Build Multidimensional Info (Multidimensional)

Summary

Generates multidimensional metadata in the mosaic dataset, including information regarding variables and dimensions.

Usage

  • When you create a mosaic dataset from netCDF, GRIB, or HDF files, the multidimensional information is built into the mosaic dataset, and you can view the information in the dataset properties. The Build Multidimensional Info tool creates multidimensional information for a mosaic dataset that contains images collected at multiple times, depths, or heights, but was not created from netCDF files.

  • This tool creates the following two text fields in the mosaic dataset:

    • Variable—Stores the names of the variables. For example, this field will store the string Temperature for all the images with temperature data, and Salinity for all the images containing salinity data.
    • Dimensions—Stores the names of the dimensions. For example, if your temperature data has a corresponding Date dimension field representing the day it was captured, and your salinity data has a Depth dimension field representing the depth at which it was measured, the Dimensions field for that variable would be Date, Depth. The two fields, Date and Depth, must exist and be populated in the mosaic dataset.

  • The Build Multidimensional Info tool creates Variable, Dimensions, and StdTime (or StdZ) fields. Checking the Delete Multidimensional Info parameter deletes existing multidimensional information from the Properties window. It does not delete the multidimensional fields from the attribute or metadata tables.

    Note:

    If the multidimensional fields are not needed, you can delete them manually from the mosaic dataset attribute table.

Parameters

LabelExplanationData Type
Mosaic Dataset

The input multidimensional mosaic dataset.

Mosaic Layer
Variable Field
(Optional)

The field in the mosaic dataset that stores the variable names and is used to populate a new field named Variable. If all rasters in the mosaic dataset represent the same variable, type the name of the variable, for example, Temperature.

If the Variable field does not already exist, an existing field or string value must be specified. If the Variable field exists, the tool will update the multidimensional information only.

String
Dimension Fields
(Optional)

The fields in the mosaic dataset that store the dimension information and are used to populate a new field named Dimensions.

If the Dimensions field already exists, the tool will update the multidimensional information only.

Value Table
Variable Info
(Optional)

Specify additional information about the Variable field.

Value Table
Delete Multidimensional Info
(Optional)

Specifies whether existing multidimensional information will be deleted.

  • Unchecked—If multidimensional information exists in the mosaic dataset, it will not be deleted. This is the default.
  • Checked—If multidimensional information exists in the mosaic dataset, it will be deleted.
Boolean

Derived Output

LabelExplanationData Type
Mosaic Dataset

The updated mosaic dataset.

Mosaic Layer

arcpy.management.BuildMultidimensionalInfo(in_mosaic_dataset, {variable_field}, {dimension_fields}, {variable_desc_units}, {delete_multidimensional_info})
NameExplanationData Type
in_mosaic_dataset

The input multidimensional mosaic dataset.

Mosaic Layer
variable_field
(Optional)

The field in the mosaic dataset that stores the variable names and is used to populate a new field named Variable. If all rasters in the mosaic dataset represent the same variable, type the name of the variable, for example, Temperature.

If the Variable field does not already exist, an existing field or string value must be specified. If the Variable field exists, the tool will update the multidimensional information only.

String
dimension_fields
[[dimension field, description, units],...]
(Optional)

The fields in the mosaic dataset that store the dimension information and are used to populate a new field named Dimensions.

If the Dimensions field already exists, the tool will update the multidimensional information only.

Value Table
variable_desc_units
[[variable name, description, units],...]
(Optional)

Specify additional information about the Variable field.

Value Table
delete_multidimensional_info
(Optional)

Specifies whether existing multidimensional information will be deleted.

  • DELETE_MULTIDIMENSIONAL_INFOIf multidimensional information exists in the mosaic dataset, it will be deleted.
  • NO_DELETE_MULTIDIMENSIONAL_INFOIf multidimensional information exists in the mosaic dataset, it will not be delete. This is the default.
Boolean

Derived Output

NameExplanationData Type
out_mosaic_dataset

The updated mosaic dataset.

Mosaic Layer

Code sample

BuildMultidimensionalInfo example 1 (Python window)

This is a Python sample for the BuildMultidimensionalInfo function.

## Build multidimensional information for a time series mosaic dataset 
## with Landsat 7 imagery.

import arcpy
arcpy.md.BuildMultidimensionalInfo(
	"C:/data/input.gdb/L7TimeSeriesMosaic", "Landsat7", 'AcquisitionDate')
BuildMultidimensionalInfo example 2 (stand-alone script)

This is a Python script sample for the BuildMultidimensionalInfo function.

## Build multidimensional information for a mosaic dataset 
## containing sea ice extent imagery over time and water depth.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data"

## Define the input parameters
inputmosaicdataset = "input.gdb/seaice_1982_2019"
variable_field = "measurement"
dimension_fields= "AcquisitionDate;Depth"

arcpy.md.BuildMultidimensionalInfo(
	inputmosaicdataset, variable_field, 
	dimension_fields)

Environments

This tool does not use any geoprocessing environments.