I have a very simple program to toggle on and off layers and export PNGs. The issue is trying to pass a string to search for in the ListLayers result. If I pass the parameter with the tool dialog, I get no return, even though I AddMessage the string and it shows as expected (see the 4th line under Messages). If I hardcode the string on line 27: for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "*Events", df): , no troubles. I expect I am missing something basic in the interpolation of the passed string, but I have tried enclosing in additional quotes and using escapes before the quotes, to no avail. Best Regards, Jim import arcpy Folder = arcpy . GetParameterAsText ( 0 ) Folder = Folder . replace ( "\\" , "/" ) SearchStr = arcpy . GetParameterAsText ( 1 ) arcpy . AddMessage ( SearchStr ) mxd = arcpy . mapping . MapDocument ( "CURRENT" ) df = arcpy . mapping . ListDataFrames ( mxd , "Layers" ) [ 0 ] def ExportPNG ( sspaText ) : # Update the layout text #for el in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"TEXT_ELEMENT","SSPA_Title"): # el.text = sspaText arcpy . AddMessage ( "Processing " + sspaText ) arcpy . RefreshActiveView ( ) # Export the Map arcpy . mapping . ExportToPNG ( mxd , Folder + "/" + sspaText + ".png" , resolution = 600 ) def SetVisibility ( visNam ) : for lyr in arcpy . mapping . ListLayers ( mxd , visNam , df ) : lyr . visible = 'true' def SetInvisibility ( visNam ) : for lyr in arcpy . mapping . ListLayers ( mxd , visNam , df ) : lyr . visible = 'false' for lyr in arcpy . mapping . ListLayers ( mxd , SearchStr , df ) : baseName = lyr . name arcpy . AddMessage ( baseName ) # Call the SetVisibility function to turn on the layer SetVisibility ( baseName ) arcpy . RefreshActiveView ( ) sspaText = lyr . name [ : - 7 ] ExportPNG ( sspaText ) # Call the SetInvisibility function to turn off the layer SetInvisibility ( baseName )

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Arcpy trouble with string passsed with GetParameterAsText

JimCousins

I have a very simple program to toggle on and off layers and export PNGs. The issue is trying to pass a string to search for in the ListLayers result.

If I pass the parameter with the tool dialog, I get no return, even though I AddMessage the string and it shows as expected (see the 4th line under Messages).

If I hardcode the string on line 27:

for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "*Events", df):

, no troubles.

I expect I am missing something basic in the interpolation of the passed string, but I have tried enclosing in additional quotes and using escapes before the quotes, to no avail.

Best Regards,

Jim

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy

Folder <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>GetParameterAsText<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
Folder <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> Folder<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>replace<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"\\"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"/"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
SearchStr <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>GetParameterAsText<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>AddMessage<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN> SearchStr<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
mxd <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>MapDocument<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"CURRENT"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
df <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListDataFrames<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"Layers"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">def</SPAN> <SPAN class="token function">ExportPNG</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>sspaText<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Update the layout text</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token">#for el in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"TEXT_ELEMENT","SSPA_Title"):</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token">#&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; el.text = sspaText</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>AddMessage<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"Processing "</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> sspaText<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>RefreshActiveView<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Export the Map</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ExportToPNG<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> Folder <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"/"</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> sspaText <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">".png"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> resolution<SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">600</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">def</SPAN> <SPAN class="token function">SetVisibility</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>visNam<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> lyr <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListLayers<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN>visNam<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN>df<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; lyr<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>visible <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'true'</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">def</SPAN> <SPAN class="token function">SetInvisibility</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>visNam<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> lyr <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListLayers<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> visNam<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN>df<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; lyr<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>visible <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'false'</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> lyr <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListLayers<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> SearchStr<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> df<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; baseName <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> lyr<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>AddMessage<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>baseName<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Call the SetVisibility function to turn on the layer</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SetVisibility<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>baseName<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>RefreshActiveView<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; sspaText <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> lyr<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">-</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">7</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ExportPNG<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>sspaText<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Call the SetInvisibility function to turn off the layer</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SetInvisibility<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>baseName<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

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Accepted answers

bixb0012

Have you tried passing just *Events, no quotes. Since the parameter is defined as String, whatever you are passing is already being interpreted as a string. I would have to double check, but I believe quotes in string parameters are escaped to be treated as literal single or double quotes, which isn't what you want because you don't have literal quotes in your layer names.

All comments

bixb0012

DanPatterson_Retired

print it using print(SearchStr) and if running from a dialog, arcpy.AddMessage(SearchStr) and see what if anything it is returning. In any event, if hardcoding works and the filter doesn't the answer lies in what it is returning.

JimCousins

That was my original thought as well. I have just tried:

SearchStr = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)

SearchStr = '"{}"'.format(SearchStr)

No luck

Tried:

SearchStr = '"'+str(SearchStr)+'"'

No luck

The parameter is set to a string type in the dialog.

Actually at a bit of a loss for what else to try.

DanPatterson_Retired

It appeared to me that the quotes might be being dropped... if "*Events" with the quotes worked, then *Events wouldn't

JimCousins

I don't quite follow. The code runs without issues if I hardcode the SearchStr variable.

Lines 20 and 24 turn on the layer prior to export, and then turn it back off before the next event theme is turned on and exported.

Line 30 is simply an add message statement so I can see what the code is working with, and line 34 is just an active view refresh.

Perhaps the line numbers are skewed?

Thanks for your input just the same!

DanPatterson_Retired

<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> search_string <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"*Events"</SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> search_string
<SPAN class="string token">'*Events'</SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>search_string<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">*</SPAN>Events
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> s <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'"{}"'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>search_string<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> s
<SPAN class="string token">'"*Events"'</SPAN>
<SPAN class="operator token">>></SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>s<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="string token">"*Events"</SPAN>
<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

It is almost like it has no double or single quotes.. Examine the above. especially line 6 to generate quotes around strings. I don't think this is an AddFieldDelimiters issue that is commonly suggested, but have a look at it as well

RebeccaStrauch__GISP

A guess (without testing), remove lines 20 and 24 above (and then adjust the indents after, of curse).

Since you are already passing the basename on 30 and 34,

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