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

Introduction


Various messages are returned during the execution of ArcGIS geoprocessing tools and functions. These messages can be informational in nature or indicate warning or error conditions that can result in the tool not creating the expected output or in outright failure of the tool to execute. These messages do not appear as message boxes. Instead, you will need to retrieve them using various ArcPy functions. To this point in the book, we have ignored the existence of these messages, warnings, and errors. This is mainly due to the fact that I wanted you to concentrate on learning some basic concepts, without adding the extra layer of code complexity that is necessary for creating robust geoprocessing scripts that can handle error situations gracefully. That being said, it's now time that you learn how to create the geoprocessing and Python exception handling structures that will enable you to create versatile geoprocessing scripts. These scripts can handle messages that indicate...