Calculate Missing Z Values (3D Analyst)

Summary

Creates features that update the z-values of 3D line or polygon vertices with placeholder values that represent missing z-value information.

Illustration

Calculate Missing Z Values tool illustration

Usage

  • While z-enabled features will always have a z-value for each vertex, a specific value may represent a placeholder for an unknown z-value. This tool assigns a z-value for those vertices by deriving it from the z-value information of other vertices in the same feature. For line features, the computed z-value can be obtained by interpolation or extrapolation; for polygon features, this value is acquired through interpolation.

  • Each feature class has a default z-value assigned at the time of its creation. This default value can be controlled by setting the Default Output Z Value environment at the time of the feature class's creation. The default value will be 0 when nothing has been specified, but this may cause confusion if 0 is within the range of expected z-value information. To prevent confusion, consider assigning a uniquely identifiable default that is outside the expected range of z-coordinates in the data, such as -9999.

Parameters

LabelExplanationData Type
Input 3D Features

The 3D line or polygon features with missing z-values.

Feature Layer
Output Features

The output features whose placeholder z-values will be updated.

Feature Class
Placeholder Value

The z-value that represents missing or unknown information in the feature's geometry.

Double

arcpy.ddd.CalculateMissingZValues(in_features, out_feature_class, placeholder)
NameExplanationData Type
in_features

The 3D line or polygon features with missing z-values.

Feature Layer
out_feature_class

The output features whose placeholder z-values will be updated.

Feature Class
placeholder

The z-value that represents missing or unknown information in the feature's geometry.

Double

Code sample

CalculateMissingZValues example (Python window)

The following sample demonstrates the use of this tool in the Python window:

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data"
arcpy.ddd.CalculateMissingZValues("Parks.gdb/hiking_trails", "Parks.gdb/hiking_trails_updatedZ", -9999)

Licensing information

  • Basic: Requires 3D Analyst
  • Standard: Requires 3D Analyst
  • Advanced: Requires 3D Analyst

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