Menu | Tools > Features > Vectorize Raster |
Pop-up | raster surface > Vectorize Raster (Layers window) |
Create polygons around populated areas of a raster surface, based on the values in a selected band, to provide a vector representation of the data. Depending on the selected settings, polygons will be created following the pixel boundaries of the included nodes for either:
• each populated section of the coverage, or
• each group of adjacent nodes with the same value.
Polygons are also created for holes in any internal areas where no data was defined in the band.
The polygon features are created with a user-specified object acronym and saved to a feature layer. This feature layer can be saved as a HOB file, if desired, using the Save command.
The units and z-axis direction of the output are controlled by the pool of the feature catalogue of the output. If the input cannot be converted to those units and z-axis convention, then the values are simply copied from the input data.
Interface
The Vectorize Raster command uses the following dialog box.
Option | Description |
|---|---|
Source | The input data for the process. The Source is defined by the surface that was selected at the time the command was initiated. This field cannot be changed. |
Band | The band in the source surface that contains the data for which vector objects will be created. |
Feature layer | The feature layer on which the vector objects will be created. |
Feature acronym | The object acronym to assign to the new vector objects. |
Mode | The mode used to determine where to create polygons for the source data. Two modes are available: • Coverage: A polygon is generated around each set of joined pixels in the source surface. • Value: A polygon is generated around pixels with the same value. This mode is only valid for integer scaler type or string table type bands. When using this option, you must specify the attribute to use for the value of the polygons. |
Attribute | The attribute acronym to assign to the polygon features to define their values. |
Procedure
1. Create or open a feature layer to contain the resulting feature objects.
2. Select the root layer of a raster surface in the Layers window.
3. Select the Vectorize Raster command.
4. Select a Band from the drop-down list.
5. Select a Feature layer from the drop-down list.
6. Select a Feature acronym from the drop-down list.
7. Choose a vectorize Mode.
8. [Optional] If using the Value mode, select an attribute from the drop‑down list.
9. Click OK.
10.
Feature objects are created on the designated feature layer representing the areas where data values are present in the selected raster band.