I am posting here with the goal of learning the best method to apply reclassification and edit class values and suitability values associated with rasters in Suitability Modeler. I have encountered a limitation and I need to determine if it is a workflow limitation or a limitation of the new and continuously improving Suitability Modeler interface.
---For context, I am a GIS professional with +10 years of experience and I also teach advanced GIS courses at the University of California. Historically I have taught suitability analysis using classic approaches, such as using a combination of Reclassification tools and Weighted Sum tools in Model Builder. I have started to teach Suitability Modeler and I and my students have encountered a reoccurring issue I am hopeful to resolve---
In Suitability Modeler, I understand that when a new input raster is added to the Criteria list a default transformation is applied based on the type of the input values. I further understand that this default transformation is derived from one of three methods you can use to transform the criteria (Unique Categories, Range of Classes, Continuous Functions). My issue manifests in this transformation pane.
Let's use an example of the American Census Survey and Renter Occupied Housing Units. This is the percent of total housing units that are renter-occupied, on a scale of 0.0-100 percent, and these values are attributed to feature classes representing each census block group in the US. In this example, we perform a feature to raster conversion which gives us a new raster. When added to the map the default symbology doesn't normally make sense in the real world (like the first class being 0-3.39%), so we would adjust the symbology to have manual intervals with 10 classes such as 0-10, 10-20, etc. *These are the classified values that we would like to see as our classes in the Transformation Pane in Suitability modeler*. So at this time the raster is ready to be added as a criterion. When we add it to the Criteria list two things occur: 1) In the Contents Pane under the Suitability Modeler Group, our raster is added but it looses the manual intervals we had set up previously (aka the first class goes back to being 0-3.39), and 2) In the Transformation Pane, our unique categories transformation or range of classes transformation also replaces the manual intervals with new start and end values (aka the first class goes back to being 0-3.39).
In the Transformation Pane the start and end values are not editable, so I cannot build out the manual intervals; Also the classes are not editable, so I cannot merge classes or add new ones that would make sense for the dataset being used.
What is the appropriate workflow supposed to be?
https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/analysis/spatial-analyst/suitability-modeler/the-gener...
In the link above, in Step 2 > Paragraph 2 > last sentence, you can see a different, perhaps simpler example using the Bobcat study example. I have read through this a few times and I don't see how it is possible to accomplish the task.
https://www.esri.com/videos/watch?videoid=Hsq3Man1iyU&title=suitability-modeling
Likewise in this link at minute 3:10, you can see an example of applying a linear transformation to slope, but that is once again not the same thing as establishing classes for slopes as 1-3, 4-6, and >25.