Book Image

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

By : Donald Eric Pimpler, Eric Pimpler
Book Image

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

By: Donald Eric Pimpler, Eric Pimpler

Overview of this book

ArcGIS is an industry standard geographic information system from ESRI.This book will show you how to use the Python programming language to create geoprocessing scripts, tools, and shortcuts for the ArcGIS Desktop environment.This book will make you a more effective and efficient GIS professional by showing you how to use the Python programming language with ArcGIS Desktop to automate geoprocessing tasks, manage map documents and layers, find and fix broken data links, edit data in feature classes and tables, and much more."Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook" starts by covering fundamental Python programming concepts in an ArcGIS Desktop context. Using a how-to instruction style you'll then learn how to use Python to automate common important ArcGIS geoprocessing tasks.In this book you will also cover specific ArcGIS scripting topics which will help save you time and effort when working with ArcGIS. Topics include managing map document files, automating map production and printing, finding and fixing broken data sources, creating custom geoprocessing tools, and working with feature classes and tables, among others.In "Python ArcGIS 10.1 Programming Cookbook" you'll learn how to write geoprocessing scripts using a pragmatic approach designed around an approach of accomplishing specific tasks in a Cookbook style format.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Adding layers to a map document


There will be many situations where you will need to add a layer to a map document. The mapping module provides this functionality through the AddLayer() function. In this recipe, you will learn how to add a layer to a map document using this function.

Getting ready

arcpy.mapping provides the ability to add layers or group layers into an existing map document file. You can take advantage of the ArcMap "auto-arrange" functionality, which automatically places a layer in the data frame for visibility. This is essentially the same functionality provided by the Add Data button in ArcMap, which positions a layer in the data frame based on geometry type and layer weight rules.

Note

Layers can't be added to a layer file (.lyr).

When adding a layer to a map document, the layer must reference an existing layer found in a layer file on disk, the same map document and data frame, the same map document with a different data frame, or a completely separate map document. A...