topic Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file in ArcGIS Pro Questions

arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

Anonymous User — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:39:50 GMT

I'm using ArcGIS Pro 3.02 and Python 3.9 to create a feature layer and save the layer to a lyrx file. This generates an invalid file error message ("The selected layer file is not valid") when I attempt to add the lyrx to a map. Results are the same whether I run it as a stand-alone script or from the Python window in Pro.

This is the code:

# input polygon feature class
infeatures = "E:\\_Projects\\sample.gdb\\test"
maplayer = 'test'
layerfile = "E:\\Layers\\Test.lyrx"
arcpy.management.MakeFeatureLayer(infeatures, maplayer)
arcpy.management.SaveToLayerFile(maplayer, layerfile, 'ABSOLUTE')

Thank you,

Pam

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

JonathanNeal — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 19:05:13 GMT

@Anonymous User Checked in 3.1 (this is not an issue). Are you able to share an empty table. (Maybe there is something special in you data?)

To create an empty feature:
1. Select Layer By Attribute where ObjectId = -1
2. Copy Features

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

DanPatterson — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 19:06:20 GMT

in immediate mode, did you try

infeatures = "E:\\_Projects\\sample.gdb\\test" layerfile = "E:\\Layers\\Test.lyrx" arcpy.management.SaveToLayerFile(infeatures, layerfile, 'ABSOLUTE')

Save To Layer File (Data Management)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

JonathanNeal — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 19:20:52 GMT

Also, checked in 3.0 no issue with the above script. (Would be insiteful too if you did get the path to work and not the layerName)

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

RhettZufelt — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 19:22:03 GMT

your exact code is working fine in Pro 2.9.3 for me as long as E:\\_Projects\\sample.gdb\\test actually exists and is valid.

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

Anonymous User — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 20:35:32 GMT

Hmm. The script works in immediate mode (iPython). I still get an 'invalid file' when loading the same code in the Python window and running it from there.

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

Anonymous User — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 20:39:34 GMT

The path and feature class are valid. They work fine with other commands.

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

DanPatterson — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 21:49:51 GMT

Sounds strangely like

BUG-000117445: The Save To Layer File management tool fails and ret.. (esri.com)

which you seem to have tried the workaround

Re: arcpy SaveToLayerFile creates invalid file

Anonymous User — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 14:41:32 GMT

Thanks Dan. I'm currently dead in the water for running any of my scripts with Pro because I can't resolve the 'no module named arcpy' error that pops up every week.