ArcMap

Generate Points Along Lines

Summary

Creates point features along lines at fixed intervals or by percentage.

Usage

  • The attributes of the input features will be maintained in the output feature class. A new field, ORIG_FID, will be added to the output feature class and set to the input feature IDs.

Syntax

GeneratePointsAlongLines_management (Input_Features, Output_Feature_Class, Point_Placement, {Distance}, {Percentage}, {Include_End_Points})
ParameterExplanationData Type
Input_Features

The line features to be converted into points.

Feature Layer
Output_Feature_Class

The point feature class that will be created from the input lines.

Feature Class
Point_Placement
String
Distance
(Optional)

The interval from the beginning of the line at which points are placed along the line.

Linear Unit
Percentage
(Optional)

The percentage from the beginning of the line at which points will be placed. For example, if a percentage of 40 is used, points will be placed at 40 percent and 80 percent of the line's distance.

Double
Include_End_Points
(Optional)

Specifies whether additional points are placed at the start point and end point of the line.

  • END_POINTS —Additional points will be added at the start point and end point of the line.
  • NO_END_POINTS —No additional points will be added at the start point and end point of the line. This is the default.
Boolean

Code sample

GeneratePointsAlongLines Example 1 (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the GeneratePointsAlongLines function in immediate mode. 

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = 'C:/data/base.gdb'
arcpy.GeneratePointsAlongLines_management('rivers', 'distance_intervals', 'DISTANCE', Distance='500 meters')
arcpy.GeneratePointsAlongLines_management('rivers', 'percentage_intervals', 'PERCENTAGE', Percentage=10)
GeneratePointsAlongLines Example 2 (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to use GeneratePointsAlongLines.

# Name: GeneratePointsAlongLines_Example2.py
# Description: Convert point features into line features

import arcpy

# Set environment settings
arcpy.env.workspace = 'C:/data/base.gdb'

# Set local variables
in_features = 'rivers'
out_fc_1 = 'distance_intervals'
out_fc_2 = 'percentage_intervals'

# Execute GeneratePointsAlongLines by distance
arcpy.GeneratePointsAlongLines_management(in_features, out_fc_1, 'DISTANCE',
                                          Distance='500 meters')

# Execute GeneratePointsAlongLines by percentage
arcpy.GeneratePointsAlongLines_management(in_features, out_fc_2, 'PERCENTAGE',
                                          Percentage=10,
                                          Include_End_Points='END_POINTS')

Environments

Licensing information

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