topic Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab? in Python Questions

How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

JacquesBeaurain — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 14:39:57 GMT

This is for inside ArcGIS Pro but I assume it also applies to Desktop. I assume there is some way to advertise the environments in same way as the internal tools do but could not locate a single example or mention of it in the documentaion.

Thanks

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

DanPatterson_Retired — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 02:04:47 GMT

I set them and/or derive them from input parameters.

http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/tool-reference/environment-settings/current-workspace.htm begins a whole list.

If I want to set something I do it via code, so as to never leave anything to chance or by assumption.

Is there something specific you are wondering about? the arcpy.da.Describe returns lots more information in dictionary form

For example...

pth = "drive:\...some...\...path...\to_a.gdb"

desc = arcpy.da.Describe(pth)
desc.keys()

dict_keys(['catalogPath', 'FIDSet', 'baseName', 'children', 'childrenExpanded',
 'connectionProperties', 'connectionString', 'currentRelease', 'dataElementType',
 'dataType', 'domains', 'extension', 'file', 'fullPropsRetrieved', 'metadataRetrieved',
 'name', 'path', 'release', 'workspaceFactoryProgID', 'workspaceType'])‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

JacquesBeaurain — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 20:22:30 GMT

Thanks, but that is not quite what I am looking for. I know how to get the parameters from the arcpy.env variable and do so to do things like build pyramids for generated rasters if that is the current env setting. I could duplicate all the inputs that is normally in the environments tab as inputs for my tool (with defaults being the env variable setting), but that seems needlessly cumbersome. Most of the ESRI tools that honor environment settings advertise them in the second tab. I am looking to do the same e.g.:

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 20:43:56 GMT

That is what I was saying, I do it by code. The only way you 'access' what is set is by what is set at the project level.

Arcpy can help... you can access some of these through.... arcpy's GetSystemEnvironment ... ListEnvironments plus others in that area.

As you know, at the end of each tool's help there is the list of the Environments that tool observes. If I want to ensure a specific setting, I set it. If you are creating script tools for arctoolbox, then there are environments that can be set there

http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/help/analysis/geoprocessing/basics/create-a-python-script-tool.htm

Environment

A parameter can derive its default value from a geoprocessing environment. So if the specified geoprocessing environment is set, the value will be used as the default for the given parameter when the tool's dialog box opens.

If using tools and/or models, there is a hierarchy that is followed as discussed here

http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/tool-reference/environment-settings/what-is-a-geoprocessing-environment.htm

So setting things at the project level is your first course of action, then at the tool level. If you don't set anything at the tool level then whatever you did or didn't set gets passed on to the tool. Hence, my preference for setting things via code since it is easy to find what environment parameters are honored by any existing tool.

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

JacquesBeaurain — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 20:59:46 GMT

And that is what I said. I know how to do it by code and can do so, and I am not setting anything I am getting the project environment settings.

To maybe make make it clearer, I am implementing my own custom Python toolbox (.pyt file mechanism) and want to have an environments tab populated with the controls for each environment that it respects.

What I want is to advertise it in the same way as the built in tools so that the Environment tab is not empty and I do not need to needlessly duplicate every one of the parameters as inputs to my tool so that user's can both see what the tool honors and can override it if they want (e.g. pick a different output coordinate system). Less magic than the tool just using these settings in the code and replicates the experience for the built in tools.

It is very possible that this is simply not possible currently in a Python toolbox. Was just wondering if I am missing something.

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:11:32 GMT

Ahhhh Now I get you. Here is a custom tool that I haven't completed setting the environments for

Looks like they aren't empty but the default when you go to each is the project (aka system) level option first.

If I want it to 'show up' in there, I set it.

Set them in tool validation script is one option... setting directly in the tool's script is my preferred option...

saving and loading (LoadSettings.... from an xml stored in the same folder as the script is a 3rd option.

They are your control options.

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

JacquesBeaurain — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:27:19 GMT

Thanks. I will see if I can somehow load settings saved from a Custom toolbox but not sure this will work. Note I am not implementing a Custom toolbox but rather a Python toolbox. In the Python toolbox that tab is empty.

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

JacquesBeaurain — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:36:00 GMT

Oh this won't work. I am interested in respecting the current settings and not loading preset constant values from an XML file. Even for custom tools one cannot seem to hide the environments that doe not apply and Using the Environments field is not really useful:

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

DanPatterson_Retired — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 02:04:50 GMT

A tip...

import sys

script = sys.argv[0]  # ---- for eample

script
'C:/Git_Dan/arraytools/tools.py'

xml = 'my.xml'        # ---- stored in the same location as your script

pth = script.split("/")[:-1]  # or "\\" for split

pth.append(xml)

pth                   # ----- all the bits... and everything is relative to the script
['C:', 'Git_Dan', 'arraytools', 'my.xml']

xml_path = "\\".join(pth)

xml_path

'C:\\Git_Dan\\arraytools\\my.xml'‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a custom geoprocessing tool coded with Python?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:42:53 GMT

you can't hide anything... you can set stuff see my example of using an existing file...

You can even set stuff in an accompanying script and 'import' it just like any other module.

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

XanderBakker — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 02:04:52 GMT

... or use the os module:

import sys
import os

xml = 'my.xml'
xml_path = os.path.join(os.path.split(sys.argv[0])[0], xml)‍‍‍‍‍

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

XanderBakker — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:18:18 GMT

As you already discovered, you cannot hide the environment settings that are not relevant to the tool. Would be nice if that would be possible. However, you can provide a description to the end user in your tool to indicate which settings are relevant. When the user decides to change other settings, they won't effect the tool, nor other processes (since they were defined at the tool run level).

See the hierarchy in defining the environment setting What is a geoprocessing environment setting?—Geoprocessing | ArcGIS Desktop :

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

JacquesBeaurain — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:21:09 GMT

It would actually be better if it was a problem of note being able to hide them (as is the case with tools custom script tools created via the catalog). Once again; note I am not implementing a Custom toolbox but rather a Python toolbox. In the Python toolbox that tab is empty.

I should have probably attached the following to my original question to clear up the confusion since we seem to be caught up in discussions about custom toolboxes. Here is what my tools show:

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

XanderBakker — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:27:05 GMT

I see... What environment settings would you like to provide to the end user in your python toolbox tool?

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

DanPatterson_Retired — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:38:17 GMT

Not sure if they show in the environments tab for python toolboxes... don't use them, so I can't test

But they can be defined ie

Setting a default value from an environment...

http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/arcpy/geoprocessing_and_python/defining-parameters-in-a-python-toolbox.htm

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

JacquesBeaurain — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 16:35:24 GMT

At this moment I want to expose the build pyramids and statistics settings, but potentially might want to add others like output coordinate system etc. I know it is possible to add an input parameter for each of the settings involved but that really bloats the input parameters unnecessarily and puts controls in the first tab (Parameters) that belong in the second (Environment).

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

DanPatterson_Retired — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 19:16:59 GMT

Use a regular toolbox since you really haven't specified any real need for a python toolbox unless I am missing something from your description of the tool's purpose

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

JacquesBeaurain — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 21:01:00 GMT

There are multiple reasons for using a python toolbox outlined in: Comparing custom and Python toolboxes. My reasons align with the ones described there (e.g. maintainability as well as test-ability since validation logic is defined in Python code, value tables etc.) and I am also building a toolbox that will be installed on systems with a Pro SDK AddIn that utilizes them inside the arcgispro-py3 environment along with dependent Python packages etc. The toolbox need to appear for any ArcGIS Pro project without users needing to import them into each project.

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

DanPatterson_Retired — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 21:11:46 GMT

I am familiar with the differences. I just do my validation differently. Yes, a multiuser environment can be a hastle. As for a toolbox appearing in any new project, ...at least at the single user level, ... is readily handled under Project, Options, General, Default toolbox (use the same toolbox as the default for all projects). BUT that won't help if you have several toolboxes to use.

Good luck... maybe put in an ArcGIS Idea if we haven't overlooked something simple

Re: How does one specify the Environments honored by a geoprocessing tool in a Python toolbox and have them show up in the Environments tab?

JacquesBeaurain — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:40:18 GMT

Thanks. I just https://community.esri.com/ideas/14621. Guess I was just holding on to the fact that I might be missing some existing way to do this. I assume the internal tools uses something of this sort.