topic Re: Auto DBF output help! in Python Questions

Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 13:40:23 GMT

I'm not understanding how to use the script located here:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00120000001t000000

I've used other python scripts such as auto pdf output script with no problem. Here is how I'm attempting to use this:

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
 
env.workspace = "c:/Test"
 
inTables = ["AJD_rate"]
outLocation = "c:/Test"


try: 
    # Execute TableToDBASE
    arcpy.TableToDBASE_conversion(inTables, outLocation)
except:
    print arcpy.GetMessages()

The table I want to output to DBF is inside a .mxd file, but this script doesn't seem to require an input file, only a directory. The table name is "AJD_rate". Where am I going wrong?

TIA

Re: Auto DBF output help!

JamesCrandall — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 17:17:55 GMT

The table I want to output to DBF is inside a .mxd file, but this script doesn't seem to require an input file, only a directory. The table name is "AJD_rate". Where am I going wrong?

TIA

The example shows you how to convert a list of GDB tables ("inTables"). They are setting the workspace then just specifying the names of the tables inside of that geodatabase ("workspace") to output .dbf files to that output folder.

The question is, what is your input table? Saying "the table in a .mxd file" is not enough. What is it? Where is it? etc...

Re: Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 17:24:59 GMT

This is all in an effort to "workaround" the lack of .dbf output in MS Access since their 2013 version. I noticed that ArcGIS has the ability to output a DBF, so my idea was to have access output a table, have that table linked in ArcGIS, create a script to have ArcGIS dump this table to DBF via python, then link that dbf back to ArcGIS.

Apparently .dbf's don't lock (desirable for multiple users) and allows additional data to be visible within the map. This table contains x,y data, and some additional data. So, that's where it comes from and that's what's in it. This would be a .py file I could call from Windows Task Scheduler.

Re: Auto DBF output help!

JamesCrandall — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 17:40:41 GMT

Okay, but what is the input table that you dropped into ArcMap and you want to convert to a .dbf file?

Re: Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 17:52:10 GMT

Its a table linked from an access database (.mdb)

Re: Auto DBF output help!

JamesCrandall — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:13:02 GMT

I am not able to set a workspace to an .mdb in my quick testing.

Re: Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:16:14 GMT

Can you set it to an .xlsx workbook? That would be ideal.

Re: Auto DBF output help!

MichaelVolz — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:20:23 GMT

What version of ArcMap are you working with?

What type of operating system are you (32-bit or 64-bit)?

Re: Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:23:43 GMT

What version of ArcMap are you working with?

What type of operating system are you (32-bit or 64-bit)?

10.1 & 64bit

Re: Auto DBF output help!

MichaelVolz — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 18:50:29 GMT

Make sure you are working with 32-bit python as 64-bit python will not work with personal geodatabases (Access). No sure if this will matter, but make sure you have Background Geoprocessing disabled as that is running in 64-bit mode.

Re: Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 19:18:06 GMT

Here is the first thing I tried...

Opening a new instance of arcmap, clicking "add data", selecting a .xlsx spreadsheet with the x,y data, saving map (.mxd). Then I run the python script...get errors. I don't know how to reference the .mxd file or table within it. Seems like this should be easy... I simply want to output the table I just added to arcmap (.mxd) (linked spreadsheet) to .dbf.

Re: Auto DBF output help!

DannyLackey — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 21:38:08 GMT

Figured it out.

Using an mdb file created by ArcCatalog with the table in it I wanted converted to .dbf. Python seems particular about having drive letters as opposed to complete network paths (ie. \\)

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = "J:\DBF_Output.mdb"
arcpy.TableToDBASE_conversion(["Table_Name"], "J:\DBF_Output")

So simple it's dumb.