ArcGIS Pro Overlay Analysis
Overlay analysis in ArcGIS Pro is a technique for applying a common scale of values to diverse and dissimilar inputs to create an integrated analysis.
The are two methods for performing overlay analysis—
- Feature overlay (overlaying points, lines, or polygons)
- Raster overlay
Overlay Tools & Toolset
he Overlay toolset contains tools to overlay multiple Feature classes.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Apportion Polygon | Summarizes the attributes of an input polygon layer based on the spatial overlay of a target polygon layer and assigns the summarized attributes to the target polygons. This process is typically known as apportioning or apportionment. |
| Count Overlapping Features | Generates planarized overlapping features from the input features. The count of overlapping features is written to the output features. |
| Erase | Creates a feature class by overlaying the input features with the erase features. |
| Identity | Computes a geometric intersection of the input features and identity features. |
| Intersect | Computes a geometric intersection of the input features. Features or portions of features that overlap in all layers or feature classes will be written to the output feature class. |
| Remove Overlap (multiple) | Removes overlap between polygons contained in multiple input layers. |
| Spatial Join | Joins attributes from one feature to another based on the spatial relationship. The target features and the joined attributes from the join features are written to the output feature class. |
| Symmetrical Difference | Computes a geometric intersection of the input and update features, returning the input features and update features that do not overlap. |
| Union | Computes a geometric union of the input features. All features and their attributes will be written to the output feature class. |
| Update | Computes the geometric intersection of the input features and update features. |
Overlay Layers
The Overlay Layers tool requires two inputs: i) Input layer, and ii) Overlay layer.
The availability of overlay method options depends on whether the input and overlay layers are points, lines, or polygon (areas).
| Overlay Method | Input Layer | Overlay Layer |
|---|---|---|
| Intersect | Points, lines, or areas | Points, lines, or areas |
| Union | Areas | Areas |
| Erase | Areas | Points, lines, or areas |