Updating polygon geometry: deleting inner rings with python

Question

I've searched, but can't find clear explanations how can I simply delete inner rings from existing polygons with python or extract outter rings and overwrite the geometry. Seems GDAL/OGR should be the simplest, but still I need some help...

Simple vision of mine would be:

dataSrc=driver.Open(shp)
layer=dataSrc.GetLayer()
for i in xrange(layer.GetFeatureCount()):
    feature = layer.GetFeature(i)
    geometry = feature.GetGeometryRef()
    if geometry.GetArea()<200:
        layer.DeleteFeature(i)
    if geometry.GetGeometryCount()>1:
        geometry=geometry.GetGeometryRef(0) #overwrite geom, getting the first ring outer
        feature.SetGeometry(geometry)
        layer.SetFeature(feature)

geometry.Destroy()

This doesn't loop through, it's just how I would like to see.

As I know the first ring or the first part of the geometry should be the outer ring, so I assumed I can just ask for it like that.Suppose that's not a problem.

So, probably the question is just about Updating Geometry. I open dataset withouth specific- Reading or Writing, so I assume it should let me write in it not just read. But if I do not want to have a new dataset, can I just update write like that or i should anywhays better create a new dataset?

Or maybe there is even more simple way to solve this with python?

Answer 1

I've found the solution with arcgisscripting, if anyone gona need to automate it.

It's really simple,.. just required some time to catch those holes :)

rows=gp.UpdateCursor(shp) #everything is done with one Cursor, but couple of arrays
row=rows.Next()
try:
    while row:
        if row.shape.area < 200:  #it's just deleting small polygons
            rows.DeleteRow(row)
        else:                     #part of cleaning from inner rings (donuts)
            geom=row.shape
            array=geom.GetPart(0)
            pnt=array.Next()
            newarray = gp.CreateObject("Array") #writing geometry to newArray       
            while pnt:
                newarray.add(pnt)
                pnt=array.Next()
                newpnt=newarray.Next()
                if not pnt:                     #this is the HOLE! 
                    break                       #when detect - break the loop!
            row.shape=newarray
            rows.UpdateRow(row)
        row=rows.Next()

    del row
    del rows
except:
    gp.GetMessages()

Answer 2

The part about deleting the features. Seems it's often not allowed. Found, there is a possibilty to test it: http://www.gdal.org/ogr/classOGRLayer.html#aeedbda1a62f9b89b8e5f24332cf22286

layer.TestCapability("DeleteField")

and so I get False..

And accessing just the first ring goes well, I've checked with area calculations.

The solution then is just to CREATE a new file with features I need from old file.. Correct me if I am misstaken.

Answer 3

You can use the ArcGIS Union and Dissolve tools to fill gaps. Make sure to use the NO_GAPS option in the union tool.

import arcpy

in_shp = r'C:/path/to/your/shapefile.shp'
out_shp = r'C:/path/to/your/out_shapefile.shp'

arcpy.Union_analysis(in_shp, "in_memory/union", gaps = 'NO_GAPS')
arcpy.Dissolve_management("in_memory/union", out_shp)