Convert Shape Polyline-M to Polyline

Question

I have some pretty old software that I am forced to use (no option). It's old enough that it doesn't recognize shape files of type Polyline-M, it only recognizes shape files of Polyline. I have a shape file that is completely Polyline-M that I need to convert to plain old Polyline.

I'm struggling to find a way to do this in ArcMap 10. Does anyone know how to do this? A helpful link, or even just a point in the right direction to where I could read how to do it would be really handy. I'd rather not have to create a tool to do it, surely something like this exists out there already! :)

Thank you

Answer 1

Just use an ArcToolbox command, such as "Feature Class to Feature Class"

Click the "Environments..." button

In the "M Values" and/or "Z Values" just specify the Output as "Disabled"

Simple as this!

Answer 2

While jeb's answer led me to this answer, his lacked a little bit of detail that I would have liked in an answer. This is the easiest way I found to convert PolyLine-M to Polyline.

1. Open your ArcToolBox
2. Open "Conversion Tools"
3. Expand "To Shapefile"
4. Run "Feature Class to Shapefile (multiple)"
5. Select your input shapefile
6. Choose your destination folder in which your new shape file will be created. IE. "C:\"
7. Click on the Environments button
8. Expand "M Values" and choose to disable them (This is what removes the M values so that it will become a regular polyline shapefile)
9. Click create, and your new file will be created in whatever destination folder you chose

There are several ways to achieve the above. But this ultimately seemed the easiest in the long run. Cheers, and thank you again Jeb!

Answer 3

At 9.3.1 I think you have to use a workaround..exporting it to file/personal geodatabase with m/z values disabled then you could export out to shapefile if needed.

http://support.esri.com/en/knowledgebase/techarticles/detail/35818

If I remember correctly, it worked for me. But maybe jeb's answer works also.