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Spatial Process Results

In the Spatial Process tool, the exact processing done, and the type of object returned, depend on both the Action selected and the types of spatial objects which are input. The tables below list the various input options for each action and the possible results.

Combine Objects

First Object

Second Object

Result

Polygon

Polygon

Polygon

Line

Line

Poly-Polyline

Null

Any Object

The non-null object.

All Other Combinations

[Null] and an Invalid Process warning is issued.

Cut First from Second

First Object

Second Object

Result

Polygon

Polygon

  • A polygon if they overlap.

  • Null if they do not overlap.

Polygon

Line

  • A poly-polyline containing the parts of the line outside the polygon.

  • Null if the polygon contains the line.

Polygon

Point

  • The point if it is outside the polygon.

  • Null if the point is in the polygon.

Line

Polygon

Null, and an Invalid Process warning is issued.

Line

Line

A line consisting of all the segments from the second line that are not segments of the first line.

Null if all segments of the second line are contained in the first.

The portions of one line that follow the same path as the other line geometrically, but contain additional nodes, are not considered the same and are not cut.

Line

Point

  • The point if it is not a vertex of the line.

  • Null if the point is one of the vertexes of the line.

A line can cross a point without having a vertex there, and the point is not cut.

Point

Polygon

Null, and an Invalid Process warning is issued.

Point

Line

Null, and an Invalid Process warning is issued.

Point

Point

  • The second point, if the points are different.

  • Null, if the points are the same.

Null

Any Object

The second object.

Anything

Null

Null

Cut Second from First

See above and reverse.

Create Intersection Object

Intersecting A

With A

Result

Polygon

Polygon

  • A polygon if the two objects overlap.

  • Null if the two objects do not overlap.

Polygon

Line

  • A poly-polyline containing the portions of the line that are within the polygon.

  • Null if the line is entirely outside the polygon.

Polygon

Point

  • The point if it is inside the polygon.

  • Null if the point is outside the polygon.

Line

Line

  • A point indicating where the lines intersect. If they intersect at multiple points, one point is returned and a warning is issued.

  • Null if the lines do not intersect.

Line

Point

  • The point, if it is a vertex of the line.

  • Null if the point is not a vertex of the line

A line might cross a point geometrically, but not have a vertex there, and this is counted as an intersection.

Point

Point

  • The point, if they are both the same.

  • Null if they are not the same.

Null

Any Object

Null

Create Inverse Intersection Object

Inverse-intersecting A

With A

Result

Polygon

Polygon

  • A polygon if the two objects cover different areas.

  • Null if the two objects are the same.

Null

Any Object

The non-null object.

All Other Combinations

[Null] and an Invalid Process warning is issued.