Separate Null Value Polygons into Individual Polygons

[Jack_O_Neill]

I am trying clean up a regional map I create in ArcGIS Desktop v 10.  I took a list of zip codes and dissolved them into specific regions.  However, I have a number of areas on the map that have no zip codes (areas in Maine, a National Forrest in California, Lake Okeechobee etc.)  I would like to just further dissolve/merge these areas into the polygon area they are closest to.  The problem is that the map recognizes all of the null areas as one polygon, not as individual null areas.  Is there any way to split these up, or any tools to use that can smooth the map out?

[RichardFairhurst · Accepted solution]

I am trying clean up a regional map I create in ArcGIS Desktop v 10.  I took a list of zip codes and dissolved them into specific regions.  However, I have a number of areas on the map that have no zip codes (areas in Maine, a National Forrest in California, Lake Okeechobee etc.)  I would like to just further dissolve/merge these areas into the polygon area they are closest to.  The problem is that the map recognizes all of the null areas as one polygon, not as individual null areas.  Is there any way to split these up, or any tools to use that can smooth the map out?

You are looking for the Explode tool.  It is on the Advanced Editing toolbar.  There is also a Geoprocessing tool in the Data Management Tools Toolbox, Features Toolset, Multipart to Singlepart.

[Jack_O_Neill]

You are looking for the Explode tool.  It is on the Advanced Editing toolbar.  There is also a Geoprocessing tool in the Data Management Tools Toolbox, Features Toolset, Multipart to Singlepart.

Thanks so much, that was exactly what I was looking for!