| Label | Explanation | Data Type |
Input Features
| The input polygon feature layer. | Feature Layer |
Output Feature Class
| The output feature class containing the drive time polygons. | Feature Class |
Distance Type
| The method of travel used to create the output polygons. | String |
Distance Units
(Optional) | The distance units to be used with the threshold values. | String |
Store Layer
(Optional) | A point layer that will be used as the starting point for creating network service areas. | Feature Layer |
Store ID Field
(Optional) | The ID that uniquely identifies each Store Layer point. | Field |
Associated Store ID Field
(Optional) | The ID that uniquely identifies each Input Features point. | Field |
Iterations Limit
(Optional) | The maximum number of drive times that can be used to find the optimal threshold limit. | Long |
Minimum Step
(Optional) | The minimum increment distance or time—for example, 1 mile or 1 min—that will be used between iterations to expand until the threshold is reached. | Double |
Threshold Percent Difference
(Optional) | The maximum difference between the target value and threshold value when determining the threshold drive time, for example, 5 percent. The default value is 5. | Double |
Travel Direction
(Optional) | Specifies the direction of travel for output polygon creation.
| String |
Time of Day
(Optional) | The time and date that will be used when calculating distance. | Date |
Time Zone
(Optional) | Specifies the time zone that will be used for the Time of Day parameter.
| String |
Search Tolerance
(Optional) | The maximum distance that input points can be from the network. The default value is 5000 meters. | Linear Unit |
Polygon Detail
(Optional) | Specifies the level of detail that will be used for the output drive time polygons.
| String |
Available with Business Analyst license.
Summary
Creates trade areas that approximate the size, shape, and area of existing polygons using available routes from the selected distance type.
Usage
The Output Feature Class attribute table contains a field that lists the distance or travel time of each polygon from centroid to boundary.
If the Store Layer parameter is specified, its locations will be used as the starting point for creating network service areas, instead of the input centroids.
The Iterations Limit parameter allows you to reduce credit consumption for online data by restricting the number of times networks can be traversed. A low Iterations Limit value may impact how closely the drive time trade areas align with the input polygons.
The Store Layer parameter locations must be inside the Input Features parameter value to produce valid drive time polygons.
The Store Layer parameter locations that are near the Input Features parameter value border can result in large drive time polygons outside of the Input Features parameter value area. As a result, there may be a substantial difference between the input area and resulting drive time.
Parameters
arcpy.ba.GenerateApproximateDriveTimes(in_features, out_feature_class, distance_type, {units}, {in_stores_layer}, {store_id_field}, {link_field}, {iterations_limit}, {minimum_step}, {target_percent_diff}, {travel_direction}, {time_of_day}, {time_zone}, {search_tolerance}, {polygon_detail})| Name | Explanation | Data Type |
in_features | The input polygon feature layer. | Feature Layer |
out_feature_class | The output feature class containing the drive time polygons. | Feature Class |
distance_type | The method of travel used to create the output polygons. | String |
units (Optional) | The distance units to be used with the threshold values. | String |
in_stores_layer (Optional) | A point layer that will be used as the starting point for creating network service areas. | Feature Layer |
store_id_field (Optional) | The ID that uniquely identifies each in_stores_layer point. | Field |
link_field (Optional) | The ID that uniquely identifies each in_features point. | Field |
iterations_limit (Optional) | The maximum number of drive times that can be used to find the optimal threshold limit. | Long |
minimum_step (Optional) | The minimum increment distance or time—for example, 1 mile or 1 min—that will be used between iterations to expand until the threshold is reached. | Double |
target_percent_diff (Optional) | The maximum difference between the target value and threshold value when determining the threshold drive time, for example, 5 percent. The default value is 5. | Double |
travel_direction (Optional) | Specifies the direction of travel for output polygon creation.
| String |
time_of_day (Optional) | The time and date that will be used when calculating distance. | Date |
time_zone (Optional) | Specifies the time zone that will be used for the time_of_day parameter.
| String |
search_tolerance (Optional) | The maximum distance that input points can be from the network. The default value is 5000 meters. | Linear Unit |
polygon_detail (Optional) | Specifies the level of detail that will be used for the output drive time polygons.
| String |
Code sample
The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the GenerateApproximateDriveTimes function.
import arcpy
arcpy.ba.GenerateApproximateDriveTimes("SF_TradeArea",r"C:\Project1.gdb\SF_Stores_GenerateApproximateDriveTimes", "Driving Time", "MINUTES",r"C:\Project1.gdb\sf_stores_Geocoded", "INPUT_AREA_ID", "STORES_AREA_ID", 10, None, 5, "TOWARD_STORES", None, "TIME_ZONE_AT_LOCATION", None, "STANDARD")Environments
Licensing information
- Basic: Requires Business Analyst, ArcGIS Network Analyst extension
- Standard: Requires Business Analyst, ArcGIS Network Analyst extension
- Advanced: Requires Business Analyst, ArcGIS Network Analyst extension