Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook

Table of Contents

• Preface

• Chapter 1: Fundamentals of the Python Language for ArcGIS
• Using IDLE for Python script development
• Python language fundamentals
• Summary

• Chapter 2: 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

• Chapter 3: 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

• Chapter 4: 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

• Chapter 5: 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

• Chapter 6: 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

• Chapter 7: Creating Custom Geoprocessing Tools
• Introduction
• Creating a custom geoprocessing tool

• Chapter 8: 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

• Chapter 9: 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

• Chapter 10: 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

• Chapter 11: 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

• Chapter 12: 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()

• Appendix A: 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

• Appendix B: 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