Creating script tool from python - cant get parameter/data type to work correctly.

Question

Hi all,

My script runs fine in PythonWin and in the ArcGIS Python Window, so the code is good.  But for some reason I can't figure out how to set the parameters in the Add Script Wizard (ArcGIS 10.0 SP 5).  My script essentially creates data driven pages using a parcel as the index grid.  Each map is then exported to a pdf.  In my script, the output path (outpath) and the output folder (outfolder) are combined in the CreateFolder_management dialogue (to create the output folder if it does not exist).

My outpath is "C:\" and my outfolder is "temp\" to create "C:\temp\" when joined together.

In the Add Script Wizard I have defined the Display Names and Data Types as follows:

Display Name:                                 Display Type:
Output PDF file path:                          Folder             (this is not allowing me to browse to just "C:\")
Output PDF file folder:                        Folder

My question is: what Display Type do I need to set for the Output PDF file path, so that it will take an input of only C:\ (and not some subfolder under C:\)?

A snippet of my code is below and an attachment image of my Add Script Wizard is attached.
 #Check for existance of the output data before running the export tool.
                #Export to PDF
                outpath = "C:\" #arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
                outfolder = "temp\" #arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3)
                pdfLocation =  os.path.join(outpath, outfolder) #"C:\temp\"

#print "pdfLocation:  " + pdfLocation
                
                pdfName = pdfLocation + APN + '.pdf'

#print "pdfName:  " + pdfName

if arcpy.Exists(pdfLocation):
                        pass
                        print "Folder Exists"
                else:
                        print r"Folder does not exist. Creating Folder"
                        arcpy.CreateFolder_management(outpath, outfolder)
                        
                if arcpy.Exists(pdfName):
                    arcpy.Delete_management(pdfName)

CODE]

Thanks,
Christi

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StacyRendall1 · Answer

Good work! Yes, AddMessage is very handy for tracking down stuff like that!

ChristiNelson1 · Answer

Okay, I got it!

First I had to adjust the Data Types in the Script Properties (see attachment).  The Output PDF file path now has a Data Type: Workspace.  The Output PDF file folde now has a Data Type: Folder.

Next, I had to add another arcpy.AddMessage() for pdfName, to see what was happening when I ran the script.  The results displayed that I had to add in another "" in pdfName, but in python it has to be "\".  See code below:               #Check for existance of the output data before running the export tool.
                #Export to PDF
                outpath = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2) #"C:\"
                arcpy.AddMessage('Outpath: ' + outpath)
                outfolder = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3)
                arcpy.AddMessage('Outfolder: ' + outfolder) 
                pdfLocation = os.path.join(outpath, outfolder) #"C:\temp\"

#print "pdfLocation:  " + pdfLocation
                arcpy.AddMessage('pdfLocation: ' + pdfLocation)
                
                pdfName = pdfLocation + "\" + APN + '.pdf'
                arcpy.AddMessage('pdfName: ' + pdfName)
                #print "pdfName:  " + pdfName

if arcpy.Exists(pdfLocation):
                        pass
                        #print "Folder Exists"
                        arcpy.AddMessage('Folder Exists') 
                else:
                        #print r"Folder does not exist. Creating Folder"
                        arcpy.AddMessage("Folder does not exist. Creating Folder...") 
                        arcpy.CreateFolder_management(outpath, outfolder)
                        
                if arcpy.Exists(pdfName):
                    arcpy.Delete_management(pdfName)

try:
                    arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(mxDoc, pdfName)
                    arcpy.AddMessage("Export complete")
                except:
                    arcpy.AddError(arcpy.GetMessages(2))

##                if recordCounter > 2:
##                        break
                recordCounter +=1
                
        #print str(recordCounter) + " Records Exported"
        arcpy.AddMessage(str(recordCounter) + " Records Exported")
        del row, rows
        del i

Thanks so much for your help!
Christi

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ChristiNelson1 · Answer

Hi,

I changed the output paths to have the direction *Input* instead of Output.  This was a successful change.  I added the arcpy.AddMessage() to print to the results dialog and it shows that everything is looping thru and exported.  However, when I go to the output location, no pdf files are there - nothing has been exported!

Is it a slash syntax problem? Although they are marked as Folder data types, it seems that the real value for the path is not being created. The path still shows backslashes (C:\) rather than C:\ (see attachment). If this is the case, this would be a major problem in general when creating a tool.

How should I update my code to make sure the correct paths are maintained? In other words, how do I convert the paths entered as arcpy.GetParameterAsText to Python rawstrings using the "r directive", or is there a better way?

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