topic Re: Automating Workflow With Python in Python Questions

Automating Workflow With Python

PaigeBrochu — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 15:46:10 GMT

I am new to python scripting and want to script this workflow:

Join a table with a polygon layer
Export joined polygon layer as new layer
Remove join from original polygon layer
Customize a map layout that has two data frames - that changes depending on table joined at the beginning (includes a title, legend, and custom layer symbology).
Export as PDF

I have basic knowledge of python and have figured out the 1st and 2nd step but I am really confused how to remove the join from the beginning. Any scripting tips would really help!

-Paige

Re: Automating Workflow With Python

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 15:52:29 GMT

The trick is to try and do everything with tools in arctoolbox as much as possible.

Do the procedure once, then open the Results window and copy to a python snippet.

here is the remove join tool Remove Join—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Re: Automating Workflow With Python

WesMiller — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 00:01:51 GMT

You will also need to pre-create the elements you want in a map document(dataframes legend ect.) you can move the objects around but not create them.

Re: Automating Workflow With Python

curtvprice — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 23:37:31 GMT

I am really confused how to remove the join from the beginning.

Is the Remove Join tool not working? The tricky part is to find the name of the join, which can vary by format.

arcpy.Describe(<join_table>).name usually gets you what you need for the argument to Remove Join.

Re: Automating Workflow With Python

DanPatterson_Retired — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 18:42:06 GMT

Moved to Python to see if further responses might arise.

Re: Automating Workflow With Python

LeileiDuan1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 12:52:22 GMT

I think one of the approach to make it easier to understand arcpy workflow is to build it in ModelBuilder first, then export the model into python script. That may give an idea of how the script can be structured. Overall it sounds like a data driven page problem. See this post. Hope this helps...