ExtractByMask returns 999999 error in 10

[ErinIverson]

I get the error 999999 when I try to run the Extract By Mask tool from ArcToolbox in ArcGIS 10. Using the exact same files the extraction runs in 9.3.

I've tried converting my mask from feature class to shapefile, and nothing has worked. It gets to the "Converting features..." message in the tool, and fails:

ERROR 999999: Error executing function.
Failed to open raster dataset.
Failed to execute (ExtractByMask).

[TravisCole]

I don't see any reply to this one...I assume no one knows how to fix it?  I have tried several different ways and I can't get anything to work.  I hate to complain, but half the processes I used in 9.3 no longer work correctly.  I frequently get no attribute tables after processes.

[LucasBannan1]

Hey guys, I'm a recent grad, so relatively knew to using Arc 10...and GIS for that matter,and I currently have lots of time on my hands. I frequent the forums and came across this post and did some quick web searching. I found some stuff and thought I would throw out some ideas for you to try, if you haven't tried them already, since no one had really responded.

The first thing I came across is that it may be a space availability issue, so you might try setting the temp and TMP variable in the Environments variable to a disk which has adequate space. Or another thing I found was to try and copy your files to another drive/folder and seeing if you still get the error.

If you know for a fact that it is not the space issue, the other thing I came across was to try using the clip tool and set the Output Extent as the mask shape file, as well as checking to Use Input Feature for Clipping Geometry.

So I'm not exactly sure about each of your data sets and what your trying to do, but hope my 2 cents can help in some way.

[TravisCole]

In my case clip doesn't work because I am trying to extract from a raster.  I have also tried a semi work around by from my shapefile creating a graphic.  With the graphic selected going to my raster and selecting export, extent, selected graphics (clipping).  Too bad my attribute table then contained information for the whole raster...ie the whole state, instead of area I just clipped.

In my case I am trying to extract the area of land use within a designated area that I have shape files for.  I need the layer to be a raster and have an attribute table so I can then calculate each land use % by the number of pixels of each type.

[EricRice]

There are multiple Clip tools in ArcToolbox.  You want the Clip tool located in Data Management Tools > Raster > Raster Processing > Clip.  It will clip to the geometry of the shapefile/feature class just the same as Extract by Mask.

You might also want to check out Zonal Histogram. You won't need to clip the data before hand to calculate the distribution of landuse within each designated area.

Eric

[LucasBannan1]

I should have clarified which clip to use....i was referring to the clip in the raster toolset as Eric mentioned, though if all you need is to figure out the percent of land use by the number of pixels, the zonal histogram may work just fine.

[TravisCole]

I will try these.  Thanks.

[TravisCole]

The clip did not work still.  It clipped the right area, but would not create a attribute table.  The zonal histogram did however finally give me the table I wanted.  At least I have something that works for the mean time so I can get some work done.  Thanks again!

[KristinLandau]

Does anyone have any updates re the ExtractByMask error?? I am running viewsheds and need to mask using a smaller polygon than the viewshed extent to avoid edge error.

I tried the raster clip tool, but that gives me a grayscale rectangle.. not the irregular pink/green polygon.

I need this for a publication image!

Thanks!

[ionutpaduraru]

the error 9999999 etc is a generic error without a fix ... the best thing to do is to restart arcgis , as for clipping a raster by using a mask save your raster as a .png file because if you are using a .tif raster and say it's a high rez image arcgis goes UMMM... and throws a bunch of errors your way i had the same problem and changing the file extension did the trick