ArcMap Erase Tool – Video Tutorial

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The erase tool can help save a ton of editing time.  Its main purpose is to perform an overlay analysis.  The most common tool used for this is Clip, but output of this tool is just the overlap portion of your feature class.  To be able to carry out the opposite of this, you must use the Erase Tool.  The Erase Tool will remove the overlapped portion from the feature class and leave a shape that resembles a doughnut.

Although this demonstration show you how to use the erase tool at the ArcInfo license level, you can also do this at the lower levels such as ArcView or ArcInfo.  James Fee provided a great resource.  You can find the link at the bottom of this page.

To use the Erase Tool:

1. Open ArcToolbox -> Analysis Tools -> Overlay ->Erase Tool
2. Fill in Dialog Box
   • Input Features
   • Erase Features
   • Output Feature Class
3. Click OK

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Download the video to your computer: ArcMap Erase Tool

If you do not have access to the ArcInfo software license, you can also learn how to Perform an Erase in ArcView.