Python List Shapefiles

Question

Hi.

I am trying to list datasets within a directory.  I have played with ListDatasets and ListFeatureClasses.  These work successfully with geodatabase and CAD layers.  How do I construct a Python script that lists shapefiles?

Thanks,

Dave.

DaveMarkey · Answer

Thanks people.  Some good ideas here.  I am wanting to learn Python from an ArcGIS perspective.  Where is some good learning material that teaches Python for ArcGIS?  I have downloaded the documentation from Python website but is only good for learning from scratch.

Also, thanks for the heads up on the ListFeatureClasses bug.  Appears this should work with shapefiles but doesn't due to a service pack.  For those of us managing and developing ArcPad, this could be a real problem as ArcPad mostly only works with shapefiles.

Dave.

RDHarles · Answer

Could this script be expanded to list multiple file types?.

Sure.

List all files that end with .shp or .dxf or start with 'str':
 import os

ws = "c:/temp"

for file in os.listdir(ws):    
    if file.endswith(".shp") or file.endswith(".dxf") or file.startswith("str"):
        print file

You can also use wildcards like this:import os, glob
# Delete all files that contain the word 'points'
for file in glob.glob("*points*"):
    os.remove(file)

DarshaHardy · Answer

There was a bug with the ListFeatureClasses method (introduced by a particular service pack) in 9.2

See here this thread in the old forums http://forums.esri.com/Thread.asp?c=93&f=1729&t=240535