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Error code 246 when attempting to import ArcGIS API for Python through CMD prompt

JohnHuillery1

My scripts fail about half the time with error code 246 on importing the ArcGIS API for Python when executing the script from a batch file.

My batch file:

@echo off
"C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe" "C:\Users\jhuillery\Desktop\import_arcgis.py"
if errorlevel 1 (echo Failure Reason Given is %errorlevel%)
pause

My script (import_arcgis.py):

print('importing sys...')
import sys
print(sys.executable)
print('importing arcgis...')
try:
from arcgis.gis import GIS
except ImportError:
print(sys.exc_info())

CMD output:

importing sys...
C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe
importing arcgis...
Failure Reason Given is 246

I'm using:

ArcGIS Pro 2.5.0
ArcGIS API for Python 1.7.0
Windows 10 Enterprise

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Accepted answers

DanMcCoy1

My batch file:
@echo off
"C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe" "C:\Users\jhuillery\Desktop\import_arcgis.py"
if errorlevel 1 (echo Failure Reason Given is %errorlevel%)
pause

@JohnHuillery1
Have you tried pythonw.exe?

https://community.esri.com/t5/python-questions/last-run-result-message-0xf6-when-trying-to-run-a-python-script/m-p/306100

All comments

pslgisAdmin

Not sure when it happened, but upgrading to different versions of ArcGIS Pro 2.x caused python 3 scripts to fail in the task manager. I couldn't figure out why my Python 3 scripts weren't working anymore while my Python 2 scripts were working fine. The task manager was not helpful in providing clues so I resorted to running them manually.

When I found this post the other day, I was hoping this would be a fix. I tried scheduling a batch file in the past and that was working intermittently as well. But today I confirmed I had a python 3 script take 3 tries before it was successful by looking at the log.

Thank you very much!

JakeKnowlesDMM

We were also having these sporadic failed arcpy imports resulting in a 246 error code using a stock arcgispro-py3 environment. Though the pythonw.exe and import looping workarounds did work, we found a permanent solution in adding an exception policy for the environment's python.exe in our server's antivirus software. This resolved all problems with importing arcpy. This might also explain why pythonw.exe worked - since it doesn't spawn a shell, it didn't trigger the same behaviour with our antivirus.

e125818_MyCity

Here is a similar solution using a PowerShell script loop.

-------------------

$py_path="c:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe"
$py_script="c:\temp\ps_Process.py"
$log_file="c:\temp\ps_log.txt"
$RandID = Get-Random -Minimum 1000 -Maximum 9999

$EMAIL_TO = "xyz@name.com"
$EMAIL_SUBJECT = "PS Loop Test"
$EMAIL_FROM = "abc@name.com"
$EMAIL_SERVER = "server_ip"

# Logging function to write to a text file.
Function Log {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][String]$msg
)
$FormattedDate = Get-Date -Format "MM-dd-yyyy hh:mm:ss tt"
Add-Content $log_file "$("PS")-$($RandID) $(" ") $($FormattedDate) $(" ") $($msg)"
}

Log "##########################################################"
Log "Start PowerShell"

$SUCCESS=1 # init to failed.
$py_return=""

for ($i = 0; $i -lt 10; $i++){
& $py_path $py_script
if($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0){
# success
Log "$i python.exe attempt success."
$SUCCESS=0
break
}
else {
Log "$i python.exe attempt failed (LASTEXITCODE = $LASTEXITCODE)"
}
Start-Sleep -Seconds 5.0
}

Log "LASTEXITCODE= $LASTEXITCODE"
Log "ERROR= $ERROR"
Log "?= $?"

if ($SUCCESS -eq 0) {
Log "Python.exe ran successfully."
$py_return="SUCCESS"
}
else {
Log "Python.exe failed."
$py_return="FAILED"
}

$SUBJECT="$EMAIL_SUBJECT - $py_return"
Send-MailMessage -From $EMAIL_FROM -To $EMAIL_TO -Subject $SUBJECT -Body "($py_return) Result from python." -SmtpServer $EMAIL_SERVER

Log "End PowerShell"

JeffHaupt

Thanks so much for providing that!

e125818_MyCity

Here's a more complete DOS batch file that uses a loop to check return codes from the python.exe. It will repeat the loop until it gets a return code == 0 or until the maximum number of tries is reached. So far, I haven't seen it go over 7 tries. Note: This is only checking the problem where Windows Task Scheduler is not executing python.exe. It is not checking to see if there was an error within the python script.

--------------------------------

SET log_file=c:\temp\Log.txt

ECHO ######################################################################### >> %log_file%
ECHO Batch start %date% Time: %time% >> %log_file%

SET /A _counter=1
SET /A _max_tries=21
SET /A _wait_seconds=2

:LOOP

IF %_counter%==%_max_tries% (
ECHO GOTO END - max tries of [%_max_tries%] reached. >> %log_file%
GOTO :END
)

ECHO Attempt: [%_counter%] >> %log_file%

ECHO Error level before python: [%errorlevel%] >> %log_file%

:: Use the python exe to run our batch script.
:: Use full path to both python exe and python script.
"c:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\pythonw.exe" c:\temp\process.py

ECHO Error level after python: [%errorlevel%] >> %log_file%

:: Check the python return code. If success then exit Else pause and try again.
IF %errorlevel%==0 (
ECHO GOTO END - success >> %log_file%
GOTO :END
)
ELSE (
ECHO Wait for some time. >> %log_file%
TIMEOUT %_wait_seconds% > NUL
)

ECHO After pause %date% Time: %time% >> %log_file%

:: Increment the counter.
SET /A _counter=%_counter%+1

GOTO :LOOP

:END
ECHO Batch end %date% Time: %time% >> %log_file%

JeffHaupt

I know this post was a bit older, but we are trying to solve the same type of issue and I was trying to replicate your batch file code here. Were you running this through Windows Task Scheduler?

DanMcCoy1

My batch file:
@echo off
"C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe" "C:\Users\jhuillery\Desktop\import_arcgis.py"
if errorlevel 1 (echo Failure Reason Given is %errorlevel%)
pause

@JohnHuillery1
Have you tried pythonw.exe?

https://community.esri.com/t5/python-questions/last-run-result-message-0xf6-when-trying-to-run-a-python-script/m-p/306100

JohnHuillery1

No clue what's going on here but my temporary hack solution was to modify my .bat files to keep repeating the commands that run my scripts until the exit code = 0.

:StartLoop
"C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe" "C:\Users\jhuillery\Desktop\import_arcgis.py"
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO StartLoop
pause

JohnHuillery1

I used Spyder to write the code originally.

I rewrote the code in plain old notepad and I'm getting the same issue.

The same issue is happening when I get my coworkers to run it on their machines so I don't think it's a corrupted install.

bixb0012

Using the The Microsoft Error Lookup Tool - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs, code 246 matches two different results depending on whether it is hex or dec.

# for decimal 246 / hex 0xf6
PCI_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION                                bugcodes.h
# for hex 0x246 / decimal 582
ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER                                        winerror.h
# An illegal character was encountered. For a multi-byte
# character set this includes a lead byte without a
# succeeding trail byte. For the Unicode character set this
# includes the characters 0xFFFF and 0xFFFE.
# as an HRESULT: Severity: SUCCESS (0), FACILITY_NULL (0x0), Code 0x246
# for hex 0x246 / decimal 582
ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER                                        winerror.h
# An illegal character was encountered. For a multi-byte
# character set this includes a lead byte without a
# succeeding trail byte. For the Unicode character set this
# includes the characters 0xFFFF and 0xFFFE.
# 3 matches found for "246"

If you were having a PCI_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION issue, I am guessing you would be seeing a whole lot more problems, maybe even a BSOD. So, that leaves the illegal character and the likely culprit.

What program did you create your Python script in? Did you copy and paste the code from somewhere?

Or, it could just be something got corrupted with Python when you installed/upgraded to Pro 2.5. You could always try uninstalling and reinstalling Pro.

JohnHuillery1

I'm not sure how long it has been going on. I've mostly noticed it after I upgraded to Pro 2.5.

Licensing info:

CMD output with try/except removed:

importing sys...
C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\python.exe
importing arcgis...
Failure Reason Given is 246

I'm not getting Python errors because it seems like Python is crashing on the import statement.

This only happens when I run it through a cmd prompt. It only happens about half the time.

bixb0012

How long has this been going on? How is Pro licensed on your machine? Can you remove the try/except block and share the full error and traceback?

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