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Generate Cartographic Limits

Summary

Converts polygon features to polylines and removes all segments coincident with the erase features. It is most often used to remove the outline of coincident features along a coastline or neatline, improving the cartographic display of digital and hard-copy nautical charts in the following manner:

  • Establish a seaward limit of features coincident to a coastline.
  • Reduce the number of features rendered on a chart.
  • Decrease drawing and export times of nautical products.

Features in the Source Polygons that are coincident with the Erase Features are removed from Input Production Features. Source Polygons remain unchanged while Input Production Features are updated for use in your nautical charts.

This model generates cartographic limits by doing the following:

  • Convert polygons to polylines.
  • Split lines where they are coincident with the Erase Features.
  • Delete segments that are coincident with the Erase Features.

Usage

  • This tool processes newly created and existing features in Input Production Features that are coincident to the Erase Features.

  • Erase Features are most often feature classes that reside in the ArcGIS for Maritime: Charting data model, including coastline polylines that correspond to the CoastlineL feature class, as well as neatline polylines that correspond to the SEG_GRD_Grids feature class where RuleID = 1. These polylines are used to erase the coincident features from the polyline output of Source Polygons.

  • Input Production Features are polylines used for display. These features are joined to the output of the erase operation on Source Polygons. The product of this join is deleted. This removes the features that are coincident to the Erase Features. Anything left over is not coincident to the Erase Features and displays in your chart.

Syntax

GenerateCartographicLimits(Source_Polygons, Erase_Features, Input_Production_Features)
ParameterExplanationData Type
Source_Polygons

The polygon features that are converted to polylines to create feature outlines where they are not coincident with the Erase Features.

Feature Layer
Erase_Features

Polyline features used to identify coincident Source Polygons to remove from Input Production Features.

Feature Layer
Input_Production_Features

The cartographic features used for display in the output chart. Source Polygons that are coincident to Erase Features are removed from this preexisting feature class.

Feature Layer

Code sample

GenerateCartographicLimits example (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to use the GenerateCartographicLimits tool.

# Name: GenerateCartoLimits_Example.py
# Description: Removes edges from input production features that are coincident to the coastline and neatline.
# Requirements: ArcGIS for Maritime: Charting

# Source polygon features
depthsa = "C:/data/nautical.gdb/Nautical/DepthsA"

# Coastline and Neatline (erase) features
erase_feat = "C:/data/nautical.gdb/Nautical/CoastlineL;C:/data/nautical.gdb/GRD_GRIDS/SEG_GRD_Grids"

# Cartographic features (production)
prod_feat = "C:/data/nautical.gdb/CartographicFeatures/DepthsA_L"

# Execute the GenerateCartographicLimits tool
arcpy.GenerateCartographicLimits_nautical(depthsa, erase_feat, prod_feat)

Environments

Licensing information

  • ArcGIS Desktop Basic: No
  • ArcGIS Desktop Standard: No
  • ArcGIS Desktop Advanced: Requires Maritime Charting

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