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What is the expression to calculate an acreage in USA ? I am aware that there is a geometry calculate but when you convert raster to polygon it doesn't do it's job and I have to use the field calculator to manual it.

I am writing a model builder and in it I have tools for Add field and calculate them for 83 datasets.

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  • the automated "shape_area" field exists with geodatabase, but not with shapefiles. Also, the unit of the area is the same as the reference system of the data.
    – radouxju
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 14:38

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In ModelBuilder, drop in the Calculate Field tool (under Data Management | Fields toolbox) and use the expression !shape.area@acres! (make sure Expression Type is PYTHON or PYTHON_9.3.)

Or, in ArcPy: arcpy.CalculateField_management(YourFeature, Field, "!shape.area@acres!", "PYTHON", "")

It's possible to use a wide range of units for both area and length calculations this way:

Shape and length properties of the geometry field can be modified with unit types expressed with an @ sign.

Areal unit of measure keywords: ACRES | ARES | HECTARES | SQUARECENTIMETERS | SQUAREDECIMETERS | SQUAREINCHES | SQUAREFEET | SQUAREKILOMETERS | SQUAREMETERS | SQUAREMILES | SQUAREMILLIMETERS | SQUAREYARDS | SQUAREMAPUNITS | UNKNOWN

Linear unit of measure keywords: CENTIMETERS | DECIMALDEGREES | DECIMETERS | FEET | INCHES | KILOMETERS | METERS | MILES | MILLIMETERS | NAUTICALMILES | POINTS | UNKNOWN | YARDS

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You may include this python expression in your field calculator tool:

!shape.area@acres!

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00170000004s000000

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  • Does anyone know the calculation to convert square feet to acres, supposing someone wanted to do this in PostGIS?
    – Inactivated Account
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 15:38
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in the field calculator (CalculateField tool in model builder), you can use the following expression.

!shape.area@ACRES!

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The actual formula or expression depends on your CRS measurement units, since acres is one unit and CRS units can vary - degrees, meters, feet, etc. Assuming you are in a projection, you'll probably have feet or meters.

1 acre = 43,560 square feet = 4046.85642 square meters

As radouxju mentions, shapefiles don't automatically track shape area, but feature classes in geodatabases do - only in the CRS units though. As the other answers suggest, using Field Calculator with a function is the only way to do this 'automatically' in ModelBuilder since the Calculate Geometry tool can't be accessed from there.

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  • when you convert raster or image to polygon, does it takes from the pixels from that raster or image ? Is there a way to smooth it a little bit ? How do you match the polygon with the image ? I am thinking it's not possible but....
    – PROBERT
    Commented Jun 17, 2014 at 0:43
  • @PROBERT The tool gives you a choice. If you smooth it, it of course won't match exactly - that's just the nature of the difference between a raster and a vector representation of data.
    – Chris W
    Commented Jun 17, 2014 at 1:05

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