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Workspace To Raster Dataset

Summary

Merges all of the raster datasets in a folder into one raster dataset.

Usage

  • The target raster dataset must already exist for the tool to run.

  • If a target raster dataset does not already exist, use the Create Raster Dataset tool to create a new raster dataset.

  • Since mosaicking will take place, you will need to specify the mosaic method and colormap mode to use.

  • If the target raster dataset is an empty raster dataset, the cell size and spatial reference of the first input raster dataset will be applied to the mosaic.

  • Whenever possible use the Last Mosaic Operator to mosaic raster datasets to an existing raster dataset in a file geodatabase or an enterprise geodatabase; it is by far the most effective way to mosaic.

  • For mosaicking of discrete data, First, Minimum, or Maximum Mosaic Operator options will provide the most meaningful results. The Blend and Mean Mosaic Operator options are best suited for continuous data.

  • The color matching method drop-down arrow allows you to choose an algorithm to color match the datasets in your mosaic.

  • For file-based rasters the Ignore Background Value must be set to the same value as NoData in order for the background value to be ignored. Geodatabase rasters and enterprise geodatabase rasters will work without this extra step.

  • For floating-point input raster datasets of different resolutions or when cells are not aligned, it is recommended to resample all the data using bilinear interpolation or cubic convolution before running Mosaic; otherwise, Mosaic will automatically resample the raster datasets using nearest neighbor resampling, which is not appropriate for continuous data types.

Syntax

WorkspaceToRasterDataset_management (in_workspace, in_raster_dataset, {include_subdirectories}, {mosaic_type}, {colormap}, {background_value}, {nodata_value}, {onebit_to_eightbit}, {mosaicking_tolerance}, {MatchingMethod}, {colormap_to_RGB})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_workspace

The folder containing the raster datasets to merge.

Workspace
in_raster_dataset

An existing raster dataset in which to merge all of the raster datasets from the input workspace.

Raster Dataset
include_subdirectories
(Optional)

Specify whether to include subdirectories.

  • NONE —Does not include subdirectories. This is the default.
  • INCLUDE_SUBDIRECTORIES —Includes all the raster datasets within the subdirectories when loading.
Boolean
mosaic_type
(Optional)

The method used to mosaic overlapping areas.

  • FIRST —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the value from the first raster dataset mosaicked into that location.
  • LAST —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the value from the last raster dataset mosaicked into that location. This is the default.
  • BLEND —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be a horizontally weighted calculation of the values of the cells in the overlapping area.
  • MEAN —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the average value of the overlapping cells.
  • MINIMUM —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the minimum value of the overlapping cells.
  • MAXIMUM —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the maximum value of the overlapping cells.
  • SUM —The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the total sum of the overlapping cells.
String
colormap
(Optional)

The method used to choose which color map from the input rasters will be applied to the mosaic output.

  • FIRST —The color map from the first raster dataset in the list will be applied to the output raster mosaic. This is the default.
  • LAST —The color map from the last raster dataset in the list will be applied to the output raster mosaic.
  • MATCH —Will take all the color maps into consideration when mosaicking. If all possible values are already used (for the bit depth), it will attempt to match the value with the closest color that is available.
  • REJECT —Only the raster datasets that do not have a color map associated with them will be mosaicked.
String
background_value
(Optional)

Use this option to remove the unwanted values created around the raster data. The value specified will be distinguished from other valuable data in the raster dataset. For example, a value of zero along the raster dataset's borders will be distinguished from zero values within the raster dataset.

The pixel value specified will be set to NoData in the output raster dataset.

For file-based rasters and personal geodatabase rasters, the Ignore Background Value must be set to the same value as NoData in order for the background value to be ignored. Enterprise and file geodatabase rasters will work without this extra step.

Double
nodata_value
(Optional)

All the pixels with the specified value will be set to NoData in the output raster dataset.

Double
onebit_to_eightbit
(Optional)

Choose whether the input 1-bit raster dataset will be converted to an 8-bit raster dataset. In this conversion the value 1 in the input raster dataset will be changed to 255 in the output raster dataset. This is useful when importing a 1-bit raster dataset to a geodatabase. One-bit raster datasets have 8-bit pyramid layers when stored in a file system, but in a geodatabase, 1-bit raster datasets can only have 1-bit pyramid layers, which makes the display unpleasant. By converting the data to 8 bit in a geodatabase, the pyramid layers are built as 8 bit instead of 1 bit, resulting in a proper raster dataset in the display.

  • NONE —No conversion will be done. This is the default.
  • OneBitTo8Bit —The input raster will be converted.
Boolean
mosaicking_tolerance
(Optional)

When mosaicking takes place, the target and the source pixels do not always line up exactly. When there is a misalignment of pixels, a decision needs to be made whether resampling takes place or whether the data should be shifted. The mosaicking tolerance controls whether resampling of the pixels take place or if the pixels should be shifted.

If the difference in pixel alignment (of the incoming dataset and the target dataset) is greater than the tolerance, resampling will take place. If the difference in pixel alignment (of the incoming dataset and the target dataset) is less than the tolerance, resampling will not take place (instead, a shift is performed).

The unit of tolerance is a pixel, where the valid value range is 0 to 0.5. A tolerance of 0.5 will guarantee a shift takes place. A tolerance of zero guarantees resampling, if there is a misalignment in pixels.

For example, the source and target pixels have a misalignment of 0.25. If the mosaicking tolerance is set to 0.2, then resampling will take place since the pixel misalignment is greater than the tolerance. If the mosaicking tolerance is set to 0.3, then the pixels will be shifted.

Double
MatchingMethod
(Optional)

The color matching method to apply to the rasters.

  • NONE —This option will not use the color matching operation when mosaicking your raster datasets.
  • STATISTIC_MATCHING —This method will use descriptive statistics from the overlapping areas; the transformation will then be applied to the entire target dataset.
  • HISTOGRAM_MATCHING —This method will match the histogram from the reference overlap area to the source overlap area; the transformation will then be applied to the entire target dataset.
  • LINEARCORRELATION_MATCHING —This method will match overlapping pixels and then interpolated the rest of the source dataset; pixels without a one-to-one relationship will use a weighted average.
String
colormap_to_RGB
(Optional)

If the input raster dataset has a color map, the output raster dataset can be converted to a three-band output raster dataset. This is useful when mosaicking rasters with different color maps.

  • NONE —No conversion will occur. This is the default.
  • ColormapToRGB —The input dataset will be converted.
Boolean

Code sample

WorkspaceToRasterDataset example 1 (Python Window)

This is a Python sample for the WorkspaceToRasterDataset tool.

import arcpy
arcpy.WorkspaceToRasterDataset_management("c:/data/WS2RD", "c:/fgdb.gdb/outdats",
                                          "INCLUDE_SUBDIRECTORIES", "LAST",
                                          "FIRST", "0", "9", "", "",
                                          "HISTOGRAM_MATCHING", "")
WorkspaceToRasterDataset example 2 (stand-alone script)

This is a Python script sample for the WorkspaceToRasterDataset tool.

##==================================
##Workspace To Raster Dataset
##Usage: WorkspaceToRasterDataset_management in_workspace in_raster_dataset {NONE | INCLUDE_SUBDIRECTORIES} 
##                                           {LAST | FIRST | BLEND | MEAN | MINIMUM | MAXIMUM} {FIRST | REJECT
##                                           | LAST | MATCH} {background_value} {nodata_value} {NONE | OneBitTo8Bit} 
##                                           {mosaicking_tolerance}  {NONE | STATISTIC_MATCHING | HISTOGRAM_MATCHING
##                                           | LINEARCORRELATION_MATCHING} {NONE | ColormapToRGB}

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = r"\\MyMachine\PrjWorkspace\RasGP"
##Mosaic images to File Geodatabase Raster Dataset with Background and Nodata setting and Color Correction
arcpy.WorkspaceToRasterDataset_management("WS2RD", "fgdb.gdb\\dataset", "INCLUDE_SUBDIRECTORIES", "LAST", \
                                          "FIRST", "0", "9", "", "", "HISTOGRAM_MATCHING", "")

##Mosaic Colormap image to RGB image
arcpy.WorkspaceToRasterDataset_management("WS2RD_clr","fgdb.gdb\\dataset2", "INCLUDE_SUBDIRECTORIES", "LAST",\
                                          "FIRST", "", "", "", "0.3", "", "ColormapToRGB")

Environments

Licensing information

  • ArcGIS for Desktop Basic: Yes
  • ArcGIS for Desktop Standard: Yes
  • ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced: Yes

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