Convert ArcGrid Data to GeoTIFF with ESRI ArcGIS Python Scripts

These directions assume that ArcGIS 10 or 10.1 have already been installed with their default install locations.

Step

Description

Screenshot

Obtain ArcGrid Data

The primary method for downloading The National Map (TNM) raster ArcGrid (3D Elevation Program (3DEP) 1 arc-second and 1/3rd arc-second only) type of staged products is by using the TNM Viewer (http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/). Zoom to the area of interest and then use the download data link at the top (1). Select the data search extent (2), and one or more of the raster staged products (3). This will provide a list of all the products available in that extent. Select the appropriate products and choose next to add them to the shopping cart. Once you checkout an email will be sent with URL's for downloading the staged products.

Use the links provided in the email to download the data, and then unzip the resulting files on your local computer. More information on downloading data from The National Map is available at http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/help/9.0 TNM Cart Tab.htm

Obtain USGS Raster Conversion Scripts

A set of scripts for converting raster staged data is available at http://gisdata.usgs.gov/website/USGS_Raster_Conversion_Scripts.zip. These should be downloaded and unzipped locally. (These directions are part of the how to documentation in that archive.)

Option 1: Drag and Drop ArcGrid Download Folder

The ArcGIS_Convert_All_ADF_2_GeoTIFF.bat script takes a folder name as input and recursively scans that folder for all ADF files and attempts to create a GeoTIFF for each. In windows explorer when you drag and drop a folder onto a batch file, the folder path is passed as the parameter to run that batch file with. Doing this produces a GeoTIFF in that same folder as the ArcGrid data. The resulting image(s) will have the name ArcGIS_ADF_2_ANY.tif.

Option 2: Run the ArcGIS_ADF_2_ANY.bat on the command line

The ArcGIS_ADF_2_ANY.bat file also uses a directory for the location of the ArcGrid data. This script will not recursively scan the sub-directories to find the data, so the path must point to the actual data folder. This is the folder that contains the adf files. A second parameter that is optional allows you to specify the path and name of the output GeoTIFF file.

Since the second parameter is optional, the easiest way to run this is to drag and drop the ArcGrid data folder onto the batch file. The catch is that the default conversion is to BIL format. This means to get a GeoTIFF output, we need to specify the second parameter by running this on the command line. The script uses the file extension of the second parameter to determine the correct output type. The directions for using this script are presented below:

USAGE: ArcGIS_ADF_2_ANY.bat <ArcGrid Input Dir> [Output File Name]

<ArcGrid Input Dir> (REQUIRED) This is the relative or full path to the ArcGrid file that contains the ArcGrid data.

[Output File Name] (OPTIONAL) This is the relative or full path to the output file that will be created. If this is not set, it will attempt to make a sub-folder under the current directory called ANY_Output, and a file in that folder called ArcGIS_ADF_2_ANY.bil. The default format is BIL, but if a different extension is specified then it will use the format specified by the extension.