This tool can be used to map the least-cost pathway connecting each destination grid cell in a cost-distance analysis to a source cell. The user must specify the names of the input Destination and Back-Link raster files. Destination cells (i.e. end points for the least-cost path analysis) are designated as all positive, non-zero valued grid cells in the Destination raster. A Back-Link raster file can be created using the Cost-Accumulation tool and is conceptually similar to the D8 flow-direction pointer raster grid in that it describes the connectivity between neighbouring cells on the accumulated cost surface. All background grid cells in the output image are assigned the NoData value.
NoData values in the input Back-Link image are assigned NoData values in the output image. The output raster is of the integer data type and continuous data scale.
The following is an example of a Python script that uses this tool:
wd = pluginHost.getWorkingDirectory()
destinationFile = wd + "destination.dep"
backLinkFile = wd + "back link.dep"
outputFile = wd + "output.dep"
args = [destinationFile, backLinkFile, outputFile]
pluginHost.runPlugin("CostPathway", args, False)
This is a Groovy script also using this tool:
def wd = pluginHost.getWorkingDirectory()
def destinationFile = wd + "destination.dep"
def backLinkFile = wd + "back link.dep"
def outputFile = wd + "output.dep"
String[] args = [destinationFile, backLinkFile, outputFile]
pluginHost.runPlugin("CostPathway", args, false)