topic Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters in Python Questions

Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

ShaneBuscher — Wed, 11 May 2016 18:51:09 GMT

The Create Geodatabase Connection fails when passing an instance parameter containing escape characters. For instance, passing 'nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d' fails because the '\n' is interpreted inside the arcpy tool code as a new line. This can be verified by calling the function via Python and through running the tool itself in ArcGIS Desktop.

Note that the example instance name is a standard company format and can't be changed. Is there any way around this issue or should this be logged as a bug?

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:49:11 GMT

you have to use 'raw' notation

notice the difference that the 'r' makes to how a string is handled in printing and backslashes are handled

>>> a = 'nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d'
>>> b = r'nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d'
>>> a
'nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d'
>>> b
'nomsqapp4d\\nomsqapp4d'
>>> print(a)
nomsqapp4d
omsqapp4d
>>> print(b)
nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

ShaneBuscher — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:12:49 GMT

Unfortunately that has been tried without success. The correct db instance value is being passed into Create Geodatabase Connection function. The heart of the issue is the function internally converts nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d to a string with a line feed, which I have no control over.

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

JoshuaBixby — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:34:25 GMT

Interesting, I see the same thing with some dummy connections I just made. This is definitely a bug, I encourage you to contact Esri Support.

I tried numerous "workarounds" and found something completely ugly that works, i.e., double up the backslash and 'n' when using raw strings:

r'nomsqapp4d\\nnomsqapp4d'

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

WesMiller — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:49:14 GMT

Have you tried

import os
path = os.path.normpath('nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d')
path
'nomsqapp4d\nomsqapp4d'

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

JoshuaBixby — Thu, 12 May 2016 14:46:01 GMT

This isn't a Python problem, it is a problem with the tool itself, i.e., generating a valid string isn't the problem, getting the tool to use the valid string is the problem.

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

ChristianWells — Thu, 12 May 2016 17:19:48 GMT

Does a capital 'N' work? Other tools have had this problem too, such as the Create Database user tool, where DOMAIN\tim doesn't work properly. However, I found that switching the value to a capital letter, allowed me to move forward, as \n or \t is an escape but not \T or \N. In reviewing the current defects within Esri Technical Support, the following defect sounds like the issue: NIM082676 - Unexpected behavior occurs when using input parame..

But as Joshua Bixby said, please log an Esri Technical Support case so we can attach you to this defect.

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:39:57 GMT

raw formatting... \t ... arcpy hmmmm https://community.esri.com/message/608012#comment-608012

two does not make a trend I hope?

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

ShaneBuscher — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:44:29 GMT

Thanks Christian for the workaround and Dan for the ESRI bug reference. Using all caps does the trick.

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

JoshuaBixby — Thu, 12 May 2016 20:32:35 GMT

We should all get used to the workaround because if the bug hasn't been touched in 4 years, I doubt it will miraculously get addressed anytime soon.

Re: Create Geodatabase Connection mishandles escape characters

ChristianWells — Thu, 12 May 2016 20:35:11 GMT

Joshua Bixby, I'll use this thread to advocate for it with our product team.