topic Re: In memory workspace in ArcGIS Pro SDK Questions

In memory workspace

ModyBuchbinder — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 09:53:55 GMT

Hello all

I could not find any class or example for in memory workspace.

From the other hand there are many arcpy examples with in memory.

So (for example) if I run a GP tool from the SDK and let arcpy create a feature class in memory how do I access it from my code after it was created.

Thanks

Re: In memory workspace

MatthewDriscoll — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 08:59:02 GMT

Here is a way you can get a path in python by creating temporary files rather then in memory. This would be only part of the puzzle, but perhaps this will help you figure out how to achieve what you want.

10.6. tempfile — Generate temporary files and directories — Python 2.7.18 documentation

Here is an example on how I have used it to create and open an exported pdf.

# create temporary pdf name variable
tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
pfilename = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(prefix="Property_Map_")
pdfname = pfilename.name + ".pdf"
# Location of the tempoary pdf file
outputpdf = os.path.join(tmpdir, pdfname)

# export layout to a pdf
layout.exportToPDF(outputpdf)

# Open the excel file
Popen("start acrobat %s" % (outputpdf), shell=True)‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Re: In memory workspace

ModyBuchbinder — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:14:08 GMT

There is no problem to create FGDB on disk and access it from the SDK

We would like to use in memory workspace to get better performance for temporary layers.

Re: In memory workspace

NobbirAhmed — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 23:47:46 GMT

Instead of the full path to GDB (such as: "C:\myfolder\mygdb.gdb") just use "in_memory" or just "memory". Here is an example:

Syntax in Python:

outfc = r"in_memory\\out_fc"

Syntax in C# will be:

var outfc = "in_memory\\out_fc"

Alternatively, you can just use "memory\mydata".

We will add a snippet and sample to Geoprocessing SDK section: GitHub - Esri/arcgis-pro-sdk: ArcGIS Pro SDK for Microsoft .NET is the new .NET SDK for the ArcGIS Pro Application.

This is a new Pro format built and supported in ArcGIS Pro 2.x:

Write geoprocessing output to memory—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Note: Unlike the memory workspace, in_memory workspace does not support subtypes or domains.

Re: In memory workspace

ModyBuchbinder — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 04:21:56 GMT

Hi Nobbir

Thanks for the great answer.

I understand that if we work in Pro (2.4) we should use memory/out_fc in Python and var outfc = "memory\\out_fc" in the SDK to get the best option.

Thanks

Re: In memory workspace

ModyBuchbinder — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 08:59:04 GMT

Hi Nabbir

Just tested it.

Creating a feature class in memory with the GP command works.

The line:

new Geodatabase(new FileGeodatabaseConnectionPath(new Uri(@"memory")))
fail with wrong Uri.
What are we missing?

Thanks

Re: In memory workspace

NobbirAhmed — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 16:10:46 GMT

See the help text, it requires a valid path to a file geodatabase folder that ends with .gdb extension:

Re: In memory workspace

ModyBuchbinder — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 04:00:22 GMT

So we return to the original question. How do I create a in memory feature class and use it in the SDK??

This is basic functionality in ArcObjects.

Re: In memory workspace

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 15:24:08 GMT

I have communicated with our Geodatabase team - they are following this thread. As of now, there is no API yet.

As of now, for Geoprocessing functionalities, we have "in_memory" and "memory" workspace - what it does is, the string is read as is but then internally interpret and convert it to a geodatabase which lives in memory.

Re: In memory workspace

RichRuh — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 17:04:00 GMT

Hi Mody,

I've been working with Nobbir Ahmed‌ on your question.

There's no direct way to work with in-memory feature classes using the Pro SDK, but there is an indirect way.

When you run your geoprocessing tool with the Pro SDK, set it up to output your results to a map. If you do that, a FeatureLayer is added to the map. You can then call FeatureLayer.GetFeatureClass() to get a FeatureClass object. You should be able to treat that as a regular feature class. (Note that If you call FeatureClass.GetDatastore() you get back an object with type UnknownDatastore, which isn't especially useful).

I hope this helps,

--Rich

Re: In memory workspace

RichRuh — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 23:52:20 GMT

Hi @ModyBuchbinder ,

I just wanted to let you know that you will be able to directly create memory geodatabases and tables within them using the Pro SDK at 2.8.

--Rich

Re: In memory workspace

Zoggo — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 08:34:47 GMT

Where can I find example for this in 2.8?

Re: In memory workspace

RichRuh — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 18:58:46 GMT

@Zoggo

Here is a snippet showing how to create a memory geodatabase.

Once you have created the geodatabase, here is a snippet showing how to create a feature class.

I hope this helps,

--Rich

Re: In memory workspace

DaveLewis73 — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:02:28 GMT

Rich,

I am trying to create an in-memory feature class and then add it to my map. I believe I have the creation of the feature class working from the snippets that you have provided, but I can't seem to get a layer created. My code is

var featLayerCreateParams = new FeatureLayerCreationParams(new Uri(@"\\memory\SourcePackageFootprint"));
featLayerCreateParams.Name = "Source Package Footprint";
Layer layer = LayerFactory.Instance.CreateLayer<FeatureLayer>(featLayerCreateParams, MapView.Active.Map, LayerPosition.AddToTop);

However, this does not work. I get an error of "failed to add data, unsupported data type \\memory\SourcePackageFootprint". What am I doing wrong?

P.S. Thank you for the snippets. They were quite helpful in building the in memory feature class.

Re: In memory workspace

RichRuh — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 16:19:05 GMT

I'm not sure why the URI isn't accepted, but have you tried just creating the layer from the feature class itself?

--Rich

Re: In memory workspace

DaveLewis73 — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 16:59:54 GMT

I followed the "Creating a Feature Class" snippet, but I don't see where an actual feature class object is created. I just get the success from calling schemaBuilder.Build(). That is how I assumed that the code was working.

Re: In memory workspace

RichRuh — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 19:33:55 GMT

I'm sorry, I forgot that step. After calling schemaBuilder.Build() you can get a FeatureClass pointer using Geodatabase.OpenDataset<FeatureClass>("SourcePackageFootprint").

Re: In memory workspace

DaveLewis73 — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 19:54:51 GMT

That seems to have worked. Thank you. The only question that I have now is regarding the asynchronous aspect of this code. Should I bracket the entire subroutine into QueuedTask.Run() or just the CreateFeatureLayer portion?

Re: In memory workspace

RichRuh — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 20:16:51 GMT

The calls to the SchemaBuilder and the OpenDataset call should also be inside QueuedTask.Run()

Re: In memory workspace

SarahHartholt — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 17:15:40 GMT

Hi there,

I'm using ArcPro 2.9.0 and am trying to use the "memory\mydata" format to join 2 layers in ModelBuilder. The documentation clearly states that I should not add a file extension. However, when I enter "memory\JoinParcelstoTable" to the Output Dataset box and click away ".shp" is automatically added to the end of my in memory folder path. When I try to run my model it fails on this tool. Any insights would be appreciated.