ArcMap

Select Features By Symbol Color

Summary

Provides the ability to select a set of features based on their symbol color. This allows features with specific colors to be used as input into additional geoprocessing tools, such as the Intersecting Layers Masks tool.

Usage

  • This tool accepts point, line, and polygon feature layers as well as geodatabase annotation layers as input.

  • The returned selection set is a selection of the feature geometries.

  • The input layer color space and the color space selected in the tool do not need to match. If the color space selected in the tool does not match the input layer color space, the equivalent color in the input layer will be found. For example, if an input layer has a symbol defined using CMYK values of 0 0 0 100 (black), running the tool using RGB as the color space and 0 0 0 as the color values will select black features in the input layer.

  • Labels are not supported, only annotation layers stored in a geodatabase.

  • Layers with transparency are not supported. They will be excluded from processing when the tool is run.

  • Layers with Picture Marker or Picture Fill symbols are not supported. They will be excluded from processing when the tool is run.

Syntax

arcpy.production.SelectFeaturesBySymbolColor(in_layers, reference_scale, colorspace, color_values, {use_symbol_part}, {selection_type})
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_layers

The symbolized input layers from which features will be selected based on the colors in their symbology. These can be point, polyline, polygon, or annotation feature layers.

Feature Layer
reference_scale

The scale at which the input layers will be analyzed. If no value is provided, it will be derived in the following order:

  • The geoprocessing reference scale environment setting
  • The active data frame's reference scale
  • The active data frame's scale

Double
colorspace
[colorspace,...]

Specifies the color space in which the input color values are defined. Three color spaces are supported:

  • CMYK —Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. This is the default.
  • RGB —Red, Green, Blue
  • HSV —Hue, Saturation, Value
String
color_values

A string of color values separated by spaces. When using the CMYK colorspace, enter four values between 0 to 100. When using the RGB color space, enter three values between 0 and 255. When using the HSV color space, enter three values: H must be between 0 and 360; S and V must be between 0 and 100.

String
use_symbol_part
[use_symbol_part,...]
(Optional)

Specifies which part of the input layer symbols should be used when evaluating the input color values.

  • ALL_PARTS —Evaluation is based on all parts of the symbol. This is the default.
  • OUTLINE_ONLY —Evaluation is based on the symbol outline only.
  • FILL_ONLY —Evaluation is based on the symbol fill only.
  • TEXT_ONLY —Evaluation is based on annotation or symbols containing Character Markers.
String
selection_type
[selection_type,...]
(Optional)

Determines how the selection will be applied and what to do if a selection already exists.

  • NEW_SELECTION —The resulting selection replaces any existing selection. This is the default.
  • ADD_TO_SELECTION —The resulting selection is added to an existing selection if one exists. If no selection exists, this will be the same as the NEW_SELECTION option.
  • REMOVE_FROM_SELECTION —The resulting selection is removed from an existing selection. If no selection exists, this option has no effect.
  • SUBSET_SELECTION —The resulting selection is combined with the existing selection. Only records that are common to both remain selected.
  • SWITCH_SELECTION —Switches the selection; all records that were not selected are added to the selection.
  • CLEAR_SELECTION —Clears or removes any selection.
String

Code sample

SelectFeaturesBySymbolColor example (Python window)

The following script demonstrates how to use the SelectFeaturesBySymbolColor tool.

# Import modules
import arcpy

# Define local variables
in_layer = r"C:\Project\Buildings.lyr"
contours = r"C:\Project\Contours.lyr"

# check out extension
arcpy.CheckOutExtension("foundation")

# Execute Select Features By Symbol Color tool to select brown buildings
arcpy.SelectFeaturesBySymbolColor_production(in_layer, "50000", "CMYK", "43 65 92 0", "ALL_PARTS", "NEW_SELECTION")

# Use the selected features for more processing like generating masks
arcpy.IntersectingLayersMasks_cartography(in_layer, contours,
                                          r"C:\Project\Data.gdb\contour_mask","25000", 26912, "2 Millimeters",
                                          "EXACT_SIMPLIFIED", "")

Environments

Licensing information

  • Basic: No
  • Standard: Requires Production Mapping
  • Advanced: Requires Production Mapping

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