Simplify Line Or Polygon (Coverage)

Summary

Simplifies a line or a polygon boundary by removing small fluctuations or extraneous bends from it while preserving its essential shape.

Learn more about how Simplify Line Or Polygon works

Illustration

Simplify Line or Polygon illustration

Usage

Syntax

SimplifyLineOrPolygon_arc (in_cover, out_cover, simplification_tolerance, {simplification_operator}, {ErrorCheck})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_cover

The coverage containing arcs or polygons to be simplified.

Coverage
out_cover

The coverage to be created. The output coverage name must be different from the input coverage name.

Coverage
simplification_tolerance

Sets the tolerance in coverage units. A tolerance must be specified and must be greater than zero.

Double
simplification_operator
(Optional)

Specifies the simplification operator.

  • POINT_REMOVEUses the Douglas-Peucker algorithm for line simplification with enhancements. This operator is the default.
  • BEND_SIMPLIFYDetects and removes extraneous bends from the original line.
String
ErrorCheck
(Optional)

Specifies whether to check for topological errors, including line-crossing, line-overlapping, zero-length lines, collapsed polygons, and holes falling outside of polygons.

  • NO_ERROR_CHECKSpecifies to not check for topological errors. This is the default.
  • ERROR_CHECKSpecifies to check for topological errors.
Boolean

Code Sample

SimplifyLineOrPolygon example (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to simplify a lake coverage.

# Name: SimplifyLineOrPolygon_Example.py
# Description: Simplifies a lake coverage
# Requirements: ArcInfo Workstation
# Author: ESRI

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

# Set environment settings
env.workspace = "C:/data"

# Set local variables
inCover = "lakeshore"
outCover = "C:/output/cartolake"
simplificationTolerance = 110
simplificationOperator = "BEND_SIMPLIFY"

# Execute SimplifyLineOrPolygon
arcpy.SimplifyLineOrPolygon_arc(inCover, outCover, simplificationTolerance,
                                simplificationOperator, "")

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcView: No
ArcEditor: No
ArcInfo: Requires ArcInfo Workstation installed

Published 6/8/2010