Generate Points Along Lines (Data Management)

Summary

Creates point features along lines or polygons at fixed intervals or by percentage of a feature's length.

Usage

• The attributes of the input features will be maintained in the output feature class. A new field, ORIG_FID, will be added to the output feature class and set to the input feature IDs.

  If the Add accumulated distance and sequence fields parameter is checked, the following fields will be added:

  • ORIG_LEN—The accumulated distance along the line from the start point of the line to the point. Distance values are added in the units of the Input Features value's spatial reference.
  • ORIG_SEQ—The sequence number for each point in the order of the points created from each input line.

Parameters

Dialog

Label	Explanation	Data Type
Input Features	The line or polygon features to be converted into points.	Feature Layer
Output Feature Class	The point feature class that will be created from the input features.	Feature Class
Point Placement	Specifies the method used to create points. By percentage—The Percentage parameter value will be used to place points along the features by percentage. By distance—The Distance parameter value will be used to place points at fixed distances along the features. This is the default.	String
Distance (Optional)	The interval from the beginning of the feature at which points will be placed.	Linear Unit
Percentage (Optional)	The percentage from the beginning of the feature at which points will be placed. For example, if a percentage of 40 is used, points will be placed at 40 percent and 80 percent of the feature's distance.	Double
Include end points (Optional)	Specifies whether additional points will be included at the start point and end point of the feature. Checked—Additional points will be included at the start point and end point of the feature. Unchecked—No additional points will be included at the start point and end point of the feature. This is the default.	Boolean
Add accumulated distance and sequence fields (Optional)	Specifies whether the accumulated distance and sequence fields will be added to the output. Checked—The accumulated distance (ORIG_LEN) and sequence (ORIG_SEQ) fields will be added to the output. Distance values are added in the units of the Input Features value's spatial reference. Unchecked—The accumulated distance or sequence fields will not be added to the output. This is the default.	Boolean

Python

arcpy.management.GeneratePointsAlongLines(Input_Features, Output_Feature_Class, Point_Placement, {Distance}, {Percentage}, {Include_End_Points}, {Add_Chainage_Fields})

Name	Explanation	Data Type
Input_Features	The line or polygon features to be converted into points.	Feature Layer
Output_Feature_Class	The point feature class that will be created from the input features.	Feature Class
Point_Placement	Specifies the method that will be used to create points. PERCENTAGE—The Percentage parameter value will be used to place points along the features by percentage. DISTANCE—The Distance parameter value will be used to place points at fixed distances along the features. This is the default.	String
Distance (Optional)	The interval from the beginning of the feature at which points will be placed.	Linear Unit
Percentage (Optional)	The percentage from the beginning of the feature at which points will be placed. For example, if a percentage of 40 is used, points will be placed at 40 percent and 80 percent of the feature's distance.	Double
Include_End_Points (Optional)	Specifies whether additional points will be included at the start point and end point of the feature. END_POINTS—Additional points will be included at the start point and end point of the feature. NO_END_POINTS—No additional points will be included at the start point and end point of the feature. This is the default.	Boolean
Add_Chainage_Fields (Optional)	Specifies whether the accumulated distance and sequence fields will be added to the output. ADD_CHAINAGE—The accumulated distance (ORIG_LEN) and sequence (ORIG_SEQ) fields will be added to the output. Distance values are added in the units of the Input_Features value's spatial reference. NO_CHAINAGE—The accumulated distance or sequence fields will not be added to the output. This is the default.	Boolean

Code sample

GeneratePointsAlongLines example 1 (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the GeneratePointsAlongLines function in immediate mode.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = 'C:/data/base.gdb'
arcpy.management.GeneratePointsAlongLines('rivers', 'distance_intervals', 'DISTANCE', Distance='500 meters')
arcpy.management.GeneratePointsAlongLines('rivers', 'percentage_intervals', 'PERCENTAGE', Percentage=10)

GeneratePointsAlongLines example 2 (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to use the GeneratePointsAlongLines function.

# Description: Convert point features to line features

import arcpy

# Set environment settings
arcpy.env.workspace = 'C:/data/base.gdb'

# Set local variables
in_features = 'rivers'
out_fc_1 = 'distance_intervals'
out_fc_2 = 'percentage_intervals'

# Run GeneratePointsAlongLines by distance
arcpy.management.GeneratePointsAlongLines(in_features, out_fc_1, 'DISTANCE',
                                          Distance='500 meters')

# Run GeneratePointsAlongLines by percentage
arcpy.management.GeneratePointsAlongLines(in_features, out_fc_2, 'PERCENTAGE',
                                          Percentage=10,
                                          Include_End_Points='END_POINTS')

Environments

Current Workspace, Output CONFIG Keyword, Output has M values, Output has Z values

Licensing information

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