Create Buffers (Standard Feature Analysis)

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.

Parameters

Dialog

Label	Explanation	Data Type
Input Layer	The point, line, or polygon features to be buffered.	Feature Set
Output Name	The name of the output layer to create on your portal.	String
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
Distance Field (Optional)	A field from the input layer containing one buffer distance per feature.	Field
Distance Units (Optional)	The units of the buffer distance. You must provide a value if cell size has been set. Miles —Miles Feet —Feet Kilometers —Kilometers Meters —Meters Nautical miles —Nautical miles Yards —Yards	String
Dissolve Type (Optional)	Determines how overlapping buffers are processed. No dissolve — Overlapping areas are kept. This is the default. Dissolve overlapping areas — Overlapping areas are combined.	String
Buffer Ring Type (Optional)	Determines how multiple-distance buffers are processed. Concentric overlapping disks — Buffers are concentric and will overlap. For example, if your distances are 10 and 14, the result will be two buffers, one from 0 to 10 and one from 0 to 14. This is the default. Nonoverlapping rings — Buffers will not overlap. For example, if your distances are 10 and 14, the result will be two buffers, one from 0 to 10 and one from 10 to 14.	String
Side Type (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). Full — Both sides of the line will be buffered. This is the default for line features. Right — Only the right side of the line will be buffered. Left — Only the right side of the line will be buffered. Outside — When buffering a polygon, the polygon being buffered is excluded in the result buffer.	String
End Type (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). Round ends — Buffers will be rounded at the ends of lines. This is the default. Flat ends — Buffers will be flat or straight across at the ends of lines.	String

Derived Output

Label	Explanation	Data Type
Output	The output buffers layer.	Feature Set

Python

arcpy.sfa.CreateBuffers(inputLayer, outputName, {distances}, {field}, {units}, {dissolveType}, {ringType}, {sideType}, {endType})

Name	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. MILES —Miles FEET —Feet KILOMETERS —Kilometers METERS —Meters NAUTICALMILES —Nautical miles YARDS —Yards	String
dissolveType (Optional)	Determines how overlapping buffers are processed. NONE — Overlapping areas are kept. This is the default. DISSOLVE — Overlapping areas are combined.	String
ringType (Optional)	Determines how multiple-distance buffers are processed. DISKS — Buffers are concentric and will overlap. For example, if your distances are 10 and 14, the result will be two buffers, one from 0 to 10 and one from 0 to 14. This is the default. RINGS — Buffers will not overlap. For example, if your distances are 10 and 14, the result will be two buffers, one from 0 to 10 and one from 10 to 14.	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. FULL — Both sides of the line will be buffered. This is the default for line features. RIGHT — Only the right side of the line will be buffered. LEFT — Only the right side of the line will be buffered. OUTSIDE — When buffering a polygon, the polygon being buffered is excluded in the result buffer.	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). ROUND — Buffers will be rounded at the ends of lines. This is the default. FLAT — Buffers will be flat or straight across at the ends of lines.	String

Derived Output

Name	Explanation	Data Type
output	The output buffers layer.	Feature Set

Environments

Extent

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