Function Modeling is a new raster processing methodology used to create and store transformations of raster datasets. It is an easy to use modeling framework that allows users to combine multiple spatial operations into one function dataset. This framework is accessible to users through one intuitive form (i.e. window) that can be used to view, sample, store, and manipulate datasets in a fraction of the time it takes to perform similar analysis using standard raster modeling techniques.
Function modeling uses our open source .net code library to store all the functions occurring to a source raster and dynamically build those datasets at run time. Function modeling significantly improves raster processing and substantially reduces storage associated with raster modeling. Benefits of function modeling include:
- no intermediate raster dataset creation
- immediate depiction of raster transformations
- faster processing
- reduced storage
- increased efficiency
This figure illustrates the conceptual idea behind function modeling. For each raster transformation, conventional modeling creates an intermediate output raster dataset. Function modeling however remove this step thereby reducing processing time and storage space. Moreover, function modeling gives analysts the option to save models so they can be loaded into ArcMap at a later date.