Find Routes

Available with Network Analyst license.

Summary

Finding a route analysis can mean determining the quickest or shortest way to travel between locations. You might want to use this tool to generate driving directions to visit multiple stops or to measure the distance or travel time between locations. The tool is capable of finding routes for one or more vehicles each time it runs, so you can determine the best routes for several drivers to visit preassigned stops, for instance, or measure in a single solve the distance of home-to-work trips for many commuters.

Note:

The Find Routes and Make Route Layer tools are similar, but they are designed for different purposes. Use Find Routes if you are setting up a geoprocessing service; it simplifies the setup process; otherwise, use Make Route Layer.

To create a routing geoprocessing service using Find Routes, you only need to set up one tool, and you can publish the tool directly as a service. In contrast, you need to create a model with the Make Routes Layer tool, properly connect it to various other tools, and publish the model to create a geoprocessing service. See Overview of the Network Analyst geoprocessing service examples to learn how to set up a closest facility service using tutorial data. One other option to consider is the ArcGIS Online Find Routes service. It is a service that runs like a geoprocessing tool within ArcMap, can be accessed from other applications, and includes high-quality road data for much of the world.

Illustration

Usage

• To find routes for multiple vehicles, see the RouteName attribute, which is described in the Stops parameter. Finding routes for many vehicles requires the set of stops to be grouped into smaller subsets—one for each route, or vehicle—before solving. A route is generated for each subset of stops. (Use the vehicle routing problem tools instead if you want the grouping of the stops, as well as the routing between the stops, to be optimized for you.)

• The tool dialog box groups the various optional parameters into the following six categories to make it easier for you to manage them:

  • Advanced Analysis
  • Barriers
  • Custom Travel Mode
  • Network Dataset
  • Network Locations
  • Output
  • Service Capabilities

• Learn about the output from Find Routes

Syntax

FindRoutes_na (Stops, Measurement_Units, Network_Dataset, Output_Geodatabase, Output_Routes_Name, Output_Route_Edges_Name, Output_Directions_Name, Output_Stops_Name, {Reorder_Stops_to_Find_Optimal_Routes}, {Preserve_Terminal_Stops}, {Return_to_Start}, {Travel_Mode}, {Use_Time_Windows}, {Time_of_Day}, {Time_Zone_for_Time_of_Day}, {UTurn_Policy}, {Point_Barriers}, {Line_Barriers}, {Polygon_Barriers}, {Time_Attribute}, {Time_Attribute_Units}, {Distance_Attribute}, {Distance_Attribute_Units}, {Use_Hierarchy_in_Analysis}, {Restrictions}, {Attribute_Parameter_Values}, {Accumulate_Attributes}, {Maximum_Snap_Tolerance}, {Feature_Locator_WHERE_Clause}, {Route_Shape}, {Route_Line_Simplification_Tolerance}, {Populate_Directions}, {Populate_Route_Edges}, {Populate_Directions}, {Directions_Language}, {Directions_Distance_Units}, {Directions_Style_Name}, {Maximum_Features_Affected_by_Point_Barriers}, {Maximum_Features_Affected_by_Line_Barriers}, {Maximum_Features_Affected_by_Polygon_Barriers}, {Maximum_Stops}, {Maximum_Stops_per_Route}, {Force_Hierarchy_Beyond_Distance}, {Save_Output_Network_Analysis_Layer})

Parameter	Explanation	Data Type
Stops	This tool routes between the stops specified in this parameter. A minimum of two stops are necessary to solve an analysis. When specifying the stops, you can set properties for each one, such as its name or service time, by using attributes. The stops can be specified with the following attributes: OBJECTID—The system-managed ID field. SHAPE—The geometry field indicating the geographic location of the incident. Name—The name of the stop. The name is used in the driving directions. If the name is not specified, a unique name prefixed with Location is automatically generated in the output stops, routes, and directions. RouteName—The name of the route to which the stop is assigned. Assigning the same route name to different stops causes those stops to be grouped together and visited by the same route. You can generate many routes in a single solve by assigning unique route names to different groups of stops. With this tool you can group up to 150 stops into one route. Sequence—The output routes will visit the stops in the order you specify with this attribute. Within a group of stops that have the same RouteName value, the sequence number should be greater than 0 but not greater than the total number of stops. Also, the sequence number should not be duplicated. If Reorder Stops To Find Optimal Routes is checked (True), all but possibly the first and last sequence values for each route name are ignored so the tool can find the sequence that minimizes overall travel for each route. (The settings for Preserve Ordering of Stops and Return to Start determine whether the first or last sequence values for each route are ignored.) AdditionalTime—The amount of time spent at the stop, which is added to the total time of the route. The units for this attribute value are specified by the Measurement Units parameter. The attribute value is included in the analysis only when the measurement units are time based. The default value is 0. Generally, the location of a stop, such as a home, isn't exactly on the streets; it is set back somewhat from the road. This attribute value can be used to model the distance between the actual stop location and its location on the street, if it is important to include that distance in the total travel distance. AdditionalDistance—The extra distance traveled at the stops, which is added to the total distance of the route. The units for this attribute value are specified by the Measurement Units parameter. The attribute value is included in the analysis only when the measurement units are distance based. The default value is 0. Generally, the location of a stop, such as a home, isn't exactly on the streets; it is set back somewhat from the road. This attribute value can be used to model the distance between the actual stop location and its location on the street, if it is important to include that distance in the total travel distance. TimeWindowStart—The earliest time the stop can be visited. Make sure you specify the value as a date and time value, such as 8/12/2015 12:15 PM. By specifying a start and end time for a stop's time window, you are defining when a route should visit the stop. As long as Use Time Windows is checked and you've chosen a time-based unit for Measurement Units, the tool will try to find a solution that minimizes overall travel and reaches the stop within the prescribed time window. When solving a problem that spans multiple time zones, time-window values refer to the time zone in which the stop is located. This field can contain a null value; a null value indicates a route can arrive at any time before the time indicated in the TimeWindowEnd attribute. If a null value is also present in TimeWindowEnd, a route can visit the stop at any time. TimeWindowEnd—The latest time the stop can be visited. Make sure you specify the value as a date and time value, such as 8/12/2015 12:15 PM. By specifying a start and end time for a stop's time window, you are defining when a route should visit the stop. As long as Use Time Windows is checked and you've chosen a time-based unit for Measurement Units, the tool will try to find a solution that minimizes overall travel and reaches the stop within the prescribed time window. When solving a problem that spans multiple time zones, time-window values refer to the time zone in which the stop is located. This field can contain a null value; a null value indicates a route can arrive at any time after the time indicated in the TimeWindowStart attribute. If a null value is also present in TimeWindowStart, a route can visit the stop at any time. CurbApproach—Specifies the direction a vehicle may arrive at and depart from the stop. The field value is specified as one of the following integers (use the numeric code, not the name in parentheses): 0 (Either side of vehicle)—The vehicle can approach and depart the stop in either direction, so a U-turn is allowed at the stop. This setting can be chosen if it is possible and practical for your vehicle to turn around at the stop. This decision may depend on the width of the road and the amount of traffic or whether the stop has a parking lot where vehicles can enter and turn around. 1 ( Right side of vehicle)—When the vehicle approaches and departs the stop, the stop must be on the right side of the vehicle. A U-turn is prohibited. This is typically used for vehicles such as buses that must arrive with the bus stop on the right-hand side. 2 (Left side of vehicle)—When the vehicle approaches and departs the stop, the curb must be on the left side of the vehicle. A U-turn is prohibited. This is typically used for vehicles such as buses that must arrive with the bus stop on the left-hand side. 3 (No U-Turn)—When the vehicle approaches the stop, the curb can be on either side of the vehicle; however, the vehicle must depart without turning around. The CurbApproach property is designed to work with both kinds of national driving standards: right-hand traffic (United States) and left-hand traffic (United Kingdom). First, consider a stop on the left side of a vehicle. It is always on the left side regardless of whether the vehicle travels on the left or right half of the road. What may change with national driving standards is your decision to approach a stop from one of two directions, that is, so it ends up on the right or left side of the vehicle. For example, if you want to arrive at a stop and not have a lane of traffic between the vehicle and the stop, you would choose Right side of vehicle (1) in the United States but Left side of vehicle (2) in the United Kingdom.	Feature Set
Measurement_Units	Specify the units that should be used to measure and report the total travel time or travel distance for the output routes. The units you choose for this parameter determine whether the tool will measure distance or time to find the best routes. Choose a time unit to minimize travel time for your chosen travel mode (driving or walking time, for instance). To minimize travel distance for the given travel mode, choose a distance unit. Your choice also determines in which units the tool will report total time or distance in the results. The choices include the following: Meters Kilometers Feet Yards Miles NauticalMiles Seconds Minutes Hours Days The tool chooses whether to use the network cost attribute specified in the Time Attribute or Distance Attribute parameter depending on whether the chosen measurement units are time or distance based. The tool performs the necessary unit conversion when the Measurement Units value differs from the units of the corresponding time or distance cost attribute.	String
Network_Dataset	The network dataset on which the analysis will be performed. Network datasets most often represent street networks but may represent other kinds of transportation networks as well. The network dataset needs at least one time-based and one distance-based cost attribute.	Network Dataset Layer
Output_Geodatabase	The output workspace. This workspace must already exist. The default output workspace is in_memory.	Workspace
Output_Routes_Name	The name of the output feature class containing routes or the lines that connect stops. This feature class also contains, as an attribute, the total travel time or distance. The help topic Output from Find Routes describes the schema of this output feature class.	String
Output_Route_Edges_Name	The name of the output feature class containing the route edges. Route edges represent the individual street features that are traversed by a route. The help topic Output from Find Routes describes the schema of this output feature class.	String
Output_Directions_Name	The name of the output feature class containing directions. The help topic Output from Find Routes describes the schema of this output feature class.	String
Output_Stops_Name	The name of the output feature class containing the output stops. The help topic Output from Find Routes describes the schema of this output feature class.	String
Reorder_Stops_to_Find_Optimal_Routes (Optional)	Specify whether to visit the stops in the order you define or the order the tool determines will minimize overall travel. Checked (True) —The stops are visited in the order you define. This is the default option. You can set the order of stops using a Sequence attribute in the input stops features or let the sequence be determined by the object ID of the stops. Unchecked (False) —The tool determines the sequence that will minimize overall travel distance or time. It can reorder stops and account for time windows at stops. Additional parameters allow you to preserve the first or last stops while allowing the tool to reorder the intermediary stops. Finding the optimal stop order and the best routes is commonly known as solving the traveling salesman problem (TSP).	Boolean
Preserve_Terminal_Stops (Optional)	When Reorder Stops to Find Optimal Routes is checked (or True), you have options to preserve the starting or ending stops and the tool can reorder the rest. The first and last stops are determined by their Sequence attribute values or, if the Sequence values are null, by their Object ID values. PRESERVE_BOTH —Preserves the first and last stops by input order as the first and last stops in the route. PRESERVE_FIRST —Preserves the first stop by input order as the first stop in the route, but the last stop is free to be reordered. PRESERVE_LAST —Preserves the last stop by input order as the last stop in the route, but the first stop is free to be reordered. PRESERVE_NONE —Frees both the first and last stop to be reordered. Preserve Terminal Stops is ignored when Reorder Stops to Find Optimal Routes is unchecked (or False).	String
Return_to_Start (Optional)	Choose whether routes should start and end at the same location. With this option you can avoid duplicating the first stop feature and sequencing the duplicate stop at the end. The starting location of the route is the stop feature with the lowest value in the Sequence attribute. If the Sequence values are null, it is the stop feature with the lowest Object ID value. Checked (True) —The route should start and end at the first stop feature. This is the default value. Unchecked (False) —The route won't start and end at the first stop feature.	Boolean
Travel_Mode (Optional)	Choose the mode of transportation for the analysis. CUSTOM is always a choice. For other travel mode names to appear, they must be present in the network dataset specified in the Network_Dataset parameter. (The arcpy.na.GetTravelModes function provides a dictionary of the travel mode objects configured on a network dataset, and the name property returns the name of a travel mode object.) A travel mode is defined on a network dataset and provides override values for parameters that, together, model car, truck, pedestrian, or other modes of travel. By choosing a travel mode here, you don't need to provide values for the following parameters, which are overridden by values specified in the network dataset: UTurn_Policy Time_Attribute Time_Attribute_Units Distance_Attribute Distance_Attribute_Units Use_Hierarchy_in_Analysis Restrictions Attribute_Parameter_Values Route_Line_Simplification_Tolerance CUSTOM —Define a travel mode that fits your specific needs. When CUSTOM is chosen, the tool does not override the travel mode parameters listed above. This is the default value.	String
Use_Time_Windows (Optional)	Check this option (or set it to True) if any input stops have time windows that specify when the route should reach the stop. You can add time windows to input stops by entering time values in the TimeWindowStart and TimeWindowEnd attributes. Checked (True) —The input stops have time windows and you want the tool to try to honor them. Unchecked (False) —The input stops don't have time windows, or if they do, you don't want the tool to try to honor them. This is the default value. The tool will take slightly longer to run when Use Time Windows is checked (or True), even when none of the input stops have time windows, so it is recommended to uncheck this option (set to False) if possible.	Boolean
Time_of_Day (Optional)	Specifies the time and date at which the routes should begin. If your network dataset contains live or historical traffic data, specifying a time of day results in more accurate estimation of travel time between stops because the travel times account for the traffic conditions that are applicable for that date and time. The Time Zone for Time of Day parameter specifies whether this time and date refer to UTC or the time zone in which the stop is located. The tool ignores this parameter when Measurement Units isn't set to a time-based unit.	Date
Time_Zone_for_Time_of_Day (Optional)	Specifies the time zone of the Time of Day parameter. GEO_LOCAL —The Time of Day parameter refers to the time zone in which the first stop of a route is located. If you are generating many routes that start in multiple times zones, the start times are staggered in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). For example, a Time of Day value of 10:00 a.m., 2 January, would mean a start time of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (3:00 p.m. UTC) for routes beginning in the Eastern Time Zone and 10:00 a.m. Central Standard Time (4:00 p.m. UTC) for routes beginning in the Central Time Zone. The start times are offset by one hour in UTC.The arrive and depart times and dates recorded in the output Stops feature class will refer to the local time zone of the first stop for each route. UTC —The Time of Day parameter refers to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Choose this option if you want to generate a route for a specific time, such as now, but aren't certain in which time zone the first stop will be located.If you are generating many routes spanning multiple times zones, the start times in UTC are simultaneous. For example, a Time of Day value of 10:00 a.m., 2 January, would mean a start time of 5:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5:00) for routes beginning in the Eastern Time Zone and 4:00 a.m. Central Standard Time (UTC-6:00) for routes beginning in the Central Time Zone. Both routes would start at 10:00 a.m. UTC.The arrive and depart times and dates recorded in the output Stops feature class will refer to UTC.	String
UTurn_Policy (Optional)	The U-Turn policy at junctions. Allowing U-turns implies the solver can turn around at a junction and double back on the same street. Given that junctions represent street intersections and dead ends, different vehicles may be able to turn around at some junctions but not at others—it depends on whether the junction represents an intersection or dead end. To accommodate, the U-turn policy parameter is implicitly specified by how many edges, or streets, connect to the junction, which is known as junction valency. The acceptable values for this parameter are listed below; each is followed by a description of its meaning in terms of junction valency. ALLOW_UTURNS —U-turns are permitted at junctions with any number of connected edges, or streets. This is the default value. NO_UTURNS —U-turns are prohibited at all junctions, regardless of junction valency. ALLOW_DEAD_ENDS_ONLY —U-turns are prohibited at all junctions, except those that have only one adjacent edge (a dead end). ALLOW_DEAD_ENDS_AND_INTERSECTIONS_ONLY —U-turns are prohibited at junctions where exactly two adjacent edges meet but are permitted at intersections (junctions with three or more adjacent edges) and dead ends (junctions with exactly one adjacent edge). Oftentimes, networks modeling streets have extraneous junctions in the middle of road segments. This option prevents vehicles from making U-turns at these locations. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel Mode (Travel_Mode in Python) is set to any value other than custom.	String
Point_Barriers (Optional)	Specifies point barriers, which are split into two types: restriction and added cost point barriers. They temporarily restrict traversal across or add impedance to points on the network. The point barriers are defined by a feature set, and the attribute values you specify for the point features determine whether they are restriction or added cost barriers. The fields in the attribute table are listed and described below. ObjectID: The system-managed ID field. Shape: The geometry field indicating the geographic location of the network analysis object. Name: The name of the barrier. BarrierType: Specifies whether the barrier restricts travel completely or adds cost when traveling through it. There are two options: Restriction (0)—Prohibits traversing through the barrier. This is the default value. Added Cost (2)—Traversing through the barrier increases the network cost by the amount specified in the Additional_Time and Additional_Distance fields. Use the value 0 for Restriction and 2 for Added Cost. Additional_Time: Indicates how much travel time is added when the barrier is traversed. This field is applicable only for added-cost barriers and only if the measurement units are time based. This field value must be greater than or equal to zero, and its units are the same as those specified in the Measurement Units parameter. Additional_Distance: Indicates how much distance is added when the barrier is traversed. This field is applicable only for added-cost barriers and only if the measurement units are distance based. The field value must be greater than or equal to zero, and its units are the same as those specified in the Measurement Units parameter.	Feature Set
Line_Barriers (Optional)	Specifies line barriers, which temporarily restrict traversal across them. The line barriers are defined by a feature set. The fields in the attribute table are listed and described below. ObjectID: The system-managed ID field. Shape: The geometry field indicating the geographic location of the network analysis object. Name: The name of the barrier.	Feature Set
Polygon_Barriers (Optional)	Specifies polygon barriers, which are split into two types: restriction and scaled cost polygon barriers. They temporarily restrict traversal or scale impedance on the parts of the network they cover. The polygon barriers are defined by a feature set, and the attribute values you specify for the polygon features determine whether they are restriction or scaled cost barriers. The fields in the attribute table are listed and described below. ObjectID: The system-managed ID field. Shape: The geometry field indicating the geographic location of the network analysis object. Name: The name of the barrier. BarrierType: Specifies whether the barrier restricts travel completely or scales the cost of traveling through it. There are two options: Restriction (0)—Prohibits traversing through any part of the barrier. This is the default value. Scaled Cost (1)—Scales the impedance of underlying edges by multiplying them by the value of the ScaledCostFactor property. If edges are partially covered by the barrier, the impedance is apportioned and multiplied. Use the value 0 for Restriction and 1 for Scaled Cost. ScaledTimeFactor: This is the factor by which the travel time of the streets intersected by the barrier is multiplied. This field is applicable only for scaled-cost barriers and only if the measurement units are time based. The field value must be greater than zero. ScaledDistanceFactor: This is the factor by which the distance of the streets intersected by the barrier is multiplied. This attribute is applicable only for scaled-cost barriers and only if the measurement units are distance based. The attribute value must be greater than zero.	Feature Set
Time_Attribute (Optional)	Defines the network cost attribute to use when the measurement units value is a time unit. The tool performs the necessary time-unit conversion when the measurement units value differs from the units of the cost attribute defined here. In other words, the time units of the default cutoff and the network cost attribute don't need to be the same. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel Mode (Travel_Mode in Python) is set to any value other than Custom.	String
Time_Attribute_Units (Optional)	The units of the time attribute. You can explicitly set the time attribute units, but it is recommended to pass nothing or "#" and let the solver determine the units. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel_Mode is set to any value other than CUSTOM.	String
Distance_Attribute (Optional)	Defines the network cost attribute to use when the measurement units value is a distance unit. The tool performs the necessary distance-unit conversion when the measurement units value differs from the units of the cost attribute defined here. In other words, the measurement units and the distance units of the network cost attribute don't need to be the same. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel Mode (Travel_Mode in Python) is set to any value other than Custom.	String
Distance_Attribute_Units (Optional)	The units of the distance attribute. You can explicitly set the distance attribute units, but it is recommended to pass nothing or "#" and let the solver determine the units. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel_Mode is set to any value other than CUSTOM.	String
Use_Hierarchy_in_Analysis (Optional)	Specify whether hierarchy should be used when finding the shortest routes between points. True — Use hierarchy when finding routes. When hierarchy is used, the tool prefers higher-order streets (such as freeways) to lower-order streets (such as local roads) and can be used to simulate the driver preference of traveling on freeways instead of local roads even if that means a longer trip. This is especially true when finding routes to faraway facilities, because drivers on long-distance trips tend to prefer traveling on freeways where stops, intersections, and turns can be avoided. Using hierarchy is computationally faster, especially for long-distance routes, because the tool has to select the best route from a relatively smaller subset of streets. False — Do not use hierarchy when finding routes. If hierarchy is not used, the tool considers all the streets and doesn't prefer higher-order streets when finding the route. This is often used when finding short-distance routes within a city. The parameter is not used if a hierarchy attribute is not defined on the network dataset used to perform the analysis. In such cases, use "#" as the parameter value. You can use the Force_Hierarchy_Beyond_Distance parameter to force the solve to use hierarchy even if Use_Hierarchy_in_Analysis is set to False. This parameter is ignored unless Travel_Mode is set to CUSTOM. When modeling a custom walking mode, it is recommended to turn off hierarchy since the hierarchy is designed for motorized vehicles.	Boolean
Restrictions [restriction,...] (Optional)	Indicates which network restriction attributes are respected during solve time. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel Mode (Travel_Mode in Python) is set to any value other than custom.	String
Attribute_Parameter_Values (Optional)	Specifies the parameter values for network attributes that have parameters. The record set has two columns that work together to uniquely identify parameters and another column that specifies the parameter value. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel Mode (Travel_Mode in Python) is set to any value other than custom. The attribute parameter values record set has associated attributes. The fields in the attribute table are listed below and described. ObjectID: The system-managed ID field. AttributeName: The name of the network attribute whose attribute parameter is set by the table row. ParameterName: The name of the attribute parameter whose value is set by the table row. (Object type parameters cannot be updated using this tool.) ParameterValue: The value you want for the attribute parameter. If a value is not specified, the attribute parameter is set to null.	Record Set
Accumulate_Attributes [attribute,...] (Optional)	List of cost attributes to be accumulated during analysis. These accumulation attributes are purely for reference; the solver only uses the cost attribute specified by the Time Attribute (Time_Attribute in Python) or Distance Attribute (Distance_Attribute in Python) parameter to calculate the shortest paths. For each cost attribute that is accumulated, a Total_[attribute] field is added to the routes that are output by the solver.	String
Maximum_Snap_Tolerance (Optional)	The maximum snap tolerance is the furthest distance that Network Analyst searches when locating or relocating a point onto the network. The search looks for suitable edges or junctions and snaps the point to the nearest one. If a suitable location isn't found within the maximum snap tolerance, the object is marked as unlocated.	Linear unit
Feature_Locator_WHERE_Clause (Optional)	An SQL expression used to select a subset of source features that limits on which network elements stops can be located. The syntax for this parameter consists of two parts: the first is the source feature class name (followed by a space) and the second is the SQL expression. To write an SQL expression for two or more source feature classes, separate them with a semicolon. To ensure facilities are not located on limited-access highways, for example, write an SQL expression like the following to exclude those source features: "Streets" "FUNC_CLASS not in('1', '2')". Note that barriers ignore the feature locator WHERE clause when loading.	String
Route_Shape (Optional)	Specify the type of route features that are output by the tool. The parameter can be specified using one of the following values: TRUE_LINES_WITHOUT_MEASURES — Return the exact shape of the resulting route based on the underlying streets. TRUE_LINES_WITH_MEASURES — Return the exact shape of the resulting route based on the underlying streets. Additionally, construct measures so the shape may be used in linear referencing. STRAIGHT_LINES — Return a straight line between the stops. NO_LINES — Do not return any shapes for the routes. This value can be useful in cases where you are only interested in determining the total travel time or travel distance between the stops. When the Route Shape parameter is set to True Shape, the generalization of the route shape can be further controlled using the appropriate value for the Route Line Simplification Toleranceparameter. No matter which value you choose for the Route Shapeparameter, the best route is always determined by minimizing the travel time or the travel distance, never using the straight-line distance between stops. This means that only the route shapes are different, not the underlying streets that are searched when finding the route.	String
Route_Line_Simplification_Tolerance (Optional)	Specify by how much you want to simplify the route geometry. The tool ignores this parameter if the Route_Shape parameter isn't set to TRUE_LINES_WITH_MEASURES or TRUE_LINES_WITHOUT_MEASURES. Simplification maintains critical points on a route, such as turns at intersections, to define the essential shape of the route and removes other points. The simplification distance you specify is the maximum allowable offset that the simplified line can deviate from the original line. Simplifying a line reduces the number of vertices that are part of the route geometry. This improves the tool execution time. The value of this parameter is overridden when Travel Mode (Travel_Mode in Python) is set to any value other than custom.	Linear unit
Populate_Directions (Optional)	Specify whether the tool should generate driving directions for each route. Checked (True) —Indicates that the directions will be generated and configured based on the values for the Directions Language, Directions Style Name, and Directions Distance Unitsparameters. Unchecked (False) —Directions are not generated, and the tool returns an empty Directions layer.	Boolean
Populate_Route_Edges (Optional)	Specify whether the tool should generate edges for each route. Route edges represent the individual street features or other similar features that are traversed by a route. The output Route Edges layer is commonly used to see which streets or paths are traveled on the most or least by the resultant routes. Checked (True) —Generate route edges. The output Route Edges layer is populated with line features. Unchecked (False) —Don't generate route edges. The output Route Edges layer is returned, but it is empty.	Boolean
Populate_Directions (Optional)	Specify whether the tool should generate driving directions for each route. Checked (True) —Indicates that the directions will be generated and configured based on the values for the Directions Language, Directions Style Name, and Directions Distance Unitsparameters. Unchecked (False) —Directions are not generated, and the tool returns an empty Directions layer.	Boolean
Directions_Language (Optional)	Specify the language that should be used when generating driving directions. This parameter is used only when the Populate Directions parameter is checked, or set to True. The directions languages that are available depend on what ArcGIS language packs you have installed on your computer. The values are entered in two- or five-character language codes, for example, en for English or zh-CN for simplified Chinese. If an unsupported language code is specified, the tool returns the directions using the default language, English.	String
Directions_Distance_Units (Optional)	Specify the units for displaying travel distance in the driving directions. This parameter is used only when the Populate Directions parameter is checked, or set to True. Miles Kilometers Meters Feet Yards NauticalMiles	String
Directions_Style_Name (Optional)	Specify the name of the formatting style for the directions. This parameter is used only when the Populate Directions parameter is checked, or set to True. The parameter can be specified using the following values: NA Desktop — Generates turn-by-turn directions suitable for printing. NA Navigation — Generates turn-by-turn directions designed for an in-vehicle navigation device. NA Campus —Generates directions appropriate for pedestrian networks, including sidewalks and building interiors.	String
Maximum_Features_Affected_by_Point_Barriers (Optional)	Limits how many features can be affected by point barriers. This parameter helps you govern the amount of processing that occurs when solving. For example, you could assign a low value to this parameter for a free version of the service you are creating and use a higher value for a paid-subscription version of the service. A null value indicates there is no limit.	Long
Maximum_Features_Affected_by_Line_Barriers (Optional)	Limits how many features can be affected by line barriers. This parameter helps you govern the amount of processing that occurs when solving. For example, you could assign a low value to this parameter for a free version of the service you are creating and use a higher value for a paid-subscription version of the service. A null value indicates there is no limit.	Long
Maximum_Features_Affected_by_Polygon_Barriers (Optional)	Limits how many features can be affected by polygon barriers. This parameter helps you govern the amount of processing that occurs when solving. For example, you could assign a low value to this parameter for a free version of the service you are creating and use a higher value for a paid-subscription version of the service. A null value indicates there is no limit.	Long
Maximum_Stops (Optional)	Limits how many stops can be added to the route analysis. This parameter is related to the Stops parameter. This parameter helps you govern the amount of processing that occurs when solving. For example, you could assign a low value to this parameter for a free version of the service you are creating and use a higher value for a paid-subscription version of the service. A null value indicates there is no limit.	Long
Maximum_Stops_per_Route (Optional)	Limits the maximum number of stops that can be assigned to each route in an analysis. Stops are preassigned to routes using the RouteName field of points in the Stops parameter. This parameter helps you govern the amount of processing that occurs when solving. For example, you could assign a low value to this parameter for a free version of the service you are creating and use a higher value for a paid-subscription version of the service. A null value indicates there is no limit.	Long
Force_Hierarchy_Beyond_Distance (Optional)	Specifies the distance after which the solver will force hierarchy when finding routes, even if hierarchy is not enabled. The units of this parameter are the same as those shown in the Distance Attribute Units parameter. Finding routes between stops that are far away while using the network's hierarchy tends to incur much less processing than finding the same routes without using the hierarchy. This parameter helps you govern the amount of processing that occurs when solving. A null value indicates that the hierarchy will never be enforced and the value of the Use Hierarchy in Analysis parameter will always be honored. If the input network dataset does not support hierarchy, specifying a value for this parameter will result in an error. A null value should be used in this case. This parameter is disabled unless the network dataset includes a hierarchy attribute.	Double
Save_Output_Network_Analysis_Layer (Optional)	NO_SAVE_OUTPUT_LAYER —A network analysis layer isn't included in the output. SAVE_OUTPUT_LAYER —The output includes a network analysis layer of the results. In either case, feature classes containing the results are returned. However, a server administrator may want to choose to output a network analysis layer as well so the setup and results of the tool can be debugged using the Network Analyst controls in the ArcGIS for Desktop environment. This can make the debugging process much easier. In ArcGIS for Desktop, the default output location for the network analysis layer is in the scratch folder. You can determine the location of the scratch folder by evaluating the value of arcpy.env.scratchFolder geoprocessing environment. The output network analysis layer is stored as an LYR file whose name begins with _ags_gpna and is followed by an alphanumeric GUID.	Boolean

Code sample

FindRoutes example 1

Execute the tool using the required parameters.

stops = arcpy.FeatureSet()
stops.load("Stops")
arcpy.na.FindRoutes(stops, "Miles", "Streets_ND", "in_memory", "Routes", 
                    "RouteEdges", "Directions", "OutStops", 
                    UTurn_Policy="NO_UTURNS")

FindRoutes example 2 (stand-alone Python script)

The following stand-alone Python script demonstrates how to use FindRoutes through a stand-alone script.

# Name: FindRoutes_Workflow.py
# Description: Find the fastest route visting all the stops. The output will 
#              show the route, driving directions, and how long it took to get
#              to each stop.
# Requirements: Network Analyst Extension

#Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

try:
    #Check out the Network Analyst extension license
    arcpy.CheckOutExtension("Network")

    #Set environment settings
    env.workspace = r'C:\arcgis\ArcTutor\Network Analyst\Tutorial\SanDiego.gdb'
    env.overwriteOutput = True

    #Set local variables
    inNetworkDataset = r'Transportation\Streets_ND'
    inStops = r'Analysis\Stops'
    outGeodatabase = r'C:\arcgis\ArcTutor\Network Analyst\Tutorial\Output.gdb'
    outRoutes = "Routes"
    outRouteEdges = "RouteEdges"
    outDirections = "Directions"
    outStops = "Stops"
    measurement_units = "Minutes"

    # Run FindRoutes. Reorder the stops to find the fastest route, but maintain
    # the first stop as the starting point and the last stop as the end point.
    arcpy.na.FindRoutes(inStops, measurement_units, inNetworkDataset, 
                    outGeodatabase, outRoutes, outRouteEdges, outDirections, 
                    outStops, Reorder_Stops_to_Find_Optimal_Routes=True, 
                    Preserve_Terminal_Stops="PRESERVE_BOTH")

    print "Script completed successfully"

except Exception as e:
    # If an error occurred, print line number and error message
    import traceback, sys
    tb = sys.exc_info()[2]
    print "An error occured on line %i" % tb.tb_lineno
    print str(e)

Environments

• Current Workspace
• Output Coordinate System

Licensing information

• ArcGIS Desktop Basic: Requires Network Analyst
• ArcGIS Desktop Standard: Requires Network Analyst
• ArcGIS Desktop Advanced: Requires Network Analyst