Removing empty feature classes from a geodatabase

Question

Does anybody know of a script that exists to do this?

I have come across this link where some people have had success, others not.

I tried it myself, but no luck.

JustinOdell · Answer

Hmm... I seem to be making less progress than with the while loops.  I will get myself in to do a Python course, but as it stands I am struggling to get the code to do what I want it to.

Is anybody able to write or test the code and fix it so that it deletes empty feature classes AND empty feature datasets from a geodatabase?  I would be very thankful.

NiklasNorrthon · Answer

My advice is: Don't loop with while! (Not in arcpy, and not in previous versions of arcgis either). The ArcGIS sample code is written by someone not knowing python.

arcpy version:
listmdb = arcpy.ListWorkspaces('*', 'FileGDB')
for mdb in listmdb:
    print mdb
    # same logic as above
    # change inner loops to for loops too
    # don't call next, since it's done behind the scene with the for loop

ArcGIS 9.2 version:
listmdb = gp.ListWorkspaces('*', 'FileGDB')
for mdb in iter(listmdb.next, None): # Note: no function parantheses following next
    print mdb
    # same logic as above
    # change inner loops to for loops too
    # don't call next, since it's done behind the scene with the for loop

JustinOdell · Answer

This is the code I have.  I've never taken a Python scripting course, so I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to programming.

The problem I find when running the script in IDLE, is that it gets stuck in the while loop, and (I think) tries to keep removing the same feature dataset.##############################################################
## Delete Empty Feature Classes from Multiple Geodatabases
##
## This script loops through all geodatabases within a directory
## and removes empty featureclasses from each geodatabase.
##
## User must hardcode directory. Run this script in IDLE.
##
## Python Version 2.4
##############################################################

# Create the Geoprocessor object
import arcgisscripting, os, sys, string
gp = arcgisscripting.create()

# Load required toolboxes�?�
gp.AddToolbox("C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\ArcToolbox\Toolboxes\Conversion Tools.tbx")

# Set workspace
gp.workspace = "L:\Justin\00_jobs\Python_Scripting_Test\"

# list personal geodatabases in the current workspace
listmdb = gp.listworkspaces("*", "FileGDB")
mdb = listmdb.next()

# loop through the personal geodatabases
while mdb:
    print mdb
    gp.workspace = mdb
    # list feature datasets in personal geodatabase
    listfdset=gp.listdatasets()
    fdset=listfdset.next()

# loop through feature dataset
    while fdset:
        print "fdset: ", fdset

if not fdset == None:
            gp.workspace = mdb + "\" + fdset
            
    # list feature classes in the personal geodatabase
        fcs = gp.listfeatureclasses()
        fcs.reset()
        fc = fcs.next()

# loop through the featureclasses
    while fc:
        print fc, gp.GetCount_management(fc)

# if the feature class table has no records, delete the featureclass
        if gp.GetCount_management(fc) == 0:
            gp.Delete_management(fc)
            print fc + "deleted from" + mdb
        fc = fcs.next()

fdset=listfdset.next()

mdb = listmdb.next()

Any help is greatly appreciated.