from a Polyline Feature Class to an Esri Network Dataset
Included in this tutorial:
Confirm the Network Analyst Extension
Create a Network Dataset (graph)
Ready for Analysis… (next steps)
Credits: L. Meisterlin (2024)
Different GIS software and platforms approach network analysis with slightly different approaches. In particular, whether polyline vector feature classes are read and treated as graphs varies. In ArcGIS, you need to create a network dataset from a vector feature class before performing network-based analyses.
(On the other hand, QGIS will perform simple network-based geoprocessing operations on polyline vectors without needing to create a new database.)
Confirm the Network Analyst Extension
Confirm the Network Analyst extension: Esri software requires the Network Analyst extension to execute these analyses. For your reference, see Which Esri Extensions Is My Software Licensed to Use? for ArcGIS Pro.
Create a Network Dataset (graph)
Creating a network dataset is a three-step process.
Create a new feature dataset within a geodatabase. (The datasets associated with your network will be stored in this feature dataset.) See, Creating an Esri Feature Dataset.
Copy (import) your polyline feature class into the new feature dataset. You will use the imported version as the basis of your network. See Importing a Feature Class into a Geodatabase.
Create the network dataset from the polyline feature class. The parameters, restrictions, and topology of your network may be quite complex within the options presented by Esri’s network datasets. To get started, see Creating & Building a Simple Esri Network Dataset.
Ready for analysis…
When your network dataset is created (and built), you’re ready to analyze against it. See Working with Network Analysis Layers.