Clip features using other features

In the Modify Features pane, the Clip tool clips editable and visible features that touch or are within a buffered distance from selected features. You can select the cutting feature and clip all editable features, or select the input cutting features and clip only selected target features.

Typing a buffer distance greater than zero shows the clip area as a buffer preview. You can keep or delete the features inside or outside the clip area or split the target features and preserve the feature geometry in both areas.

Clip all editable features and discard the clip area

Clipping all editable features with a selected line feature and discarding the feature geometry inside the clip area can be useful when you need to trim several features at a uniform distance, for example when trimming parcel boundaries along a street centerline.

1. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Modify .
2. In the pane, expand Divide and click Clip .

   The tool appears in the pane.

3. Check Clip all editable features located at the bottom of the pane.

   

4. Click Select one or more features from the same layer and select the input clipping feature.
   • To remove a feature from the selection, right-click it and click Unselect .
   • To keep only one feature in the selection, double-click the feature or right-click and click Only Select This .

     

5. Specify a Buffer Distance greater than zero (0).

   The clip area appears as a buffer preview.

6. Click and enable Discard (Remainder) .

   This deletes and discards all feature geometry inside the clip area buffer.

7. Click Clip.

Clip selected target features

Clipping selected target features with selected input features can be useful when you need to select specific features and manage the selections on the input and target tabs.

1. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Modify .
2. In the pane, expand Divide and click Clip .

   The tool appears in the pane.

3. Uncheck Clip all editable features located at the bottom of the pane.

   The Input Features and Target Features tabs appear in the pane.

4. Select the input cutting features.
   1. Click the Input Features tab.
   2. Click Select one or more features and select the features.
   3. To move a feature to the target selection, right-click the feature item and click Move to Target.

      

      Tip:

      You can double-click a feature in the list to select it and remove all other features from the selection.

5. Select the target features you want to clip.
   1. Click the Target Features tab.
   2. Click the Select tool and select the features.
   3. If you need to ensure that all intersecting features are selected and clipped, click Select all intersecting features .

      

   4. To move a feature to the input selection, right-click the feature item and click Move to Input.

      

      Tip:

      You can double-click a feature in the list to select it and remove all other features from the selection.

6. Specify a Buffer Distance greater than zero (0).

   The clip area appears as a buffer preview.

7. Click one of the following to preserve or delete the feature geometry you are clipping:
   • Discard (Remainder) —Deletes the features inside the clipping area and preserves all other intersecting features.
   • Preserve —Preserves the features inside the clipping area and deletes all other intersecting features.
   • Split —Preserves all intersecting features.
8. Click Clip.