Create Fishnet (Data Management)

ArcGIS Pro 3.3 | | Help archive

Summary

Creates a fishnet of rectangular cells. The output can be polyline or polygon features.

Learn more about how Create Fishnet works

Usage

  • The coordinate system of the output can be set by either entering a feature class or layer in the Template Extent parameter or setting the Output Coordinate System environment variable.

  • In addition to creating the output fishnet, a new point feature class is created with label points at the center of each fishnet cell if the Create Label Points parameter is checked. The name of this feature class is the same as the output feature class with a suffix of _label and is created in the same location.

  • Using the Geometry Type parameter, you can create output polyline (default) or polygon cells. Creating a polygon fishnet may be slower, depending on the number of rows and columns.

  • The Cell Size Width and the Cell Size Height parameter values are in the same units as defined by the output feature class.

Parameters

LabelExplanationData Type
Output Feature Class

The output feature class containing the fishnet of rectangular cells.

Feature Class
Fishnet Origin Coordinate

The starting pivot point of the fishnet.

Point
Y-Axis Coordinate

The y-axis coordinate is used to orient the fishnet. The fishnet is rotated by the same angle as defined by the line connecting the origin and the y-axis coordinate.

Point
Cell Size Width

The width of each cell. To calculate the cell width using the Number of Rows parameter value, leave this parameter unspecified or set the value to zero; the width will be calculated when the tool is run.

Double
Cell Size Height

The height of each cell. To calculate the cell height using the Number of Columns parameter value, leave this parameter unspecified or set the value to zero; the height will be calculated when the tool is run.

Double
Number of Rows

The number of rows the fishnet will have. To calculate the number of rows using the Cell Size Width parameter value, leave this parameter unspecified or set the value to zero; the number of rows will be calculated when the tool is run.

Long
Number of Columns

The number of columns the fishnet will have. To calculate the number of columns using the Cell Size Height parameter value, leave this parameter unspecified or set the value to zero; the number of columns will be calculated when the tool is run.

Long
Opposite corner of Fishnet
(Optional)

The opposite corner of the fishnet set by the Fishnet Origin Coordinate parameter. The values for opposite corner are automatically set if the Template Extent parameter is specified.

This parameter is inactive if the Fishnet Origin Coordinate, Y-Axis Coordinate, Cell Size Width, Cell Size Height, Number of Rows and Number of Columns parameters are specified.

Point
Create Label Points
(Optional)

Specifies whether a point feature class will be created containing label points at the center of each fishnet cell.

  • Checked—A point feature class will be created. This is the default.
  • Unchecked—A point feature class will not be created.
Boolean
Template Extent
(Optional)

The extent of the fishnet. The extent can be entered by specifying the coordinates or using a template dataset.

  • Current Display Extent Map View—The extent will be based on the active map or scene. This option is only available when there is an active map.
  • Draw Extent Square and Finish—The extent will be based on a rectangle drawn on the map or scene. This option will create a feature class in the project geodatabase and add a layer to the map. The feature class will have the same coordinate system as the map.
    Note:

    This option is not available in the Environments dialog box. It is only available from a tool parameter with an extent data type or from the Environments tab on a tool dialog box.

    Note:

    When the Enable and disable editing from the Edit tab editing option is checked, you must enable editing on the Edit ribbon tab to draw the extent.

  • Extent of a Layer Layer—The extent will be based on an active map layer. Use the drop-down list to choose an available layer or use the Extent of data in all layers option to get the combined extent of all active map layers, excluding the basemap. This option is only available when there is an active map with layers.

    Each map layer has the following options:

    • All Features Select All—The extent of all features in the layer.
    • Selected Features Area from Selected Features—The extent of the selected features in the layer.
    • Visible Features Extent Indicator—The extent of the visible features in the layer.
      Note:

      The extents from the Selected Features Area from Selected Features and Visible Features Extent Indicator options are only available for feature layers.

  • Browse Browse—The extent will be based on an existing dataset.
  • Clipboard Paste—The extent can be copied to and pasted from the clipboard.
    • Copy Extent Copy—Copies the extent coordinates and coordinate system to the clipboard.
    • Use Paste Extent Paste—Pastes the extent coordinates and, optionally, the coordinate system from the clipboard. If the clipboard values do not include a coordinate system, the extent will use the map’s coordinate system.
    Note:

    The extent coordinates are copied to and pasted from the clipboard using the same formatting and order as the ArcPy Extent object: x-min, y-min, x-max, y-max, and the spatial reference.

  • Reset Extent Reset—The extent will be reset to the default value.
  • Manually entered coordinates—The coordinates must be numeric values and in the active map's coordinate system.
    Caution:

    The map may use different display units than the entered coordinates. The use of a cardinal direction (N, S, E, W) is not supported. Use a negative value sign for south and west coordinates.

Extent
Geometry Type
(Optional)

Specifies whether the output fishnet cells will be polyline or polygon features.

  • PolylineOutput will be a polyline feature class. Each cell is defined by four line features.
  • PolygonOutput will be a polygon feature class. Each cell is defined by one polygon feature.
String

Derived Output

LabelExplanationData Type
Output Label Feature Class (Optional)

A new point feature class is created with label points at the center of each fishnet cell

If the Create Label Points parameter is checked, a new point feature class will be created with label points at the center of each fishnet cell. The name of this feature class is the same as the output feature class with a suffix of _label and is created in the same location.

If the labels parameter is set to LABELS, a new point feature class will be created with label points at the center of each fishnet cell. The name of this feature class is the same as the output feature class with a suffix of _label and is created in the same location.

Feature Class

Licensing information

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

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