Dear Sujatha Mayadunnage ,

To compute the Euclidean distance from a vectorial data is pretty simple.

Firstly, if you have only one shape file that contains all the information (water, forest, and urban areas), you have to split into three separate shape files.

To do that, just use three times the "Select" command and specify the attributes you want to select.

Once the three shape files are created, use the "Euclidean Distance" command three times.

Please note that ArcGIS should produce a raster file in which the distance are computed using the same unit of measure of the reference frame.

If you want the distance in meters, for instance, you have to assign a Project Reference Frame to your main file before the computation of Euclidean Distance.

Thanks Nicholas. That means to obtain distance in meters do I need to change the coordinate system?

Dear Sujatha Mayadunnage ,

Yes, you should do.

Moreover, remember that all the shape files in ArcGIS must have the same reference frame.

Anyway, you could first try to use Euclidean Distance command and see the results. If you will find a "strange" unit of measure for the distance computed by ArcGIS, that means you need to change your Geographic Coordinate System into a Projected one.

Nicholas.