Copy imagery layer exceeding maximum limitation while preserving image quality in ArcGIS Pro

Summary

ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World offers extensive data coverage for imagery layers, and the layers are configured with the 'Maximum image size per request' parameter to control the image data. No pixel is returned if the request exceeds the specified value. In ArcGIS Pro, imagery layers can be copied to the local file geodatabase for analysis, exceeding the image size limitation while maintaining image quality. In this article, an imagery layer from ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World is copied.

Procedure

1. Open the ArcGIS Pro project.
2. Create a polygon fishnet using the Create Fishnet geoprocessing tool.
1. On the Analysis ribbon tab, in the Geoprocessing group, click Tools.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and select Create Fishnet (Data Management Tools).
3. In the Create Fishnet pane, on the Parameters tab, for Output Feature Class, click Browse and specify the folder for the output feature class.
4. For Template Extent, click Draw Extent . A Create Fishnet Template Extent feature layer is created and added to the current map.
5. On the active map frame, click a location and drag the cursor to form a rectangle to specify the template extent, and click once again to finish the drawing.
6. For Number of Rows, specify a number. In this example, it is 6.
7. For Number of Columns, specify a number. In this example, it is 8.
8. Uncheck Create Label Points.
9. For Geometry Type, click the drop-down arrow and select Polygon.
10. Click Run.

The image below shows the created polygon fishnet cells.

3. Change the created fishnet layer symbology into a transparent grid to visualize the underlying imagery layer.
1. On the Contents pane, click the polygon symbol under the created fishnet layer to open the Symbology pane.

2. In the Symbology pane, on the Gallery tab, under ArcGIS 2D, click Black Outline (1pt).

The image below shows the transparent fishnet cells overlaying the imagery layer. This aids in the process of selecting the cells to be exported.

4. Select the features to be exported as a new feature layer.
1. On the Map ribbon tab, in the Selection group, click the Select drop-down list, and click Lasso.
2. On the active map, click and drag the cursor to trace the area of interest. The overlaying polygon fishnet cells are selected.

5. Export the selected features overlaying the area of interest. Ensure the selected features in Step 4 is selected.

The image below shows the exported features.

The image below shows the attribute table for the exported fishnet cells with the Id field values defaulted to 0.

6. Calculate the Id field in the exported feature layer using the Calculate Field tool to fill in the unique identifier values for use in the next step.
1. Right-click the exported fishnet layer and select Attribute Table.
2. In the table view, click Calculate.
3. In the Calculate Field window, for Input Table, click the drop-down arrow and select the exported fishnet layer.
4. For Field Name (Existing or New), click the drop-down arrow and select Id.
5. For Expression, below Fields, double-click OBJECTID and click OK.

The image below shows the populated values for the Id field.

7. Split the fishnet cells into individual polygon feature layers by using the Split By Attributes geoprocessing tool.
1. On the Geoprocessing tab, click the Back button to return to the Geoprocessing pane.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and select Split By Attributes (Analysis Tools).
3. In the Split By Attributes pane, on the Parameters tab, for Input Table or Features, click the drop-down arrow and select the exported fishnet layer.
4. For Target Workspace, click the Browse button.
5. In the Target Workspace window, specify the workspace location.
6. For Split Fields, click the drop-down arrow, check Id, and click Add.
7. Click Run.

8. Add the layers created in Step 7 to the current map. These layers are to be used as masks to extract the imagery layer into equal-size mosaics in the next step.
9. Extract the imagery layer to the local machine by using the Extract by Mask geoprocessing tool.
1. On the Geoprocessing tab, click the Back button to return to the Geoprocessing pane.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and select Extract by Mask (Spatial Analyst Tools).
3. In the Extract by Mask pane, on the Parameters tab, for Input Raster, click the drop-down arrow and select the imagery layer.
4. For Input raster or feature mask data, click the drop-down arrow and select the feature layer added in Step 8.
5. For Output Raster, specify the output raster file path and name.
6. For Extraction Area, select Inside.
7. Click Run.
8. Repeat Steps 9(d) through 9(g) for the other layers.

Note: 
Extracting large imagery layers consumes a longer time and a larger space on the local machine. The processing time gradually increases for the subsequent extraction.

10. Assemble the extracted layers into a new raster by using the Mosaic To New Raster geoprocessing tool.
1. On the Geoprocessing tab, click the Back button to return to the Geoprocessing pane.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and select Mosaic To New Raster (Data Management Tools).
3. In the Mosaic To New Raster pane, on the Parameters tab, for Input Raster, select the extracted layer in Step 9.
4. For Output Location, specify the file path.
5. For Raster Dataset Name with Extension, specify the name of the new raster. In this example, it is New_NLCD_Raster.
6. For Spatial Reference for Raster, click the drop-down arrow and select the imagery layer. The imagery layer spatial reference is specified for the parameter.
7. For Cellsize, specify a cell size similar to the original imagery layer's.
8. For Number of Bands, specify the number of bands similar to the original imagery layer's. In this example, it is 1.
9. On the Environments tab, under Raster Storage, for Pyramid, uncheck Build.
10. Click Run.

The image below shows the copied imagery layer in FGDBR format and its raster information. The raster size exceeds the maximum number of rows (30000) and columns (30000) limitations for the original imagery layer query.