Pixel-Center Masking
Includes pixels according to the standard rasterization/mask rule around pixel centers/line traversal.
Best used when: a conservative standard raster mask is desired.
Raster Clip
Clip a raster using a polygon/multipolygon boundary and optionally crop the output extent to the mask.
Shared Raster ToolsEnd-User DocumentationTheory + Formula + Parameters1. What This Feature Does
Clip a raster using a polygon/multipolygon boundary and optionally crop the output extent to the mask.
Cloud workflow: choose data → configure the scientific method → run → review the resulting layer/report. No programming is required.
2. Recommended Workflow
Choose the raster and polygon mask.
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Choose raster bands.
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Choose Crop to Mask Extent.
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Choose whether all touched pixels are included.
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Run and review edge pixels/nodata.
3. Theory, Methods & Equations
All Touched
Includes every pixel touched by the polygon boundary.
Best used when: small/narrow masks should not lose edge pixels.
4. Input Data
| Input | Type | Requirement | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raster Input | raster | Required | Raster to be clipped. |
| Clip Mask | vector | Required | Polygon or multipolygon layer used as the clipping boundary. |
5. Parameters Available in the Application
| Parameter | Default | Choices / Range | How to Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raster Bands | — | — | 1-based band numbers. Leave empty to clip all raster bands. |
| Crop to Mask Extent | On | — | Reduce the output extent to the mask bounding box. |
| Include All Touched Pixels | Off | — | When enabled, every pixel touched by the mask polygon is included. When disabled, standard pixel-center/Bresenham behavior is used. |
| Output Nodata | -9999.0 | — | Preferred nodata for numeric rasters. If it cannot be represented by the source dtype it is adjusted automatically. RGB/RGBA imagery uses an internal transparency mask instead of forcing this value. |
6. Output & Interpretation
The result should be interpreted according to the selected method and the physical meaning of the input data. Preserve source units, coordinate reference information, NoData meaning, acquisition date, and preprocessing level when comparing results.
Scientific interpretation: an algorithm can produce a numerically valid result even when the input data are unsuitable. Always check masks, units, sensor characteristics, spatial resolution and reference data.
7. Best Practices
- Use analysis-ready inputs and remove invalid/cloud/noise artifacts that are not part of the target phenomenon.
- Choose parameters from the physical scale of the data, not only from visual appearance.
- Keep categorical and continuous rasters conceptually separate when selecting interpolation/resampling methods.
- Compare the result with the source image and independent reference information.
- Document the settings used when results will be compared across dates, sensors or study areas.