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Point to Raster

Available with Advanced license.

Summary

Converts point features to a raster dataset.

Learn how the Point to Raster tool works

Usage

  • Any feature class (geodatabase, shapefile, or coverage) containing point or multipoint features can be converted to a raster dataset.

  • The input field type determines the type of output raster. If the field is integer, the output raster will be integer; if it is floating point, the output will be floating point.

    If the input field contains string values, the output raster will contain an integer value field and a string field.

  • This tool is a complement to the Raster to Point tool, which converts a raster to a point feature class.

  • When more than one feature is present in an output cell, this tool provides greater control over the assignment of cell values than the Feature to Raster tool.

  • Certain Raster storage environments may apply to this tool.

    • For the Pyramid environment settings, only the Build pyramids setting is honored. The remaining Pyramid environment settings are ignored. More control over the nature of the pyramids can be obtained in a subsequent step by using the Build Pyramids tool.

    • For the Compression environment settings, only the type of compression may be honored. This is only for raster formats other than Esri Grid.

Syntax

PointToRaster_conversion (in_features, value_field, out_rasterdataset, {cell_assignment}, {priority_field}, {cellsize})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_features

The point or multipoint input feature dataset to be converted to a raster.

Feature Layer
value_field

The field used to assign values to the output raster.

It can be any field of the input feature dataset's attribute table.

If the Shape field of a point or multipoint dataset contains z or m values, then either of these can be used.

Field
out_rasterdataset

The output raster dataset to be created.

When not saving to a geodatabase, specify .tif for a TIFF file format, .img for an ERDAS IMAGINE file format, or no extension for an Esri Grid raster format.

Raster Dataset
cell_assignment
(Optional)

The method to determine how the cell will be assigned a value when more than one feature falls within a cell.

  • MOST_FREQUENT —If there is more than one feature within the cell, the one with the most common attribute, in the Value field, is assigned to the cell. If they have the same number of common attributes, the one with the lowest FID is used.
  • SUM —The sum of the attributes of all the points within the cell (not valid for string data).
  • MEAN —The mean of the attributes of all the points within the cell (not valid for string data).
  • STANDARD_DEVIATION —The standard deviation of attributes of all the points within the cell. If there are less than two points in the cell, the cell is assigned NoData (not valid for string data).
  • MAXIMUM —The maximum value of the attributes of the points within the cell (not valid for string data).
  • MINIMUM —The minimum value of the attributes of the points within the cell (not valid for string data).
  • RANGE —The range of the attributes of the points within the cell (not valid for string data).
  • COUNT —The number of points within the cell.
String
priority_field
(Optional)

This field is used when a feature should take preference over another feature with the same attribute.

Priority field is only used with the MOST_FREQUENT cell assignment type option.

Field
cellsize
(Optional)

The cell size for the output raster dataset.

The default cell size is the shortest of the width or height of the extent of the input feature dataset, in the output spatial reference, divided by 250.

Analysis Cell Size

Code sample

PointToRaster example 1 (Python window)

Converts point features to a raster dataset. 

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = "c:/data"
arcpy.PointToRaster_conversion("ca_ozone_pts.shp", "ELEVATION", 
                                "c:/output/ca_elev", "MAXIMUM", "", 2000)
PointToRaster example 2 (stand-alone script)

Converts point features to a raster dataset. 

# Name: PointToRaster_Ex_02.py
# Description: Converts point features to a raster dataset.

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

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

# Set local variables
inFeatures = "ca_ozone_pts.shp"
valField = "ELEVATION"
outRaster = "c:/output/ca_elev02"
assignmentType = "MAXIMUM"
priorityField = ""
cellSize = 2000

# Execute PointToRaster
arcpy.PointToRaster_conversion(inFeatures, valField, outRaster, 
                               assignmentType, priorityField, cellSize)

Environments

Licensing information

  • ArcGIS for Desktop Basic: Requires Spatial Analyst or 3D Analyst
  • ArcGIS for Desktop Standard: Requires Spatial Analyst or 3D Analyst
  • ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced: Yes

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