Split Lines at Vertices
Overview
The Split Lines at Vertices tool splits line features or polygon features into separate line segments at their vertex locations. For line features, the tool splits each line at every vertex to create continuous short line segments. For polygon features, the tool extracts the boundary and splits it at vertices. The output can be used for segment-based statistics, topology modeling, and network analysis.
Use Cases
- Network preprocessing for line data such as roads, rivers, and pipelines to generate standard arcs.
- Splitting polygon boundaries to build finer boundary line units.
- Data standardization before segment-length statistics or segment-level attribute attachment.
Parameters
| Parameter | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Input vector file | The vector feature dataset to split. | Mainly supports line features and polygon features. |
| Output vector file | The output line-segment feature dataset after splitting. | The result keeps the coordinate system and attribute fields of the input data. |
Steps
- Start the tool: Open the Geoprocessing Toolbox, go to Vector Tools > Feature Processing > Split, and open the Split Lines at Vertices tool pane.
- Set the input: Select Input vector file.
- Configure the output: Set the output path and file name.
- Run the tool: Click Run and review the result.
Notes
- The tool outputs line-segment results. Polygon features are first converted to boundary lines and then split at vertices.
- If the input data has very dense vertices, the feature count will increase significantly after processing. Evaluate storage and downstream processing costs in advance.
- Output line segments inherit the original attributes. It is recommended that the input data include a unique ID field so sources can be traced later.
- For data with geometry issues, run Check Geometry and Repair Geometry before splitting.