topic Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script? in ArcGIS Pro Questions

How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

AllenDailey1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 19:57:12 GMT

Is there a way to refresh the data in a feature class's attribute table after running a standalone Python script?

Fully closing and re-opening ArcGIS Pro does accomplish this kind of refresh. But it would be very helpful to get it to refresh without having to close the program!

I'm using Pro 3.0.3 and cannot upgrade for a long time, due to my organization's needs relating to versions of License Manager, ArcGIS Server, existing map services and apps, etc.

I'm running a standalone Python script that edits attribute data in a feature class that's in an enterprise geodatabase. I am both editing and viewing the default, not a version. After running the script, the edits do not appear in Pro, unless I close and reopen the software. I have tried closing and reopening the attribute table, refreshing the data source in the Catalog pane (you'd think that would do it, but it does not), and panning/zooming the map in Pro. None of that makes the edits appear in the table. Any ideas?

Thank you!

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

DavidPike — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 19:58:23 GMT

There's the refresh button (2 blue arrows in a loop) at the top-right corner of the attribute table - does that not work? Removing and re-adding the data should work if that doesn't.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

AllenDailey1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 20:14:49 GMT

Thanks for your post!

Huh, I never knew about that refresh button, even though I have used Pro a lot! So thank you for pointing that out. Now, looking over to the right side near that button, I'm noticing the attribute table "hamburger" button, which I hadn't noticed either. I guess I'm used to buttons being aligned to the left side, so it feels odd to me to have most buttons aligned left but one or two aligned right. (And I have a huge screen, so that probably doesn't help with noticing buttons on an unexpected side.)

However, that refresh button at the bottom right of the map area didn't make the edits appear. It appeared to do some work, like the map area and table went white for a moment while it worked, and then they seemingly reloaded. But the edits still did not appear in the table. Next, to make sure there were indeed edits, I closed and reopened Pro, and then I could see the edits in the table.

[Edit: now I'm hunting on the screen for other buttons in places where I would not expect them, and I'm seeing another refresh button down at the bottom of the table, on the right, and the tooltip says "refresh the table." I had never even really noticed any of the buttons down there; I thought all the table buttons would be at the top left, maybe based on how ArcMap is? I'm going to do some testing now to see if this other button will do the job.]

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

DanPatterson — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 20:11:49 GMT

If your script was associated with a tool in arctoolbox, then you would be better off since toolbox scripts are connected to the open Pro environment.

a Script tool would be the simplest

What is a script tool?—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

If you have input parameters in your standalone script you can set them as defaults for the tool meaning that you can basically run the tool with preloaded parameters.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

AllenDailey1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 20:18:47 GMT

Wow, I really thought that the refresh button at the bottom right of the attribute table would do the job, but it did not. Weird!

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

AllenDailey1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:39:10 GMT

Thank you! Good to know. It's not worth it in this particular case to create a tool, but I guess it sounds like the implication is that a script is "disconnected" from Pro in such a way that refreshing the table doesn't grab the script's edits? That doesn't make sense to me... but Pro can be mysterious.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

DanPatterson — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 22:11:16 GMT

Jupyter notebooks launched from Pro, the python command line in Pro and toolbox scripts are all connected to Pro. A standalone script isn't although you can use arcpy and arctoolbox functionality.

the "arcgis" module might be worth a look but again it is geared to jupyter and suffers from some of the same limitations as standalone python scripts.

Add and remove a layer is a quick workaround that I have used when I get lazy

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

AllenDailey1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 23:40:18 GMT

Thank you for the information!

I don't want to remove and re-add the layer in this case, since it has complex symbology. But that would be handy in many cases.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Robert_LeClair — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:24:11 GMT

There is an enhancement request in the Product Plan that's somewhat related to your question. ENH-000135306 - Implement a screen refresh when edits are made to features after a data access module is run in a Python script/tool in ArcGIS Pro." Hopefully soon!

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

AllenDailey1 — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 19:06:46 GMT

Okay, that's good to know. Thank you very much for sharing that!

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

MattSteging — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:38:55 GMT

What is the status of ENH-000135306? Is there somewhere I can view the status?

Thanks.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Robert_LeClair — Tue, 07 May 2024 20:42:52 GMT

Hi Matt - I just pulled up the ENH-000135306 request to determine it's status - still show "in the product plan." Not terribly helpful I know but that's the current status.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

lmatteo — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:55:00 GMT

Actually, if you go to the data source panel, then right click to the database name and select "Refresh" it would work. But I'm also looking for an in-script solution to refresh it automatically.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

melisahansen — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 12:34:38 GMT

@Robert_LeClair has this enhancement request been completed? We still can't see data created via python script unless we manually refresh a version.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Robert_LeClair — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 13:51:31 GMT

@melisahansen - as of 7/15/24, its status is still "in the product plan." I don't see any new updates unfortunately.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Michele_Hosking — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 21:22:24 GMT

I'm running a python script from a toolbox tool (ArcGIS Pro 3.3.0) and it still doesn't refresh the attribute table. Nothing seems to except refreshing from Data Source > Refresh on the Contents pane. My data is in an enterprise geodatabase (sql server) and versioned using traditional versioning. I'm also using the new arcpy.RefreshLayer() command that came in with 3.3.0 but that does nothing. I suspect because it's on a versioned feature class.

This is just super annoying - I just want an arcpy command that does the same as Data Source > Refresh.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Jessica_Watson — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 06:56:25 GMT

@lmatteo I have a python script that runs using a python toolbox and it uses an insertCursor to insert rows into a related table. The problem is, the same as you have been getting, that it does not refresh the data source automatically. I can use the option Contents > List by Data Source > Refresh to manually refresh and then I can see the rows inserted into the table. Otherwise I have to restart pro. I am also searching for an answer to do this programmatically. Did you come across any solution?

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Jessica_Watson — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 07:09:41 GMT

Hello,

I just commented on here a few minutes ago but thought I'd have one last attempt.

I saw a solution on another post, but this actually worked for me (rough coding so apologies for the messiness but finally got it to work!). Another user KjetilSverdrup-Thygeson in this post said it was slow for them so use with caution. The workaround is to "change" the version of the Feature layer (or Table in my case) to the same version it is in effectively refreshing the layers:

def refreshMap(layerName):
current_project = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject('current')
target_map = current_project.activeMap
for l in target_map.listLayers("*"):
arcpy.AddMessage(f"layer is {l}")
if l.longName == layerName:
conProp = l.connectionProperties
arcpy.ChangeVersion_management(l, 'TRANSACTIONAL', conProp['connection_info']['version'])

for t in target_map.listTables("*"):
arcpy.AddMessage(f"table is {t}")
if t.longName == layerName:
conProp = t.connectionProperties
arcpy.ChangeVersion_management(t, 'TRANSACTIONAL', conProp['connection_info']['version'])

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Alison_Mynsberge — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:50:56 GMT

Also hoping for this fix soon; it affects our ability to provide expected outputs from toolboxes without the tedious (from a GIS novice's view) workaround.

Re: How to refresh attribute table after editing data with Python script?

Jeff-Reinhart — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:58:52 GMT

Esri, please fix this. Being able to refresh the connection programmatically in Python to see changes made by the Data Access module in a Pro session seems like very basic functionality. Would it be helpful if someone started an “Idea”?