Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

By : Donald Eric Pimpler, Eric Pimpler

Buy this Book

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

By: Donald Eric Pimpler, Eric Pimpler

Buy this Book

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.

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

Preface

Free Chapter

Fundamentals of the Python Language for ArcGIS

Using IDLE for Python script development

Python language fundamentals

Summary

Writing Basic Geoprocessing Scripts with ArcPy

Introduction

Using the ArcGIS Python window

Accessing ArcPy with Python

Executing tools from a script

Using ArcGIS Desktop help

Using variables to store data

Accessing ArcPy modules with Python

Managing Map Documents and Layers

Introduction

Referencing the current map document

Referencing map documents on a disk

Accessing a data frame

Getting a list of layers in a map document

Restricting the list of layers

Changing the map extent

Getting a list of tables

Adding layers to a map document

Inserting layers into a map document

Updating layer symbology

Updating layer properties

Finding and Fixing Broken Data Links

Introduction

Finding broken data sources in your map document and layer files

Fixing broken data sources with MapDocument.findAndReplaceWorkspacePaths()

Fixing broken data sources with MapDocument.replaceWorkspaces()

Fixing individual Layer and Table objects with replaceDataSource()

Finding all broken data sources in all map documents in a folder

Automating Map Production and Printing

Introduction

Creating a list of layout elements

Assigning a unique name to layout elements

Restricting the layout elements returned by ListLayoutElements()

Updating layout element properties

Getting a list of available printers

Printing maps with PrintMap()

Exporting a map to a PDF file

Exporting a map to an image file

Creating a map book with PDFDocumentCreate() and PDFDocumentOpen()

Executing Geoprocessing Tools from Scripts

Introduction

Finding geoprocessing tools

Retrieving a toolbox alias

Executing geoprocessing tools from a script

Using the output of a tool as an input to another tool

Setting environment variables and examining tool messages

Creating Custom Geoprocessing Tools

Introduction

Creating a custom geoprocessing tool

Querying and Selecting Data

Introduction

Constructing proper attribute query syntax

Creating feature layers and table views

Selecting features and rows with the Select Layer by Attribute tool

Selecting features with the Select by Location tool

Combining a spatial and attribute query with the Select by Location tool

Using the ArcPy Data Access Module to Select, Insert, and Update Geographic Data and Tables

Introduction

Retrieving features from a feature class with a SearchCursor

Filtering records with a where clause

Improving cursor performance with geometry tokens

Inserting rows with InsertCursor

Updating rows with an UpdateCursor

Deleting rows with an UpdateCursor

Inserting and updating rows inside an edit session

Reading geometry from a feature class

Listing and Describing GIS Data

Introduction

Getting a list of feature classes in a workspace

Restricting the list of feature classes returned with a wildcard

Restricting the list of feature classes returned with a feature type.

Getting a list of fields in a feature class or table

Using the Describe() function to return descriptive information about a feature class

Using the Describe() function to return descriptive information about an image

Returning workspace information with the Describe() function

Customizing the ArcGIS Interface with Add-Ins

Introduction

Downloading and installing the Python Add-In wizard

Creating a button add-in

Installing and testing an add-in

Creating a tool add-in

Error Handling and Troubleshooting

Introduction

Exploring the default Python error message

Adding Python exception handling structures (try/except/finally)

Retrieving tool messages with GetMessages()

Filtering tool messages by severity level

Testing for and responding to specific error messages

Returning individual messages with GetMessage()

Automating Python Scripts

Introduction

Running Python scripts from the command line

Using sys.argv[ ] to capture command-line input

Adding Python scripts to batch files

Scheduling batch files to run at prescribed times

Five Things Every GIS Programmer Should Know How to Do with Python

Introduction

Reading data from a delimited text file

Sending e-mails

Retrieving files from an FTP server

Creating ZIP files

Reading XML files

Index

Customer Reviews

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Using the Describe() function to return descriptive information about a feature class

All datasets contain information that is descriptive in nature. For example, a feature class has a name, shape type, spatial reference, and so on. This information can be valuable to your scripts when you seek specific information before continuing with further processing in the script. For example, you might want to perform a buffer only on polyline feature classes instead of points or polygons. Using the Describe() function you can obtain basic descriptive information about any dataset. You can think of this information as metadata.

Getting ready

The Describe() function provides you with the ability to get basic information about datasets. These datasets could include feature classes, tables, ArcInfo coverage, layer files, workspaces, rasters, and others. A Describe object is returned, which contains specific properties based on the datatype being described. Properties on the Describe object are organized...

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

By : Donald Eric Pimpler, Eric Pimpler

Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

By: Donald Eric Pimpler, Eric Pimpler

Overview of this book

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Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

Using the Describe() function to return descriptive information about a feature class

Getting ready