SpatialDataFrame - unable to save using to_featureclass

RobW

Hi, I am testing out SpatialDataFrame and I am trying to do a simple read-write.  I am unable to find a past post to help with my issue. 

My code (I am using ArcGIS Pro 2.5.1) is: 

import pandas as pd
from arcgis.features import SpatialDataFrame

#setup to read input feature class
AOI = r'G:\Work\pandasTest.gdb\fc_10K'
AOIname = 'fc_10K'
dfAOI = pd.DataFrame.spatial.from_featureclass(AOI)
print(type(dfAOI))

#carry out a test operation
dfAOI.columns = [x.lower() for x in dfAOI.columns]
print ("Number of original records or observations: ", len(dfAOI))

#output to a new feature class
#syntax from documentation:
# to_featureclass(out_location, out_name, overwrite=True, skip_invalid=True)
dfAOI.spatial.to_featureclass(r'G:\Work\pandasTest.gdb', AOIname + "_new")

print ('done')

The output error for the above code is: 

ValueError: 'SHAPE' is not in list

Any insight as to what is going on?

Thanks. 

RobW

I believe I figured it out.  In my code, the line: 

dfAOI.columns = [x.lower() for x in dfAOI.columns]

changes all fields names to lower case.  When a feature class is read into a Spatially Enabled DataFrame (SeDF), a 'shape' field is added/included and is set to all caps (SHAPE) by default. So, when the above snippet is ran and stored into a SeDF, SHAPE becomes 'shape'. Then, when 'dfAOI.spatial.to_featureclass(AOInew)' is ran, the interpreter looks for the case-sensitive field SHAPE and does not find it. 

I should not have used

dfAOI.columns = [x.lower() for x in dfAOI.columns]

as a means to test editing data.