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Python help- changing output file name if name already exists

TheoFaull

Hi guys and gals,

I have a script which exports a shapefile to a folder. The output file name is 'Properties.shp'. This file is contasntly accessed by a server machine, therefore it has a LOCK file on it.

When I run the script for a second time, it often fails because it detects that and older version of 'Properties.shp' is already sitting in the folder. So when I update this file I have to manually ammend the script to write 'Properties2.shp' as the new output file name to avoid a clash.

Any ideas of how I can get around this? The overwrite = true function won't work as a LOCK file prevents this.

What I want is for the script to rename the output file 'Properties[current_date].shp'

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Accepted answers

IanMurray

I would recommend setting the current date and time to a variable and concatenating it into your file name.

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> datetime
<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> time

 

Cur_Date <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN>&nbsp; datetime<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>datetime<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>now<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>strftime<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"%y-%m-%d-%H-%M"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"current date and time is "</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> Cur_Date

Output_Shape <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Properties-"</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> Cur_Date <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">".shp"</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"New shapefile being written will be called "</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> Output_Shape

arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>Sheet1_Layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> CuroProperties<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> Output_Shape<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>

All comments

TheoFaull

I inserted your code into my code and got:

File "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.4\ArcPy\arcpy\conversion.py", line 1694, in FeatureClassToFeatureClass
raise e
ExecuteError: ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters
Failed to execute (FeatureClassToFeatureClass).

IanMurray

I would recommend setting the current date and time to a variable and concatenating it into your file name.

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> datetime
<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> time

 

Cur_Date <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN>&nbsp; datetime<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>datetime<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>now<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>strftime<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"%y-%m-%d-%H-%M"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"current date and time is "</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> Cur_Date

Output_Shape <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Properties-"</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> Cur_Date <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">".shp"</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"New shapefile being written will be called "</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> Output_Shape

arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>Sheet1_Layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> CuroProperties<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> Output_Shape<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>

TheoFaull

Let's just say I always want the output file name to include the current date (and time), how can I ammend the output part of the code? So far I've managed to import datetime and time and print it:

import datetime
import time

print datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%y-%m-%d-%H-%M")

But what do I write in the output section?

arcpy.FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion(Sheet1__Layer, CuroProperties, "Properties.shp" + datetime ???????????

TedKowal

movdir <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">"C:\Scans"</SPAN>
basedir <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">"C:\Links"</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># Walk through all files in the directory that contains the files to copy</SPAN>
<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> root<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> dirs<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> files <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>walk<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>movdir<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> filename <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> files<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># I use absolute path, case you want to move several dirs.</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; old_name <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>abspath<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>root<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> filename <SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Separate base from extension</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; base<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> extension <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>splitext<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>filename<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Initial new name</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; new_name <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>basedir<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> base<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> filename<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># If folder basedir/base does not exist... You don't want to create it?</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">not</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>exists<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>basedir<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> base<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>basedir<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN>base<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"not found"</SPAN> 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">continue</SPAN>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># Next filename</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">elif</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">not</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>exists<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>new_name<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># folder exists, file does not</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; shutil<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>copy<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>old_name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> new_name<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># folder exists, file exists as well</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ii <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">while</SPAN> <SPAN class="token boolean">True</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; new_name <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>basedir<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN>base<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> base <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"_"</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> str<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>ii<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">+</SPAN> extension<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>exists<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>newname<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; shutil<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>copy<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>old_name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> new_name<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Copied"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> old_name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"as"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> new_name
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">break</SPAN> 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ii <SPAN class="operator token">+=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN>‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

IanMurray

You can use Arcpy.Exists to check if the dataset already exists and if it does, make the output a concatenation of the current date with the name and file type of your output.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/311627/how-to-print-date-in-a-regular-format-in-python

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