Calculate Locations (Network Analyst)

This ArcGIS 2.8 documentation has been archived and is no longer updated. Content and links may be outdated. See the latest documentation.

Summary

Locates input features on a network and adds fields describing these network locations to the input features. The tool is used to store the network location information as feature attributes to quickly load the features as inputs for a network analysis.

Learn more about locating features on a network

Usage

  • This tool is used to calculate locations fields that can be input to the Add Locations tool. It should be used on features that will be used more than once as input to a network analysis layer. Once the locations have been computed, the Use Network Location Fields instead of geometry parameter on the Add Locations tool can be used to quickly load the features as network locations.

  • This tool can also be used to recalculate the network locations that are unlocated in your network analysis layer using a different set of search options. For example, If the stops in your route network analysis layer were initially added with a search tolerance of 500 meters and few of your stops were unlocated, you can select the unlocated stops, for example, using the Select Layer By Attribute tool, and rerun this tool specifying the stops sublayer as the Input features parameter value with an increased search tolerance.

  • This tool runs significantly faster if the feature classes used as the network sources in the network dataset have a valid and up-to-date spatial index.

Parameters

LabelExplanationData Type
Input Features

The input features for which the network locations will be calculated.

For line and polygon features, since the network location information is stored in a BLOB field (specified in the Location Ranges Field parameter), only geodatabase feature classes are supported.

Table View
Input Analysis Network

The network dataset that will be used to calculate the locations.

If a sublayer of a network analysis layer is used as input features, the parameter is automatically set to the network dataset referenced by the network analysis layer.

Network Dataset Layer
Search Tolerance
(Optional)

The search tolerance that will be used to locate the input features on the network. Features that are outside the search tolerance are left unlocated. The parameter includes a value and units for the tolerance.

The default is 5000 meters.

The parameter is not used when calculating locations for line or polygon features.

Linear Unit
Search Criteria
(Optional)

The sources in the network dataset that will be searched when calculating network locations and the portions of geometry (also known as snap types) that will be used. For example, if the network dataset references separate feature classes representing streets and sidewalks, you can choose to locate inputs on streets but not on sidewalks.

The following are the available snap type choices for each network source:

  • SHAPE—The point will locate on the closest point of an element in this network source.
  • MIDDLE—The point will locate on the closest midpoint of an element in this network source.
  • END—The point will locate on the closest endpoint of an element in this network source.
  • NONE—The point will not locate on elements in this network source.

The MIDDLE and END options are maintained for backward compatibility. Use the SHAPE option to locate your inputs on a particular network source; otherwise, use NONE.

When calculating locations for line or polygon features, only the SHAPE snap type is used, even if other snap types are specified.

The default value is SHAPE for all network sources except override junctions created by running the Dissolve Network tool and system junctions, which have a default of NONE.

This parameter is not used when the network data source is a portal service.

Value Table
Find Closest among All Classes
(Optional)

Note:

This parameter is only available via Python.

Boolean
Source ID Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the source ID of the computed network location. A field named SourceID will be created or updated by default.

Field
Source OID Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the source OID of the computed network location. A field named SourceOID will be created or updated by default.

Field
Percent Along Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the percent along with the computed network location. A field named PosAlong will be created or updated by default.

Field
Side of Edge Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the side of edge on which the point feature is located on the computed network location. A field named SideOfEdge will be created or updated by default.

Field
Located X-Coordinate Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the x-coordinate of the computed network location. A field named SnapX will be created or updated by default.

Field
Located Y-Coordinate Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the y-coordinate of the computed network location. A field named SnapY will be created or updated by default.

Field
Distance from Feature Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the distance of the point feature from the computed network location. A field named Distance is created or updated by default.

The output field is in meters.

Field
Located Z-Coordinate Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the z-coordinate of the computed network location. A field named SnapZ will be created or updated by default.

Field
Location Ranges Field
(Optional)

The name of the field to be created or updated with the location ranges of the computed network locations for the line or polygon features. A field named Locations will be created or updated by default.

Field
Exclude Restricted Portions of the Network
(Optional)

Note:

This parameter is only available via Python.

Boolean
Search Query
(Optional)

Defines a query that will restrict the search to a subset of the features in a source feature class. This is useful if you don't want to locate on features that may be unsuitable for your analysis. For example, you can use the query to exclude all features with a particular road class.

A separate SQL expression can be specified per source feature class of the network dataset. By default, no query is used for any source.

This parameter is not used when the network data source is a portal service.

The SQL expression for a given network source is specified by selecting the source name in the Name column and using the SQL expression builder in the Query column. For more information on SQL syntax, see SQL reference for query expressions used in ArcGIS.

Any network source not explicitly specified in the tool dialog box will have no query applied.

Value Table
Travel Mode
(Optional)

The name of the travel mode to be used in the analysis.

If you select a travel mode, the travel mode settings, such as restrictions and impedance attributes, will be considered when calculating location fields. For example, if the closest network edge to one of your input points is forbidden to trucks and your travel mode is set for trucking, Calculate Locations will locate the point on the next-closest network edge that is not forbidden for trucks.

The available travel modes depend on the Input Analysis Network parameter value.

If a sublayer of a network analysis layer is used as input features, the travel mode parameter must be set to the network analysis layer's travel mode.

String

Derived Output

LabelExplanationData Type
Updated Input Features

The updated input features.

Table View

Environments

Licensing information

  • Basic: Yes
  • Standard: Yes
  • Advanced: Yes

Related topics