topic Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export in ArcGIS Production Mapping Questions

Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 17:56:43 GMT

We have been looking into the possibility of purchasing the production mapping extension to assist our generation of good old hard copy. However, one area I have not been able to confirm is the ability to batch export to PDF. I have found reference to this functionality in the Aviation charting extension but not explicitly in the documentation for Production Mapping. Therefore I was wondering if this was functionality available in Production Mapping out the box, is it something that we will have to automate with arcpy.mapping.

Any and all assistance much appreciated.

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

Bo_King — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 23:09:46 GMT

Hi Geoff

You are correct that arcpy.mapping is the solution for batch export, and the one we recommend for Esri Production Mapping customers. More info here...

How To: Export map documents to PDF using Python

Export MXD to PDF (Python Script & Toolbox Tool)

https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=4ddd1323ae0d4ebe8f8250992faab0f4

Multiple MXD Exporter - Script to export multiple MXDs to single format

https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=bf797eadca474f0ca76e61d2fd55d0a8

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 11:55:31 GMT

Hi Bo,

Apologies for the late reply but thank you for your response that is very helpful.

I do have one further question you may be able to help with. When looking at the online support the pages for Production Mapping on ArcGIS Pro are rather thin on the ground in comparison to those under ArcMap. Is this a true reflection of the support for the extension on the Pro platform, e.g. it is not as complete a tool as on ArcMap, or is it a matter of the support pages not being complete.?

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

Bo_King — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:55:44 GMT

Hi Geoff

We have not yet reached full equivalency for Production Mapping in ArcGIS Pro. This is an ongoing effort. Please let me know if there are particular features you would like to see in the next release. Also, if you are interested in testing the latest releases, check out the Esri Early Adopter Program...

Early Adopter Community | Esri Early Adopter Program

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 15:10:10 GMT

Hi Bo

Thanks for this. Our issue lies more about some custom tools that we've had developed for our workflow and whether we should have them rebuilt for Pro, which at this point does not seem like we are in a position to quite move over yet.

Many thanks

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 12:13:00 GMT

Hi Bo,

One other question of the batch exporting of PDFs is that in non of the python sections in the ArcGIS help can I find reference to the Production PDFs.

We have a need to output a number of files with overprinting enabled on certain colors and while the manual Production PDF supports this we would rather batch our 283 pages than have a person do one at a time.

Am I missing something with scripting Production PDFs?

Cheers

Geoff

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

DanHopkins — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 15:44:40 GMT

Hi Geoff,

Have you looked at the ExportToProductionPDF function in the arcpyproduction.mapping python scripting module that is part of the ArcPyProduction site package in Esri Production Mapping? Link to the web-help and sample scripts is available below:

ExportToProductionPDF—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

Regards,

Dan

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:09:09 GMT

As expected I had missed something, thank you Dan much appreciated.

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 09:00:59 GMT

Hi there when scripting batch export is it not possible to use Introduction to arcpy.mapping.MapDocument to access MXDs stored in an enterprise database using production mapping do the have to be stored in the filesystem to allow this to work?

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

DanHopkins — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 18:18:29 GMT

What do you mean by "MXDs stored in an enterprise database"? Have you implemented a Product Library?

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 20:29:50 GMT

Hi Dan,

(Apologies I'm out of the office at present so some of the following may be a little vague)

Yes, when creating our product library we selected the storage type of Database when setting up the solution, rather than the File System

Choosing a storage type for files—Help | ArcGIS Desktop Our intention was for users have to rely on checking out to control access to files without the option of manually navigating to the MXDs on the network storage and inadvertently messing things up.

However, we need at times to export the whole series to PDF. We have quite happily got up scripts that loop through a folder of MXDs and export to Production PDF, but this is only with test files held on the File System.

So far we have not found a way loop through the products in a series and export to Production PDF. As there appear to be no specific functions for traversing the production library, our best guess so far is to manually batch copy them to a folder and run the script on that with a function deleting the files after export to leave those in the Product Library as the only copy.

I was, therefore, wondering if there is a way, via arcpy, to loop through the products in a series, access the MXDs and export them without having to create local copies?

Thank you for any guidance you can give much appreciated.

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

DanHopkins — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 22:37:59 GMT

Hi Geoff,

No need to apologize. Thank you for your response. It is clear and succinct.

I will be honest with you, I am not a programmer or scripter.

As you have discovered, the MXDs stored in the Product Library are objects that cannot be accessed using arcpy or arcpyproduction. The alternative would be to develop a UI or GP tool that would allow you to select specific MXDs or select all MXDs and check them out a file location where they could then be exported using ExportToProductionPDF. The ArcGIS for Aviation Team developed a UI called Batch Export Products that does basically that in a nutshell. However, I would suggest that you do not purchase ArcGIS for Aviation just to get access to that tool. Now I understand your question regarding Batch Export Products in your original post.

However, there might be an alternative. In the Production Mapping toolbox. Within the Product Library toolset. There is a GP tool called Check Out File. Link to the web-help for the Check Out File GP tool is below:

Check Out File—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

There are several parameters for this GP tool. Three of the key parameters are:

Product Library Workspace
Product Library File Path
Checkout path

If you could somehow figure out a way to chain this GP tool to allow you to select specific MXDs or select all MXDs in your Product Library and check them out to a file location, then you will be able to execute ExportToProductionPDF on the contents of the file location.

Regards,

Dan

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

GeoffChapman1 — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 15:02:12 GMT

Hi Dan,

Thank you for your reply very much appreciated especially as it sent me in the direction of the solution.

As a result we have now produced a Python Toolbox that allows us to traverse the Product Library selecting the Solution and Product Class to get to the desired Series and then based upon user supplied information batch export Production PDFs of the requested products from that Series.

It does this by checking out copies to a dynamically created temp file, generating the PDF and then checking the file back in. Thus creating a scenario where by the average user does not really know that they have briefly had local copy and maintaining the integrity of the version held in the database.

Kind Regards

Geoff

Re: Production Mapping - Batch Export

DanHopkins — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 15:08:14 GMT

Hi Geoff,

I am glad you were able to find a solution.

Take Care,

Dan