Python Copy_management throws exception "ERROR 000979"

NeilRipley

I am trying to copy a series of feature classes from a file geodatabase out to a folder of shapefiles but am encountering a problem.

The code below is throwing this exception:
Failed to execute. Parameters are not valid.
ERROR 000979: Cannot copy between different workspaces.
Failed to execute (Copy).

Any help would be appreciated.

import arcpy, sys, os, string

infc = r'C:\temp\basedata\SK_BS.gdb\BS_1250009_0'
outshp = r'C:\temp\Basedata_shps\BS_1250009_0.shp'

outpath = r'C:\temp\Basedata_shps'

arcpy.env.workspace = outpath
arcpy.Copy_management(infc, outshp)

ChrisSnyder

Try either this:

import arcpy, sys, os, string
infc = r'C:\temp\basedata\SK_BS.gdb\BS_1250009_0'
outshp = r'C:\temp\Basedata_shps\BS_1250009_0.shp'
arcpy.Copy_management(infc, outshp) 

or this:

import arcpy, sys, os, string
infc = r'C:\temp\basedata\SK_BS.gdb\BS_1250009_0'
outshp = 'BS_1250009_0.shp'
outpath = r'C:\temp\Basedata_shps'
arcpy.env.workspace = outpath
arcpy.Copy_management(infc, outshp) 

When you use the full shp path coupled with setting the arcpy.env.workspace, ArcPy gets confused because you are basically then saying the outputshapefile should be:

r'C:\temp\Basedata_shps\C:\temp\Basedata_shps\BS_1250009_0.shp'

Personally I almost always use the full path to a dataset instead of setting the workspace. It is cleaner and the code is easier to read/follow.