Update Features
Function Overview
The Update Features tool precisely updates spatial data by completely replacing the portions of target features that intersect update features. It performs a geometry replacement operation: original features in non-overlapping areas are retained, while the geometry and attributes of update features are introduced into overlapping areas.
Use Cases
Administrative Boundary Maintenance
- Incorporate the latest boundary survey results and replace outdated administrative boundaries, such as county-to-district changes or township mergers.
- Update sensitive geographic data such as national borders and maritime jurisdiction ranges.
Natural Resource Monitoring
- Replace old forest boundary data with the latest remote-sensing interpretation results.
- Update hydrographic maps after river channel remediation.
Urban Planning Adjustment
- Replace changed land-use red lines, such as commercial land converted to residential land.
- Update ownership boundaries after parcel merging or splitting.
Disaster Emergency Updates
- Use post-disaster aerial imagery data to overwrite pre-disaster building footprints.
- Update wildfire spread boundaries or flood inundation extents in near real time.
Parameters
Basic Settings (Required)
| Parameter | Description | Data type |
|---|---|---|
| Input vector file | Features to update. | Point, line, polygon |
| Input vector file | Features used to update the input features. | Point, line, polygon |
| Dissolve | If selected, output features are dissolved. | |
| Output path | Storage path for the output result. | Folder path |
| Output file name | File name of the output vector file. | Text, without extension |
Advanced Settings (Optional)
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| File format | Output file format. The default is GPKG VectorData (.gpv). PostGIS VectorData (.pgv), ESRI Shapefile (.shp), Keyhole Markup Language (KML) (.kml), GeoJSON (.geojson), AutoCAD DXF (.dxf), and other formats are also supported. |
| Output specified fields | When enabled, output fields can be configured manually. When disabled, the original field structure is retained. |
| Reproject | When enabled, the spatial reference of the output file can be set. Otherwise, the coordinate system of the input features is used. |
Notes
Coordinate System Consistency
- All input layers must use the same coordinate system. A projected coordinate system is recommended.
- If coordinate systems differ, use a projection tool to convert them to a common coordinate system first.
Geometry Validity Checks
- Use a geometry check tool to repair self-intersections, empty geometries, duplicate vertices, and similar issues to avoid failures or abnormal results.
Consistent Input Geometry Types
- All input feature classes must have the same geometry type, such as all polygons, all lines, or all points.
Operating Steps
Step 1: Start The Tool
Open the Geoprocessing Toolbox, go to Analysis Tools > Overlay Analysis, and double-click Update Features to open the tool pane.
Step 2: Set Parameters
Enter the features to update, the update features, dissolve option, output path, and output file name. All basic parameters are required unless otherwise indicated by the tool.
Step 3: Run And Monitor The Task
Click Run to start processing. You can view progress, run time, and completion status in the task list.
If the run fails, the tool provides an error message. Use the Edit button in the lower-right corner to return to the tool pane and adjust the parameters.