How to write a python script to give multiple buffers of different sizes in ArcGIS?

Question

I want to write a loop that will cause the output to be multiple buffer shapefiles. For example I want a circle buffer of 50ft, 100ft, 150ft..... Can anyone help? I'm new to this and am trying to figure it out myself.

Answer 1

The ArcGIS Resource Center has the following sample script demonstrating how to do multiple ring buffers using Pyton

# Name: MultipleRingBuffer_Example2.py
# Description: Create multiple buffers for the input features
# Author: ESRI

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

# Set environment settings
env.workspace = "C:/data/airport.gdb"

# Set local variables
inFeatures = "schools"
outFeatureClass = "c:/output/output.gdb/multibuffer1"
distances = [10,20,30]
bufferUnit = "meters"

# Execute MultipleRingBuffer
arcpy.MultipleRingBuffer_analysis(inFeatures, outFeatureClass, distances, bufferUnit, "", "ALL")

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Here's how to do it if you insist on having a for loop

import arcpy

arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data" 

distances =[50, 100, 150]
for distance in distances:
    outfile = "C:/output/majorrdsBuffered%s" % distance  
    arcpy.Buffer_analysis("roads", outfile, distance, "FULL", "ROUND", "LIST", "Distance")