An overview of the Data Management toolset

The Data Management toolset provides a collection of geoprocessing tools that operate on the terrain, TIN, and LAS dataset. The tools are organized into the following toolsets:

• LAS Dataset—Contains tools for analyzing and managing the classification of lidar data referenced by a LAS dataset.

  Learn more about creating a LAS dataset

• Terrain Dataset—Contains tools for creating and managing a terrain dataset, which is a multiresolution triangulated surface comprised of feature based measurements stored in a feature dataset.

  Learn more about creating a terrain dataset

• TIN—Contains tools for creating and editing a triangulated irregular network (TIN) dataset, which is a single resolution surface comprised of feature based measurements.

  Learn more about creating a TIN dataset

LAS Dataset

Geoprocessing Tool	Description
Change LAS Class Codes	Reassigns the classification codes and flags of LAS files.
Classify LAS Building	Classifies building rooftop points in aerial lidar data.
Classify LAS By Height	Reclassifies lidar points based on their height from the ground surface.
Classify LAS Ground	Classifies ground points in aerial lidar data.
Classify LAS Noise	Classifies LAS points with anomalous spatial characteristics as noise.
Classify LAS Overlap	Classifies LAS points from overlapping scans of aerial lidar surveys.
Colorize LAS	Applies colors and near-infrared values from orthographic imagery to LAS points.
Extract LAS	Extracts LAS or ZLAS files that intersect a clipping polygon or extent.
LAS Height Metrics	Calculates statistics about the distribution of elevation measurements of vegetation points captured in LAS data.
LAS Point Statistics By Area	Evaluates the statistics of LAS points that overlay the area defined by polygon features.
Locate LAS Points By Proximity	Identifies lidar points within the three-dimensional proximity of z-enabled features while also providing the option to reclassify the points and export them to an output feature class.
Set LAS Class Codes Using Features	Classifies LAS points that intersect the input features.
Thin LAS	Creates new LAS files that contain a subset of LAS points from the input LAS dataset.
Tile LAS	Creates a set of nonoverlapping LAS files whose horizontal extents are divided by a regular grid.

Terrain Dataset

Geoprocessing tools	Description
Add Feature Class To Terrain	Adds one or more feature classes to a terrain dataset.
Add Terrain Pyramid Level	Adds one or more pyramid levels to an existing terrain dataset.
Append Terrain Points	Appends points to a point feature referenced by a terrain dataset.
Build Terrain	Performs tasks required for analyzing and displaying a terrain dataset.
Change Terrain Reference Scale	Changes the reference scale associated with a terrain pyramid level.
Change Terrain Resolution Bounds	Changes the pyramid levels at which a feature class will be enforced for a given terrain dataset.
Create Terrain	Creates a new terrain dataset.
Delete Terrain Points	Deletes points within a specified area of interest from one or more features that participate in a terrain dataset.
Remove Feature Class From Terrain	Removes reference to a feature class participating in a terrain dataset.
Remove Terrain Pyramid Level	Removes a pyramid level from a terrain dataset.
Replace Terrain Points	Replaces points referenced by a terrain dataset with points from a specified feature class.

TIN

Tool	Description
Copy TIN	Creates a copy of a triangulated irregular network (TIN) dataset.
Create TIN	Creates a triangulated irregular network (TIN) dataset.
Delineate TIN Data Area	Redefines the data area, or interpolation zone, of a triangulated irregular network (TIN) based on its triangle edge length.
Edit TIN	Loads data from one or more input features to modify the surface of an existing triangulated irregular network (TIN).

The following tools were deprecated at the release of version 10.0:

Geoprocessing Tool	Recommendation
Add Terrain Points	Use the Append Terrain Points tool to add points to a terrain dataset.
Remove Terrain Points	Use the Delete Terrain Points tool to remove points from a terrain dataset.