Adding clip function to python buffer script

Question

I have posted my script for buffering and dissolving polygons.

Could someone help me incorporate an Erase function in order to erase the input file from the buffer?

Script:

import arcpy
infc = r'C:\My\File\Input.shp.shp'
outfc = r'C:\My\File\Output.shp'
bufferDistance = 76.2
arcpy.Buffer_analysis(infc, outfc, bufferDistance, "", "", "ALL")

Answer 1

If you have an Advanced License of ArcGIS you could use the Erase function after buffering the infc:

arcpy.Erase_analysis(infc, outfc, r'C:\My\File\EraseOutput.shp','#')

• crmackey: In case anyone does not have an Advanced license, you can accomplish the same thing by doing a union and keeping only desired features.
• UpNorthGIS: Thank you for this information. Is there a way that this function could be incorporated into the script so that only one polygon is being processed? I understand that I could erase the output file once it is buffered, but I was hoping there was a way to make it more streamlined.