topic Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters in ModelBuilder Questions

Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

TimBarker — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 18:42:21 GMT

ArcMap Desktop 10.1

I'm trying to build a simple Calculate Value Tool entry in a model to concatenate some variables together into an output shapefile name. Cannot get it to work even though the expression evaluates correctly. I have simplified and simplified it trying to find source of error. I now have the simplest of entries. I put a simple text string into the expression and it still will not get past the tool.

Executing (Calculate Value): CalculateValue "calcname1" # String
Start Time: Wed Jul 05 12:35:54 2017
Value = calcname1
ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters
Failed to execute (Calculate Value).
Failed at Wed Jul 05 12:35:54 2017 (Elapsed Time: 0.00 seconds)

I have tried arcpy.ValidateTableName() - no difference.

What 'name' has invalid characters?

I chopped everything out of the model to where there is just the Calculate Value tool trying to evaluate the one input text string. It will not successfully finish.

Help?

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

JayantaPoddar — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 19:36:10 GMT

Could you attach the screenshot of the model/expression?

Ensure that the result of the expression (name) doesn't have any special characters (except underscore) and it doesn't start with a numeric value.

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 19:38:21 GMT

was the ... # string... portion in the original? I know it is ok as a comment for python, but not otherwise

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

IanMurray — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 20:40:47 GMT

I think the # was the placeholder for a blank expression for the second parameter of Calculate Value. Arc uses them all the time for optional parameters left blank in geoprocessing operations.

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 20:46:52 GMT

ahh, I didn't know it gave the data type as well, I knew about the # bit

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

curtvprice — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 10:48:36 GMT

This is strange, this works for me:

Executing (Calculate Value): CalculateValue "calcvalue1" # String
Start Time: Wed Jul 05 15:16:57 2017
Value = calcvalue1
Succeeded at Wed Jul 05 15:16:57 2017 (Elapsed Time: 0.06 seconds)‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

to get back to your need:

I'm trying to build a simple Calculate Value Tool entry in a model to concatenate some variables together into an output shapefile name.

You don't need to use Calculate Value, you can just enter them your output path:

C:\output_folder\%element1%%element2%%element3%‍

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

curtvprice — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 03:15:07 GMT

Dan, this is a very helpful parameter! The Data Type parameter of Calculate Value allows you to use code to construct a string representation of an object (say for extent), if you set the data type it allows model builder to recognize that data type to allow you to connect the Calculate Value output to a tool that requires that particular data type (like Extent, Cell Size, Coordinate System, etc).

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

MalcolmMeyer2 — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 15:15:14 GMT

Re: Model Builder Calculate Value Tool ERROR 000354: The name contains invalid characters

MalcolmMeyer2 — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 16:53:03 GMT

A computer restart fixed this and is now working as expected...that is weird.