topic Re: Sort layers in TOC using arcpy in Python Questions

Sort layers in TOC using arcpy

Yaron_YosefCohen — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:10:21 GMT

Hi,

i try to sort layers in the TOC, in ascending or by name alphbetical with this code:

import arcpy

mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"D:\desktop\Project\project.mxd")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd)[0] # Assuming one data frame
group_lyr = [lyr for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd) if lyr.isGroupLayer][0] # The temp group layer should be the only one
lyr_names = sorted(lyr.name for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd) if lyr.isFeatureLayer)
for name in lyr_names:
    arcpy.mapping.MoveLayer(df, group_lyr, arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, name)[0], "BEFORE")
    print name +' sorted'
   
arcpy.mapping.RemoveLayer(df, group_lyr)

and got:

>>> 
land use sorted
river sorted
>>>

but the TOC do't sorted. For clarity, i saw this question in arcgis 10.0 - Arc GIS 10.1 - How to sort Layers ascending at TOC in "List by drawing order" - Geographic Information Sys…

I work with arc view 10.3. I know it possible with extension, but i have no extensions.

Is it possible to do it with python?

Re: Sort layers in TOC using arcpy

WesMiller — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 13:07:23 GMT

I don't see where you saved the document. You may want to use savACopy() till you get what you want.

MapDocument—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Re: Sort layers in TOC using arcpy

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 14:15:13 GMT

also, it makes little sense to sort things alphabetically... for example

... landuse, river in this scenario, you could have agricultural land over top of the river

... fire station, ownership .... where did the fire station go?

... bridge, river .... the Chunnel?

Order things by geometry first, then conceptually within each grouping to ensure that you don't obliterate features that should be seen

Re: Sort layers in TOC using arcpy

Yaron_YosefCohen — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 14:43:13 GMT

in this project i don't need to sort geometry first. I do need to sort alphabetically and also by numbers.