topic Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting in Python Questions

Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

MichaelStead — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:03:03 GMT

I have GDAL installed with the python bindings. Does anyone know how I use this to build some tools in ArcGIS? I didn't check before the GDAL install, but I can import gdal in the python command line window now.

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

StacyRendall1 — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 18:02:21 GMT

Not really sure if it will work, but I can't see why it would not... You need to look into the normal method of making a script tool and using it within Arc (i.e. try this) for starters.

Then make a script like normal and add the 'from osgeo import gdal' line to import GDAL.

Arc really just uses paths for the inputs and outputs from script tools, which GDAL can then use to load files, so you can make use of the handy Arc interface, so your script might be like:

import arcpy
from osgeo import gdal

inputPath = arcpy.GetParamaterAsText(0)

inputRaster = gdal.Open(inputPath)

# do operations, etc., etc., etc.

Let me know how you get on, or if you have other questions!

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

Luke_Pinner — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:27:33 GMT

Yes you can build script tools with GDAL just like other python packages. Make sure you install the appropriate GDAL bindings for the version of python you use with ArcGIS. Also, don't run the scripts 'in process', see the GDAL Python "Gotchas" wiki page.

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

MichaelStead — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 18:02:24 GMT

I was originally just wanting a tool to create vrt's within ArcMap from folders of rasters. I just figured out how to call the built in GDAL command line scripts last night. Here is my super simple script for a raster conversion tool that just uses ArcGIS for inputs and outputs. I stuck a list of raster type codes into the 3rd parameter so you can pick them from a dropdown. Not all that useful as ArcMap could already do most common formats, but it gets me started.

This is all it is:

import arcpy
from subprocess import call
Input = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
Output = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
OutType = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
String = "gdal_translate -of " + OutType + " " + Input + " " + Output
call(String)

here's all I did to be able to build VRT's from a folder of tiled images....

import arcpy
from subprocess import call
InputFolder = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
InType = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
OutputFolder = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
VRTName = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3)
String = "gdalbuildvrt " + OutputFolder + "\\" + VRTName + ".vrt " + InputFolder + "\\*." + InType
call(String)

I would really like to see an example of something that is using GDAL from python in the way it is meant to be incorporated, not using the command line scripts. I have found some very specific examples online that are from a tutorial for a class somewhere, but they refer to specific data and other scripts that I don't have access to.

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

DougKnight — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:30:10 GMT

Do you have this working? I followed your example, but I am not using getparamsastext() as a input at this time. I tried to use the ogr2ogr utility in my snake script and I got it pretty far, but when I call it, basically nothing happens. I suspect it may be syntax errors for the ogr2ogr inputs, but I am not too sure? When I run this script subprocess.check_output I get the following

CalledProcessError: Command 'ogr2ogr -f "KML" throwthisaway.kml test.dgn' returned non-zero exit status 1

Here is my code:
import os.path
import subprocess
import os
import sys
import osgeo
import gdal
from osgeo import ogr
import ogr2ogr
import xml.parsers.expat
import ogrinfo
import subprocess
from subprocess import call

log=open(r'C:\Users\E186854\Desktop\logs\log.txt', 'a')

#Set this directory to your source folder1 declaration
folder1 =r"C:\Users\E186854\Desktop\dgn"

#get into the working folder
os.chdir('C:\Users\E186854\Desktop\dgn')

#make sure I am working in the proper folder at first
print os.getcwd()

string=str("ogr2ogr -f"+ ' "KML"'+" "+ 'throwthisaway.kml'+" "+'test.dgn')
subprocess.call (string, shell=True)
out=subprocess.check_output(string, shell=True)

log.close()

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

Luke_Pinner — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 18:02:26 GMT

import osgeo
import gdal
from osgeo import ogr

This is unnecessary , as you're not using the GDAL/OGR python bindings. Note the correct way to import gdal is "from osgeo import gdal"

import ogr2ogr
import ogrinfo

ogr2ogr and ogrinfo are commandline programs not python modules. This should fail with an ImportError exception.

string=str("ogr2ogr -f"+ ' "KML"'+" "+ 'throwthisaway.kml'+" "+'test.dgn')

Use a list instead, it's easier to read:

cmd=["ogr2ogr", "-f", "KML", "throwthisaway.kml", "test.dgn"]

You can use subprocess.Popen if you want to get the ogr2ogr error message:

proc = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
stdout,stderr=proc.communicate()
exit_code=proc.wait()
if exit_code: print stderr
else: print stdout

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

curtvprice — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:05:17 GMT

Luke, now in 10x/Pro we have RasterToNumpyArray - does that provide a method to get our rasters from the numpy array to gdal in-process without the kludgy workaround detailed here?

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

Luke_Pinner — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:01:28 GMT

Curtis, I would think so, but haven't specifically tested. I haven't had any issues with a number of python toolboxes I've written that use gdal. If I get a chance, I'll test.

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

Luke_Pinner — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 18:02:29 GMT

Kludgy workaround no longer required (tested on ArcGIS 10.2.2). This simple script works fine as a script tool run multiple times in-process from a binary (tbx) toolbox:

import arcpy
from osgeo import gdal
path = r'/path/to/some/raster'
ds = gdal.Open(path)
ras = arcpy.Raster(path)

arr = ds.ReadAsArray()
arcpy.AddMessage(repr(arr))
arr = ds.GetRasterBand(1).ReadAsArray()
arcpy.AddMessage(repr(arr))
arr = arcpy.RasterToNumPyArray(path)
arcpy.AddMessage(repr(arr))

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

curtvprice — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 05:21:40 GMT

Hi Luke. Today I tried ArcGIS Pro's Conda setup to do this:

conda install Python=3.4.4 gdal

and it seemed to work, the python gdal tools seemed to all be there. Have tried this new approach?

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

Luke_Pinner — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 04:52:02 GMT

Hi Curtis Price,

Yes and no and sort of.

I keep a separate Conda env for GDAL stuff and (conda create -n some_new_env -c conda-forge python=3.5 gdal) and keep my ArcGIS Pro env pristine (well pristine so far... )

I had some trouble with the old version of conda that ships with ArcGIS Pro 1.3 as it wouldn't run the GDAL pre and post activation batch files (that set and restore some environment vars). So I upgraded conda, broke ArcGIS Pro completely and had to reinstall... I then ended up installing a separate updated conda to muck around with and leaving ArcGIS Pro completely alone.

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

curtvprice — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 21:12:24 GMT

Oh too bad. Sure would be nice to have a function we can use to set those environments (and set them back). This would allow you to directly access gdal tools from within ArcGIS script tools. That's what I really want. We geonet-istas should definitely share such an animal if we come up with it. Steve Lynch‌ could you pass this idea around the smoke (well,maybe chai-steam) -filled room in Redlands? Being able to easily run gdal tools would a great option for certain raster operations that are slower or aren't easily done in arcpy-raster land. This may be just an implementation issue - just show us how to do it - no work on your part beyond that.

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

DanPatterson_Retired — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 23:49:28 GMT

while people are sniffing around, is there any word on whether python 3.5.x and the matching conda package is going to ship with PRO 1.4? or is that too far off in the distance (aka next years Dev or UC)

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

DavidWynne — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:59:51 GMT

Hi Dan,

Very likely that Pro 1.4 ships with Python 3.5.

-Dave

Re: Using GDAL utilities within ArcGIS python scripting

MattWilkie3 — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:32:43 GMT

Now an Idea, https://community.esri.com/ideas/13916