Topo to Raster Error

[MonikaKapoor]

I have a query. Could you please help me why this error is coming in ARCMAP 10.?
I have being trying to make DEM from TOPO TO RASTER function from Interpolation in Spatial Analyst tool in ARCMAP 10, but it is giving error as 010418: The input feature data has less than minimum number of points 5, as required by the operation. Please let me know where i am making an error.

[PatrickTaurman]

I have only seen this error once, and it was data specific.  What kind of data are you using in the tool?

Patrick

[OliviaJeffers]

Hi there -

I'm having this problem currently, I have a point shapefile with over a thousand point elevations and the "Topo to Raster" tool gives me the error "ERROR 010418: The input feature data has less than the minimum number of points, 5, as required by the operation".

I've tried making the input name really computer friendly (just letters) and even moving it into the "root" directory of the project and making sure that the output file name is less than 13 letters, and no cigar.

Also using ArcMap 10.

Pointers?

Olivia

[JoshThompson1]

Olivia,

Does your input data contain a "Z" component?  (Open the attribute table and check the "Shape" field.)

In the past, I have had problems using the "Topo to Raster" tool.  In my case I was using contour (LINE) data as input.  The issue was related to "Polyline Z" line features.  In your case it may perhaps to related to "Point Z"  features.  The way I got around this was as follows:

The workaround was to use the "Feature Class to Feature Class" tool.

After filling in all the required inputs, click on the "Environments..." tab at the bottom.
When the new screen appears, expand the "Z Values".
In the field "Output has Z Values", use the pull-down menu and select "Disabled". (Note: I also did the same thing for the "M Values", but I am not sure if this is necessary.)
Run the tool to create your new feature class.

For this new feature class, verify that the "Shape" field now shows "Polyline" for all records. Using this new feature class I was able to successfully run the "Topo to Raster" tool.

Josh

[OliviaJeffers]

Hi Josh,

This fix worked!

I was using point elevations imported from a CAD file, instead of polylines as you had used. My initial "Shape*" column attributes were "Point ZM"s so I did have to disable both Z and M Values. When it was successful my "Shape*" column attributes were all "Point"s. When I only disabled Z Values the "Feature Class to Feature Class" conversion gave me an empty dataset.

Thanks so much!

Olivia