HOW TO

Create a line based on origin and destination points with Python

Last Published: April 25, 2020

Summary

Instructions provided demonstrate one method for creating a line feature between origin and destination point XY coordinates from a table using the Python scripting environment.

Procedure

This article contains a sample table and script that demonstrates one method for creating a line feature between an origin and destination point XY coordinates from a table.

  • The script creates a feature class, defines the coordinate system and then uses the information provided in the table to populate the feature class with the line geometries in ArcGIS 9.2 or higher release:

    Code:
    import sys, string, os, arcgisscripting
    gp = arcgisscripting.create()
    gp.Overwriteoutput = 1

    #Specify the location for the new shapefile.
    gp.CreateFeatureclass("C:/temp/", "test_line.shp", "POLYLINE")

    #Define Coordinate System
    gp.workspace = "C:/temp/"
    gp.toolbox = "management"
    coordsys = "Coordinate Systems/Geographic Coordinate Systems/North America/North American Datum 1983.prj"
    gp.defineprojection("test_line.shp", coordsys)

    #Open a cursor to insert rows into the shapefile.
    cur = gp.InsertCursor("C:/temp/test_line.shp")

    #Create an Array and Point object.
    lineArray = gp.CreateObject("Array")
    pnt = gp.CreateObject("Point")

    #Open a cursor on the table of XY coordinates to read from.
    rows = gp.SearchCursor("c:/pythonTest.dbf")

    #Reset the cursor to the top.
    row = rows.Next()

    #Loop through each record in the XY table..

    while row:

    #Set the X and Y coordinates for origin vertex.
    pnt.x = row.GetValue("Origin_x")
    pnt.y = row.GetValue("Origin_y")

    #Insert it into the line array
    lineArray.add(pnt)

    #Set the X and Y coordinates for destination vertex
    pnt.x = row.GetValue("dest_x")
    pnt.y = row.GetValue("dest_y")

    #Insert it into the line array
    lineArray.add(pnt)

    #Go to next row in table.
    row = rows.Next()

    #Insert the new poly into the feature class.
    feat = cur.NewRow()
    feat.shape = lineArray
    cur.InsertRow(feat)
    lineArray.RemoveAll()

    del cur, row, rows

  • The formatting of the source table should include X and Y data for both the origin and destination points.
    [O-Image] Points
  • The script can be expanded to process the output feature class in various ways. A few examples are adding fields and calculate values, appending the new values to an existing feature class, or adding features to an existing topology.
  • The sample code is slightly different for versions of ArcGIS prior to version 9.2:

    Code:
    import sys, string, os, win32com.client
    gp = win32com.client.Dispatch("esriGeoprocessing.GpDispatch.1")
    gp.Overwriteoutput = 1

    #Specify the location for the new shapefile.
    gp.CreateFeatureclass("C:/temp/", "test_line.shp", "POLYLINE")

    #Define Coordinate System
    gp.workspace = "C:/temp/"
    gp.toolbox = "management"
    coordsys = "Coordinate Systems/Geographic Coordinate Systems/North America/North American Datum 1983.prj"
    gp.defineprojection("test_line.shp", coordsys)

    #Open a cursor to insert rows into the shapefile.
    cur = gp.InsertCursor("C:/temp/test_line.shp")

    #Create an Array and Point object.
    lineArray = gp.CreateObject("Array")
    pnt = gp.CreateObject("Point")

    #Open a cursor on the table of XY coordinates to read from.
    rows = gp.SearchCursor("c:/pythonTest.dbf")

    #Reset the cursor to the top.
    row = rows.Next()

    #Loop through each record in the XY table..

    while row:

    #Set the X and Y coordinates for origin vertex.
    pnt.x = row.GetValue("Origin_x")
    pnt.y = row.GetValue("Origin_y")

    #Insert it into the line array
    lineArray.add(pnt)

    #Set the X and Y coordinates for destination vertex
    pnt.x = row.GetValue("dest_x")
    pnt.y = row.GetValue("dest_y")

    #Insert it into the line array
    lineArray.add(pnt)

    #Go to next row in table.
    row = rows.Next()

    #Insert the new poly into the feature class.
    feat = cur.NewRow()
    feat.shape = lineArray
    cur.InsertRow(feat)
    lineArray.RemoveAll()

    del cur, row, rows

Article ID:000008952

Software:
  • ArcMap 9 x
  • ArcMap 8 x

Get help from ArcGIS experts

Contact technical support

Download the Esri Support App

Go to download options

Discover more on this topic