Summary
Creates polygons that cover a given distance from a point, line, or polygon feature.
Buffers are typically used to create areas that can be further analyzed using a tool such as Overlay Layers. For example, if the question is "What buildings are within 1 mile of the school?", the answer can be found by creating a 1-mile buffer around the school and overlaying the buffer with the layer containing building footprints. The end result is a layer of those buildings within 1 mile of the school.
Illustration
Usage
The size of the buffer can be entered as a constant using the distance option (all buffers will be the same size) or using values from a field (different features can have buffers of a different size). You can create a multiple-ring buffer using the distance option by entering multiple constants.
By default, this tool will create overlapping buffers when the buffer areas meet. When the input features are lines, the default is a rounded buffer on all sides of the lines. When the input features are polygons, the default is to include the input area in the buffer. When there are multiple input distances, the default is to create rings.
If the input layer has a geographic coordinate system or uses a Web Mercator-based projected coordinate system, this tool uses a geodesic buffering algorithm to produce more accurate buffers.
Syntax
CreateBuffers(inputLayer, outputName, {distances}, {field}, {units}, {dissolveType}, {ringType}, {sideType}, {endType})| Parameter | Explanation | Data Type |
inputLayer | The point, line, or polygon features to be buffered. | Feature Set |
outputName | The name of the output layer to create on your portal. | String |
distances [distances,...] (Optional) | A list of distance values to buffer the input features. You must supply values for either the distances or a distance field. You can enter a single distance value or multiple values. The units of the distance values is supplied by the distance units. | Double |
field (Optional) | A field from the input layer containing one buffer distance per feature. | Field |
units (Optional) | The units of the buffer distance. You must provide a value if cell size has been set.
| String |
dissolveType (Optional) | Determines how overlapping buffers are processed.
| String |
ringType (Optional) | Determines how multiple-distance buffers are processed.
| String |
sideType (Optional) | When buffering line features, you can choose which side of the line to buffer. Typically, you choose both sides (Full, which is the default). Left and right are determined as if you were walking from the first x,y coordinate of the line (the start coordinate) to the last x,y coordinate of the line (the end coordinate). Choosing left or right usually means you know that your line features were created and stored in a particular direction (for example, upstream or downstream in a river network). When buffering polygon features, you can choose whether the buffer includes or excludes the polygon being buffered. If a side type is not supplied, the polygon being buffered is included in the result buffer. This is the default for polygon features.
| String |
endType (Optional) | The shape of the buffer at the end-of-line input features. This parameter is not valid for polygon input features. At the ends of lines, the buffer can be rounded (round) or be straight across (flat).
| String |
Derived Output
| Name | Explanation | Data Type |
| output | The output buffers layer. | Feature Set |
Environments
Licensing information
- Basic: Requires your account in ArcGIS Enterprise to have the Perform Analysis privilege
- Standard: Requires your account in ArcGIS Enterprise to have the Perform Analysis privilege
- Advanced: Requires your account in ArcGIS Enterprise to have the Perform Analysis privilege