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Load feature class in memory

Anonymous User

Let's assume I have a geodatabase "database.gdb", and inside this database there is a feature class called "feature".

How can I load this feature in memory using arcpy? I have searched into the arcpy docs and couldn't find anything useful.

I tried to use Copy_management and CreateFeatureclass_management but its look like these methods expects files instead of variables.

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Accepted answers

JamesCrandall

Untested

inputFc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">"C:/database.gdb/inputFeatureClass"</SPAN>
outputFc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">"in_memory/inMemoryFeatureClass"</SPAN>
arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>CopyFeatures_management<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>inputFc<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> outputFc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
‍‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

All comments

JoshuaBixby

Just be aware that in_memory doesn't always mean in memory. I know, why label something "in_memory" if it doesn't mean it will always be in memory? If you are running a script outside of ArcGIS Desktop (ArcMap or Pro), then it is actually in memory. If you run a script from the interactive Python window or a script tool within ArcGIS Desktop, sometimes the output is actually a temporary data set on disk.

For example, with some tools like Create Table and Create Feature Class, in_memory will output to disk if "Background Processing" is enabled:

<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> tbl <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>CreateTable_management<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"in_memory"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"test_table"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> tbl
<SPAN class="operator token"><</SPAN>Result <SPAN class="string token">'C:\\Users\\jack\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\1\\arc3BB1\\j078ec6ad6c664d989a5b08b638ae9acd.gdb\\test_table'</SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> <SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

Although a bit dated, most of the information from blogs posts I wrote a few years ago still applies to ArcMap today:

Anonymous User

I worked! Thanks a lot! I've lost a day trying to solve this.

JamesCrandall

Untested

inputFc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">"C:/database.gdb/inputFeatureClass"</SPAN>
outputFc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">"in_memory/inMemoryFeatureClass"</SPAN>
arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>CopyFeatures_management<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>inputFc<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> outputFc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
‍‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

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