Expand All
Collapse All
Buffering

Use the buffer command to highlight an area for a set distance around selected features. Then you can select other features within the buffer and view a report or execute a command based on the attributes associated with those features.

For example, a forester may need to avoid removing trees from a 400-meter area around an animal's nesting site. A developer may want to identify the number of gas stations within a two-kilometer radius around his land. A pipeline might have an oil spill for 10 km around a certain segment and the emergency response team wants to notify all households within that radius.

In MapGuide Viewer, creating a buffer is a temporary operation, for selection and viewing only. Once the viewer is closed, the buffer(s) disappears.

To create a buffer

1. Select the feature or features you want to buffer.
2. Choose the Buffer command.

   The Create A Buffer task will appear in the Task Pane on the right side of the viewer window.

3. Under Distance Around Features, specify the radius of the buffer.
4. Select the layers to include in the buffer.
5. Specify a name for the buffer.

   If you have already created a buffer in this session, use the same name to overwrite the first buffer or a new name to create a separate buffer.

6. Optionally, select Merge Buffer Areas.

   If you selected multiple features to buffer, selecting Merge Buffer Areas will combine the buffers for all the features into one buffer. If you do not select this option, each feature will have a separate buffer.

7. Use the options under Fill Style and Border Style to specify how you want the buffer to look.
8. Click Done to create the buffer.

   Each time you create a new buffer, a new, separate layer is created in the layer list. You can control visibility of the buffer by turning the layer on and off.