first

http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/help/analysis/geoprocessing/modelbuilder/modelbuilder-tutorial.htm

Re: New to model builder

curtvprice — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 03:34:53 GMT

An easy fix is to provide a unique output path for each iteration in the Las To Raster output dataset path model element:

dsm%n%.tif

This output should be in a folder (since it's .tif) so you can hardcode an output location, like so:

C:\working\dsm\dsm%n%.tif

Lon, if you have a chance, please rename your thread to something like "Model Builder Iterator Help" so others can find it. Because you can. 🙂

Re: New to model builder

LonSharp — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 16:19:04 GMT

What I ended up doing was simply drag/drop the las files onto the input variable in batches. When I connected that to the 'las dataset to raster' operation, the output file names were added automatically. It took a few runs, but it worked fine.