Copying multiple polygons to create a new layer.

[ElyMcElroy]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]21483[/ATTACH]

I'm making a replant map for a vineyard. The above example is pretty simple, but it gives you an idea. What I'd like to do, is select multiple blocks(polygons), for example all of the white blocks, and create a new shapefile from that selection. One that I would be completely separate, and I would be able to edit as a would normally. The black outlines are the basic blocks, and I'd like to be able to select a few, create a new shapefile, and format it to meet my needs. I don't care if the attributes are transferred, just the outlines. My current method involves hand-drawing a new polygon layer over the existing "blocks" layer, and then formatting it. Any ideas/methods would be greatly appreciated. I'm not very experienced with any of the coding aspects of this program, so go easy on me. Thanks in advance.

[JohnSobetzer · Accepted solution]

If you select the polygons you want and then right click on the layer in the TOC and choose Data - Export Data that doesn't work?

[JoshuaDamron]

[ATTAAny ideas/methods would be greatly appreciated. I'm not very experienced with any of the coding aspects of this program, so go easy on me.

I think Johns method is probably what you are looking for.  It will place a both the feature geometry and attribute data into a new shape file.

Since you asked for a few methods, another method is to perform a simple copy and paste between layers.  If you have the current polygon layer of vineyard blocks and another polygon layer that is your �??replant layer�?� (could be empty or not).  While in an edit session you can select the polygons you want to transfer to your �??replant layer�?� and right click, select COPY, then right click again and select PASTE.  A window will pop up asking which of the editable layers you want to paste into, then tada, you have transferred the feature to another feature class/shape file.

Using this technique the feature geometry will always transfer, however only the attribute data contained in an identical field name and property setting as the original data will transfer.  You would probably want to perform an export as Johns mentioned then if you need to transfer any others over later you can just copy and paste them.


Hope this helps!

[ElyMcElroy]

Wow, I had no idea it was so easy to do. Being self-taught makes you look like an idiot sometimes. I like both methods, the first for creating new layers, and the second if you make a mistake, and you need to add another block to your new layer. Thank you so much for the help, It's very much appreciated. Cheers!

[JoshuaDamron]

...Being self-taught makes you look like an idiot sometimes...

You'll find that pretty much everyone is self-taught, therein we all have to ask the obvious every now and again.  You don't know what you don't know until you know... then you know and don't have to ask again... The trick to learning ArcGIS is getting good at searching the online Help, the Fourms & of course lots of Googling.

Before you know it you'll be a pro... not that I'm a pro by any means... 

Enjoy the journey!