Question

Measuring the distance from a point to a line

  • 10 July 2013
  • 3 replies
  • 78 views
A
Badge +1
Hello,

 

 

I have a dataset (many datasets) that have a single line (of arbitrary orientation) and a large number of points.

 

 

I wish to add the perpindicular distance to the line as an attribute to each of the points.  This seems like a simple GIS question with an easy answer ... but I can't find it.

 

 

The closest I have come is the NeighborFinder, but if I use the points as bases, and the line as a candidate, it appears to measure the distance to an endpoint of the line, not the closest point.  The NeighborFinder works properly if I use the line as the base and the points as candidates, but then it only finds one point and the attribute is added to the line, and I need it the other way around.

 

 

Is there a simple way to do this, or do I need to do the geometric math myself and just calculate the distance with an arbitrary formula?

3 replies

takashi
Rank
Userlevel 2
Badge +17
Hi,

 

 

You can do that with the NeighborFinder. Input the lines to BASE port, input the points to CANDIDATE port and specify the "Close Candidate List Name" parameter of the NeighborFinder. Then each line feature from MATCHED port will have a list attribute which contains the information (including distance etc.) about all points close to the line.

 

 

Takashi
A
Badge +1
So, then I will have attributes for all the points, but they are on the line feature.

 

 

I need the distance attribute to be added to the existing attributes of the point feature.  Having it on the line doesn't help.
takashi
Rank
Userlevel 2
Badge +17
Go back to your first approach, try inputting the points to BASE, the lines to CANDIDATE. I think the closest point of a base point  will be the true closest point on the candidate line, it's not always an end point of the line. Confirm this again.

 

 

Takashi

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