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If-Then function for writing a value in column B based on a value in column A

RobertHill

Hello All,

I'm looking for a starting point on how to code the following in ArcPy: I need an UpdateCursor to go through every row in my feature class and write a value into a cell based on the value in another cell. In other words, if I have two fields (RR Type and RR Width), for each row where RR Type = "Two Way," I want to write the value "12" in RR Width.

I know an UpdateCurser is needed and am thinking that I should use an If - Then function, but it's a bit over my head. I'm still really new to Python.

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Accepted answers

JoshuaBixby

If you want to use cursors, use the Data Access cursors (UpdateCursor—Help | Documentation ) and not the original cursors.

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

fc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="comment token"># path to feature class or shape file</SPAN>
field1 <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"LTN"</SPAN>
field2 <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"ZI016_WD1"</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">with</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>da<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>UpdateCursor<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN>field1<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> field2<SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">as</SPAN> cur<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> row <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> cur<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">==</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
            row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">4</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
            row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">3</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">*</SPAN> row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>
        cur<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>updateRow<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>row<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>

All comments

JoeBorgione

Shapefiles are so 1995. Typically I use File Geodatabase Feature Classes. As far as data storage location, it depends. Typically on a shared drive, but now that I'm working from home and the VPN is flakey, I keep everything locally. I create directories under C:\gis

RobertHill

Good feedback, thanks. What would you use instead of a shapefile? And where do you recommend storing your data instead?

JoshuaBixby

I know the feeling, it has happened to me many times....

JoeBorgione

First... Repeat after me: I will always use the arcpy.daUdpateCursor and never use the old and outdated arcpy.UpdateCursor.

With that out of the way, here is how I would approach it:

fc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r'C<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>\some\path\to\my\data

fields <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'LTN'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'ZI016_WD1'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">with</SPAN> arcp<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>da<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>UpdateCursor<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> fields<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">as</SPAN> cursor<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> row <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> cursor<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">==</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
            row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">4</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
             row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">*</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">3</SPAN>
        cursor<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>updateRow‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍<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>

I would also suggest not using shapefiles and if you must, don't keep them in C:\program files. In fact, don't put any data there.

BTW: your error in line 10 is because you used = instead of ==.....

hahahaha: looks like Joshua Bixby‌ hit enter just before I did....

JoshuaBixby

If you want to use cursors, use the Data Access cursors (UpdateCursor—Help | Documentation ) and not the original cursors.

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

fc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="comment token"># path to feature class or shape file</SPAN>
field1 <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"LTN"</SPAN>
field2 <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"ZI016_WD1"</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">with</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>da<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>UpdateCursor<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN>field1<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> field2<SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">as</SPAN> cur<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> row <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> cur<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">==</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
            row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">4</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
            row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="number token">3</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token">*</SPAN> row<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">0</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>
        cur<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>updateRow<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>row<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>

RobertHill

Thank you both for your feedback. Above is where I am at this point in my code, and here's what I'm trying to achieve: Where "LTN" = 1, I need "ZI016_WD1" to = 4. In all other cases I need "ZI016_WD1" to = 3x the "LTN" value.

JoshuaBixby

You can still use the Field Calculator, and it might be easier than using a cursor if you are new to Python. As Joe pointed out, you can use a basic if/elif/else statement, but you need to share your conditions so people can provide specific feedback.

JoeBorgione

<SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token"><</SPAN>condtion <SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
   do something
<SPAN class="keyword token">elif</SPAN> <SPAN class="operator token"><</SPAN>condition <SPAN class="number token">2</SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">></SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
   do something <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN>
<SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
   do the third something‍‍‍‍‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

RobertHill

Thank you, so I have 3 conditions--3 RR Types that need corresponding values. So I may be looking at an "if, then, else" function. And I would like to avoid the Field Calculator because I'm trying to automate this as much as possible. It's a recurring task that will need to be performed on a lot of different tables over coming months.

JoshuaBixby

If you only have one condition to update, you don't need an update cursor. For your specific situation, using the Field Calculator and put the following in the expression box using the Python parser:

<SPAN class="number token">12</SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> !RRTYPE! <SPAN class="operator token">==</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Two Way"</SPAN> <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN> !RRWidth!<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

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