Desktop Help 10.0 - Create Spatial Reference (Data Management)

Summary

Creates a spatial reference object for use in ModelBuilder and scripting.

Usage

You can create a spatial reference object with set coordinate system, spatial domains, and precision. The spatial domains and precision of the output spatial reference can be further modified using XY Domain, Z Domain, M Domain, Template XYDomains, and Grow XYDomain By Percentage parameters.
Template XYDomains does not have to be in the same coordinate system as that specified in Spatial Reference or Spatial Reference Template. If they are different, the extents will be projected to match.
If the Spatial Reference and Spatial Reference Template parameters are both set, spatial reference parameter will take priority.
All the parameters of the tool are optional. If no parameters are specified, the spatial reference will be defined as 'Unknown' and the XYDomain will assume standard defaults.
In ModelBuilder, the output of this tool can be used as input to tools with a spatial reference parameter (e.g., Create_Feature_Class, Create_Feature_Dataset, Make_XY_Event_Layer).

Syntax

CreateSpatialReference_management ({spatial_reference}, {spatial_reference_template}, {xy_domain}, {z_domain}, {m_domain}, {template}, {expand_ratio})

Parameter	Explanation	Data Type
spatial_reference (Optional)	Name of the the spatial reference object to be created.	Spatial Reference
spatial_reference_template (Optional)	The feature class or layer to be used as a template to set the value for the spatial reference.	Feature Layer; Raster Catalog Layer; Raster Dataset
xy_domain (Optional)	Allowable coordinate range for x,y coordinates.	Envelope
z_domain (Optional)	Allowable coordinate range for z values.	String
m_domain (Optional)	Allowable coordinate range for m values.	String
template [template,...] (Optional)	Feature classes or layers that can be used to define the XY Domain.	Feature Layer
expand_ratio (Optional)	Percentage by which the XY Domain will be expanded.	Double

Code Sample

Create Spatial Reference example (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script uses the CreateSpatialReference function as part of a workflow that loops through a folder and finds all shapefiles that end in "ST", create spatial references, and append them into a geodatabase feature class.

# Name: createspatialreference2.py
# Purpose: Loops through a folder and finds all feature classes within  the geodatabases under it.
# Filters only Polygon feature classes and Appends them to a new feature class sending the
# output to a personal geodatabase.

# Import system modules
import arcpy
import os
from arcpy import env
 
try:
    #Set the workspace where the geodatabases are stored
    env.workspace = r"C:\data\Redlands"
    workspaces = arcpy.ListWorkspaces() 
    
    #This list will contain all polygon feature classes
    fcList = []    
    
    for wks in workspaces:
        
        #Set each geodatabase as workspace to loop through all feature classes within
        env.workspace = wks
        
        fcs = arcpy.ListFeatureClasses('*', 'POLYGON')         
        for fc in fcs:
            fcList.append(os.path.join(wks, fc))
 
    sr = arcpy.CreateSpatialReference_management("", fcList[0], "", "", "", fcList)
    outFC = arcpy.CreateFeatureclass_management ('c:/data/redlands.mdb', 'gdt2', 'POLYGON', fcList[0], "", "", sr)
    arcpy.Append_management(fcList, outFC, 'no_test')
 
except arcpy.ExecuteError:
    print arcpy.GetMessages(2)
    
except Exception, e:
    # If an error occurred, print line number and error message
    import traceback, sys
    tb = sys.exc_info()[2]
    print "Line %i" % tb.tb_lineno
    print e.message
 
print "FINISHED"

Environments

This tool does not use any geoprocessing environments

Licensing Information

ArcView: Yes

ArcEditor: Yes

ArcInfo: Yes

10/27/2014

Create Spatial Reference (Data Management)