Align to Shape in ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop
Article ID :
TT100056
Software :
ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop
Platform
:
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008/R2
Date
:
5 February, 2013
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Introduction
In ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop, there are several tools to help us align our data. Align To Shape is one of the
advance editing tools to match features to the edges of other features. It is also useful to align features that have
been captured at different resolutions, scales, or periods which cause edges to become overlap or have gaps
between them. The following section shows you the procedures of using Align To Shape tool to align data with
different resolutions.
Procedures of aligning data with Align to Shape
In this example, I have a river line feature created at coarser resolution than the land parcel polygon features. It
is notified that a river line should be coincident with the borders of land parcel polygons. I am going to use Align
To Shape tool to align river feature correctly in ArcMap.
Copyright © 2013 Esri China (Hong Kong) Limited
All rights reserved.
Tips & Tricks prepared by Esri China (HK) Technical Support
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1.
Launch ArcMap, click Start Editing, select Align To Shape on the Advanced Editing toolbar.
2.
Align To Shape dialog box prompted.
Copyright © 2013 Esri China (Hong Kong) Limited
All rights reserved.
Tips & Tricks prepared by Esri China (HK) Technical Support
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3.
Under Alignment shape, click
to define the shape to which features will be aligned. In this case, I
would like to align the river layer to the edges of the land parcel polygon. Therefore, I have to select and
click the edge of land parcel polygon to trace along and click again to end the trace. To limit the trace to
selected features only, hold down the CTRL key.
4.
Under the Layers to be aligned, check the layers you want to align to the traced edge. If you want to align
only the selected features in the chosen layers, check Align selected features.
Copyright © 2013 Esri China (Hong Kong) Limited
All rights reserved.
Tips & Tricks prepared by Esri China (HK) Technical Support
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5.
Type a tolerance value. Any portions of features in the river layer that are within the tolerance are aligned
to the path that I have just traced. The map will show you a buffer representing the tolerance and a preview
of the resulting alignment, which will be updated as you change the tolerance.
6.
If you are satisfied with the preview result, click Align to perform the alignment. The river now is coincident
with the border of land parcel polygon.
The End
Copyright © 2013 Esri China (Hong Kong) Limited
All rights reserved.
Tips & Tricks prepared by Esri China (HK) Technical Support
P. 4 of 4