Error 000229 with ModelBuilder Iterator

Question

Hello everyone.

- This is a very aggravating ModelBuilder error and could use some help.

I have a simple model to batch-clip layers using an iterator. (See screenshot below). The model fails with a "000229: Cannot Open (source layername varies)" as if the layer was not found, but all layers exist.

In fact, if I remove all but a few items, the model runs just fine. And Modelbuilder even correctly processes the layer it just told me it could not find when all values were listed. It is almost like "it runs out of space" to hold the variables, but it makes no sense to me.

Any ideas please? (And thanks much in advance!)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20657[/ATTACH]

Error_000229.jpg

deleted-user-AyQ-Iok8btBJ · Answer

Better late than never but I found a solution to Error 000229 when using an iterator in model builder. Little background, the model was to loop through a folder of shapefiles and project each one to a specified coordinate system. I'm seen many others getting this issue when trying to clip, dissolve, ect. My solution was the add a spatial index to each shapefile. Through catalog, right click each shapefile, index tab, add index, hit apply. After doing so, everything worked as planned.

DavidCampbell · Answer

I was getting this error in modelbuilder. Trying to dissolve and pass the result on to an add field. It wouldn't pass saying it didn't exist. As my output from the tool I had %value%\Name. The output appeared in its correct file folder but would not pass. After playing around, I tried adding '.shp' to the output name and it passed. Not sure if that is too basic and everyone new that, but just in case....

MarcosBastian · Answer

It's been over a year, and I have since moved onto other projects... but if I recall correctly, we never found an answer to this problem. I believe we just broke down the loop into multiple smaller lists as a half-baked workaround. 
Sorry I could not be more helpful... Good luck!