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Workspace To Raster Dataset (Data Management Tools)

Summary

Merges all of the raster datasets in a folder into one raster dataset.

Usage

  • The target raster dataset must already exist for the tool to run.

  • If a target raster dataset does not already exist, use the Create Raster Dataset tool to create a new raster dataset.

  • Since mosaicking will take place, you will need to specify the mosaic method and color map mode to use.

  • If the target raster dataset is an empty raster dataset, the cell size and spatial reference of the first input raster dataset will be applied to the mosaic.

  • Whenever possible use the Last Mosaic Operator to mosaic raster datasets to an existing raster dataset in a file geodatabase or an enterprise geodatabase; it is by far the most effective way to mosaic.

  • For mosaicking of discrete data, the First, Minimum, or Maximum option in Mosaic Operator will provide the most meaningful results. The Blend and Mean options are best suited for continuous data.

  • The color matching method drop-down arrow allows you to choose an algorithm to color match the datasets in your mosaic.

  • For file-based rasters, Ignore Background Value must be set to the same value as NoData for the background value to be ignored. Geodatabase rasters will work without this extra step.

  • For floating-point input raster datasets of different resolutions or when cells are not aligned, it is recommended that you resample all the data using bilinear interpolation or cubic convolution before running Mosaic. Otherwise, Mosaic will automatically resample the raster datasets using nearest neighbor resampling, which is not appropriate for continuous data types.

Parameters

Label Explanation Data type

Input Workspace

The folder containing the raster datasets to merge.

Workspace

Target Raster Dataset

An existing raster dataset in which to merge all of the raster datasets from the input workspace.

Raster Dataset

Include Sub-directories

(Optional)

Specifies whether subdirectories will be included.

  • Checked—All raster datasets in the subdirectories will be included when loading.

  • Unchecked—Subdirectories will not be included. This is the default.

Boolean

Mosaic Operator

(Optional)

Specifies the method that will be used to mosaic overlapping areas.

  • First—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the value from the first raster dataset mosaicked into that location.

  • Last—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the value from the last raster dataset mosaicked into that location. This is the default.

  • Blend—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be a horizontally weighted calculation of the values of the cells in the overlapping area.

  • Mean—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the average value of the overlapping cells.

  • Minimum—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the minimum value of the overlapping cells.

  • Maximum—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the maximum value of the overlapping cells.

  • Sum—The output cell value of the overlapping areas will be the total sum of the overlapping cells.

String

Mosaic Colormap Mode

(Optional)

Specifies the method that will be used to choose which color map from the input rasters will be applied to the mosaic output.

  • First—The color map from the first raster dataset in the list will be applied to the output raster mosaic. This is the default.

  • Last—The color map from the last raster dataset in the list will be applied to the output raster mosaic.

  • Match—All the color maps will be considered when mosaicking. If all possible values are already used (for the bit depth), the tool will match the value with the closest available color.

  • Reject—Only the raster datasets that do not have a color map associated with them will be mosaicked.

String

Ignore Background Value

(Optional)

Remove the unwanted values created around the raster data. The value specified will be distinguished from other valuable data in the raster dataset. For example, a value of zero along the raster dataset's borders will be distinguished from zero values in the raster dataset.

The pixel value specified will be set to NoData in the output raster dataset.

For file-based rasters, this parameter must be set to the same value as the NoData Value parameter in order for the background value to be ignored. Enterprise and file geodatabase rasters will work without this extra step.

Double

NoData Value

(Optional)

All the pixels with the specified value will be set to NoData pixels in the output raster dataset.

Double

Convert 1 bit data to 8 bit

(Optional)

Specifies whether the input 1-bit raster dataset will be converted to an 8-bit raster dataset. In this conversion, the value 1 in the input raster dataset will be changed to 255 in the output raster dataset. This is useful when importing a 1-bit raster dataset to a geodatabase. One-bit raster datasets have 8-bit pyramid layers when stored in a file system, but in a geodatabase, 1-bit raster datasets can only have 1-bit pyramid layers, which results in a lower-quality display. By converting the data to 8 bit in a geodatabase, the pyramid layers are built as 8 bit instead of 1 bit, resulting in a proper raster dataset in the display.

  • Checked—The input raster will be converted.

  • Unchecked—No conversion will occur. This is the default.

Boolean

Mosaicking Tolerance

(Optional)

When mosaicking occurs, the target and the source pixels do not always line up exactly. When there is a misalignment of pixels, you need to decide whether to resample or shift the data. The mosaicking tolerance controls whether resampling of the pixels will occur or the pixels will be shifted.

If the difference in pixel alignment (of the incoming dataset and the target dataset) is greater than the tolerance, resampling will occur. If the difference in pixel alignment (of the incoming dataset and the target dataset) is less than the tolerance, resampling will not occur and a shift will be performed.

The unit of tolerance is a pixel with a valid value range of 0 to 0.5. A tolerance of 0.5 will guarantee a shift occurs. A tolerance of zero guarantees resampling will occur if there is a misalignment in pixels.

For example, the source and target pixels have a misalignment of 0.25. If the mosaicking tolerance is set to 0.2, resampling will occur since the pixel misalignment is greater than the tolerance. If the mosaicking tolerance is set to 0.3, the pixels will be shifted.

Double

Color Matching Method

(Optional)

The color matching method to apply to the rasters.

  • None—This option will not use the color matching operation when mosaicking your raster datasets.

  • Match statistics—This method will use descriptive statistics from the overlapping areas; the transformation will then be applied to the entire target dataset.

  • Match histogram—This method will match the histogram from the reference overlap area to the source overlap area; the transformation will then be applied to the entire target dataset.

  • Linear correlation—This method will match overlapping pixels and then interpolated the rest of the source dataset; pixels without a one-to-one relationship will use a weighted average.

String

Colormap to RGB

(Optional)

Specifies whether the input raster dataset will be converted to a three-band output raster dataset if the input raster dataset includes a color map. This is useful when mosaicking rasters with different color maps.

  • Checked—The input dataset will be converted.

  • Unchecked—No conversion will occur. This is the default.

Boolean

Derived output

Label Explanation Data type

Updated Target Raster Dataset

The updated raster dataset.

Raster Dataset

Environments

This tool does not use any geoprocessing environments.

Licensing information

  • Basic: Yes
  • Standard: Yes
  • Advanced: Yes