topic Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error in Python Questions

Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 18:32:13 GMT

I have started learning Python for ArcGIS last week and have a simple script to reproject all the datasets in a folder. The script says "syntax error- invalid syntax" but I can't find anything. Can someone please have a look? It seems something very basic but I'm pretty new so I don't see it at the moment. Also running this in ArcGIS prints "failed" right away. And the files are in place in the right folders. I have already checked.

import arcpy

... sourceWorkspace = "C:\\Users\\tx8p90\\Desktop\\Lesson2"

... targetProjection = "C:\\Users\\tx8p90\\Desktop\\python excercise data\\Lesson1\\contourlines.shp"

... listDataSet = arcpy.ListDatasets(sourceWorkspace)

... try:

... for x in listDataset:

... outputDataset = sourceWorkspace + "\\projected_" + x

... arcpy.Project_management(x, outputDataset, targetProjection)

... print "Reprojection successful"

... except:

... print arcpy.GetMessages()

... print "failed"

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SusanJones — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:03:05 GMT

HiSalman

First, Try setting your workspace before using the arcpy.ListDatasets()

eg,

arcpy.env.workspace = sourceWorkspace

Second, use the correct arcpy.ListDatasets() arguements (wild card naming and feature type

eg,

listDataSet = arcpy.ListDatasets(wild_card = "*", feature_type = "Feature")

Susan

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:28:04 GMT

I actually tried setting up the workspace already although I think its not necessary as long as you give a path in the ListDataset() function. Anyways even doing that hasn't made any difference. I get the same syntax error.

Regarding the arguments, since I need to change projection for all the files in that folder irrespective of feature type, I don't need to set any arguments like starting letter or feature type. Is that not so?

Salman

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SusanJones — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:33:46 GMT

Hi Salman

The arcpy.ListDataset() is calling for a wildcard.

Not sure if it is optional, but it wouldn't hurt to specifiy the wildcard ("*")

See if it works

Susan

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:36:05 GMT

Ah! sorry I just realized I can't put a path in that function's argument. Ok but anyways the setting up workspace option is not working either.

import arcpy

... sourceWorkspace = "C:\\Users\\tx8p90\\Desktop\\Lesson2"

... targetProjection = "C:\\Users\\tx8p90\\Desktop\\python excercise data\\Lesson1\\contourlines.shp"

... arcpy.env.workspace = sourceWorkspace

... listDataSet = arcpy.ListDatasets()

... try:

... for x in listDataset:

... outputDataset = sourceWorkspace + "\\projected_" + x

... arcpy.Project_management(x, outputDataset, targetProjection)

... print "Reprojection successful"

... except:

... print arcpy.GetMessages()

... print "failed"

What could be the problem then?

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SusanJones — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:36:24 GMT

Hi again

Also, I don't think arcpy.ListDataset() is expecting a workspace.

Perhaps, spectify the workspace before hand under the arcpy.env.workspace parameter.

Susan

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:48:56 GMT

no luck still

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SusanJones — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 22:55:44 GMT

Hi Salman

Please test the following:

tmpDir = "D:\\Tmp" ##tmpDir = r"d:\Tmp"

arcpy.env.workspace = tmpDir

print arcpy.env.workspace

ld = arcpy.ListDatasets("*")

print ld

What is returned in the ld variable ?

Susan

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SusanJones — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 23:01:13 GMT

Hi Salman

First, What is the value of outputDataset?

Second, Output_Coordinate_System is expecting either a projection file (with a prj extension) or a coordinate system object. Not a shp extension.

Make sure the Shapefile has a projection, and then set the targetProjection to point to it's prj file.

Susan

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

DarrenWiens2 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 23:16:34 GMT

You have two different cases for your dataset list: listDataSet and listDataset. These are two different things in Python.

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:07:43 GMT

D:\Tmp

None

This is what I get when I run your code

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:09:01 GMT

Thanks this was a valid error. But even after I correct it nothing changes. Still Pythonwin tells me invalid syntax and arcmap doesnt do anything after running the code.

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:10:34 GMT

replacing the shape file with the prj file doesn't change anything. Same syntax error. And I thought it was enough to just point to the shape file to get its projection.

Re: Batch Re-projection script syntax error

SalmanAhmed — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:44:26 GMT

Okay so I finally figured this out. It was a stupid mistake on my part. The files I had in the specified folders were actually feature classes and not datasets. Anyway it is not possible to create a dataset inside a folder. It can only be done inside a geodatabase. So for someone who knows their way around with ArcGIS, they could have noticed that I had just a folder in the code but I was calling ListDataSets()function which is wrong. Using ListFeatureClasses() solved the issue and the files were properly reprojected. Thanks for all the inputs.