topic Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map in ArcGIS Pro Questions

ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

TD — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 18:29:01 GMT

Hi ArcGIS Community,

I have a Python script that simply add points to a feature class in file GDB every second. The corresponding layer is in an ArcGIS Pro map, and I would like to visualise the point as their are being added, without manually interacting with the map.

When running the script as a standalone script, panning or zooming will force the map to refresh and display points newly added.

How can I programatically refresh the map to see the update displayed dynamically, without the need for user interaction ?

Thanks

Windows 8.1
ArcGIS Pro 1.4.1

import arcpy, time, random, datetime

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject('D:\workspaces\sandbox\sandbox\sandbox.aprx')


fields = ['SHAPE@XY', 'DATETIME']
iteration = 10
second = 1
# bouding box: east, west, south, north (define your own extent)
boundingBox = [x1,x2,y1,y2]

fc = r"D:\workspace\mygdb.gdb\Points"


for i in range(iteration):
     
     x = random.uniform(boundingBox[0],boundingBox[1])
     y = random.uniform(boundingBox[2],boundingBox[3])
     
     xy = (x,y)
     
     cursor = arcpy.da.InsertCursor(fc, fields)
     cursor.insertRow((xy, datetime.datetime.now()))
     del cursor
     
     print('Done! ... i=' + str(i))
     time.sleep(second)


print('QUIT')‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 03:29:11 GMT

From the help topic on changes if you are using arcpy.mp (formerly arcpy.mapping) changes are supposed to reflected automatically only if 'Current' is being used. Also the changes mean that camera, layout and map replace the old... and I can't find any refresh-anything in the class list

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

TD — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 06:03:44 GMT

Hi Dan,

The problem with the Python window is that the map refreshes only once the script has completed. Even manually interacting with the map does not refresh it. I'd like to update the display while the script is running.

And I'd like to be able to run the script as a standalone script.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 09:12:49 GMT

This Alphabetical list of ArcPy functions—ArcPy Functions | ArcGIS Desktop and Alphabetical list of ArcPy classes—ArcPy Classes | ArcGIS Desktop and Alphabetical list of ArcPy functions—ArcPy Functions | ArcGIS Desktop is pretty well all you have

The only thing I can think of is if you had one script call another within a loop rather than have the whole process in one. I can't remember if passing back a value from the called script would trigger something in arcmap or PRO

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

JoshuaBixby — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:33:31 GMT

I think Dan's first comment is getting to the root of your issue. Just so I understand, you want to run this as a stand-alone script and not in the currently open ArcGIS Pro session? If the former, do you want to modify the display of an APRX file while another user has it open?

Also, recreating the insert cursor every time within your loop will be a performance killer.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

TD — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 06:42:33 GMT

Hi Joshua,

Let me rephrase the expected workflow.

I'd like to open an ArcGIS Pro project and visualise a layer of a point feature class.
While viewing this layer, I would like to run a script that is going to create additional points in this feature class.
Everytime a new point is added by the script to the feature class, I want the display of the layer or map of the ArcGIS Pro project to refresh in oder to visualise the new point.

It doesn't matter if the script runs as standalone or in the Python Pro window, I was just describing what I have tested.

I hope it helps.

Thanks

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DanPatterson_Retired — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:49:03 GMT

Well, since 'Current' project (*aprx) doesn't require a refresh of the active map according to the help then either the help is somewhat misleading or the script isn't finishing. As an final idea, perhaps attaching the script to a tool in arctoolbox wil enable the expected behaviour, I am not convinced that an external script is going to perform the task properly or at all

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

JoshuaBixby — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 19:00:29 GMT

From the Migrating from arcpy.mapping to ArcGIS Pro documentation:

When using the CURRENT keyword in the Python window with ArcGIS Desktop, you sometimes had to call refreshActiveView to force a screen refresh. This is no longer the case with ArcGIS Pro. All arcpy.mp API changes will directly update the application.

It is the last sentence that I believe is relevant here. I may be interpreting the documentation too literally, but in your case you are not making arcpy.mp API changes, you are adding data to feature class.

Without an explicit refresh call or a zoom or pan action, ArcGIS Pro would constantly have to be polling the data source to see if any data has changed. Doing so introduces several questions and challenges. For example, how frequently do you do the polling, every second, half-second? What kind of additional and extraneous network or disk traffic is created by the constant polling?

If you were changing arcpy.mp elements (symbology, map frame properties, changing data source for layer), I am sure the changes would happen automagically. In this case, you are updating data in a data source, and I don't believe that is covered by the automatic refresh.

In terms of refresh, I am not sure if there is some automatic refresh at a designated time interval, e.g., every 5 minutes the screen refreshes no matter what.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

Anonymous User — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 18:28:02 GMT

Hi,

I also have this problem, but I only need to refresh the scene at the end of my python script. The script adds records into a feature class, and then I want to see those on screen when the script is done.

Chris

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

KjetilSverdrup-Thygeson — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 08:02:47 GMT

Hi,

I struggle with the same problem, having a script tool which inserts new points to an existing feature class in ArcSDE using an Insert Cursor.
The new points do not automatically appear on the map.

One interactive workaround for me is to choose "List by data source", selecting the ArcSDE connection and on the Versioning tab click "Refresh". This is not very user friendly though.

Another workaround is to "change" the version of the Feature layer to the same version it is in (see code below).

This works, but is way too slow (30 sec).

def refreshMap(layerName):
   p = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject('current')
   m = p.listMaps("MainMap")[0]
   for l in m.listLayers("*"):
      if l.longName == layerName:
         conProp = l.connectionProperties
         arcpy.ChangeVersion_management(l, 'TRANSACTIONAL', conProp['connection_info']['version'])

Please give us a way to refresh the map!

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DarrylKlassen1 — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:36:07 GMT

I am also having this problem. I have have a script that allows the user to select an Address from our Property layer, and it zooms to this property, but.... It only works if I close and open the map up again. I would like it to automatically zoom to the property, which it doesn't. Code below. I would like the have Refresh object at the end.

import arcpy,sys,string,os
dbconn = r"S:\GIS\Scripts\Python\Darryl_Working\Zoom_Address_Pro\Data.gdb"
inputlayer = dbconn + "\\GIS_Property"
inputaddress = arcpy.GetParameter(0)
mapname = arcpy.GetParameter(1)
cur,row = None, None
cur = arcpy.SearchCursor(inputlayer)
for row in cur:
if str(row.ADDRESS).upper() == inputaddress.upper():
ex = row.SHAPE
aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("CURRENT")
map = aprx.listMaps(mapname)[0]
map.defaultCamera.setExtent(ex.extent)

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:40:12 GMT

add a tool to a toolbox, associate the parameters with it, it might do the query and when it is done, maybe it will zoom to it.

A standalone script isn't going to do any zooming I am afraid, but a script in a toolbox just might behave as we want it to

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DarrylKlassen1 — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:42:53 GMT

Sorry, I should have mentioned this. This stand-alone script is attached to a toolbox with a combo box that has a list of all the addresses in it. When I execute the tool, it works fine, but doesn't refresh the extent unless I close and open the map again.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 16:50:35 GMT

hmmm camera uses a derived property

Extent is not a direct property of the Camera object because it is not an explicit property but rather a derived property. Camera positions do not store extent properties, but from an X, Y location and a scale, extent is derived. The getExtent method will return a derived extent.

Camera—ArcPy | ArcGIS Desktop

have you tried messing with the extent object?

Extent (Environment setting)—Geoprocessing | ArcGIS Desktop

I don't know if setting the extent to the selection will be enough for the camera to read it.

I would be much simpler if they put a refresh option on the tool dialog if desired

And doesn't the refresh button on the map work? or do you still have to close it?

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DarrylKlassen1 — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:06:31 GMT

Clicking the refresh button doesn't work, you have to actually close the map and open it again. The arcpy.env.extent returns a NoneType value, and when I set it to an extent, nothing happens. Will keep trying this route.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:16:22 GMT

set it before the work is processed, then set it after the selection and before the camera. camera is probably reading the None thing since it isn't set

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

DarrylKlassen1 — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:36:50 GMT

I can't even manually (using the Python window) change the extent of the map.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

curtvprice — Thu, 02 May 2019 03:14:40 GMT

Unlike ArcMap you can't set the extent directly (as Dan quoted above):

Extent is not a direct property of the Camera object

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

NoelPeterson — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 17:15:34 GMT

Not sure why this is marked as "assumed answered". I don't see a solution anywhere in here.

Re: ArcGIS Pro | ArcPy - How To Refresh the Map

JeffHiggins — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 22:20:20 GMT

I ran into a similar problem where a Dynamic Text Element in a Layout needed to be refreshed during a Python script. Basically the table values that fed the dynamic text were updated in a loop before exporting an image of the map. The Text Element would not update after the table value changed so every image exported from the loop would should the initial value. I solved this by turning on and off the text element after the table value was changed and before the image was exported in the loop.

Perhaps that is a workaround here - turn the element on and off to induce a refresh.