Skip to main content

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.

In this section: