topic ImportError: No module named arcpy in Python Questions

ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:27:42 GMT

I am following the exercise on chapter, Python Primer, to run scripts in the command window. When I do the second exercise, I get a message:

C:\PYTHON_PRIMER\Chapter11>python CommandLine_Clip.py 'c:\PYTHON_PRIMER\Chapter1
1\Data' City_Facilities.shp Central_City_CommPlan.shp c:\PYTHON_PRIMER\Chapter11
\MyData' out_file.shp
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "CommandLine_Clip.py", line 15, in <module>
import arcpy, sys, os, traceback, datetime
ImportError: No module named arcpy

However I have no problem running the arcpy command in PyScripter or the Python Window, just in the command prompt.

The computer system variable path is pointing to python:

........................;C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\EsriProductionMapping\Desktop10.1\Bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\Bin;c:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1

What could be the problem? Thanks!
Here is the script

# Batch and Schedule a Geoprocessing Script # Created by: Nathan Jennings #             www.jenningsplanet.com # Created on: 05.24.2011 # Update on: 10.24.2011 # Copyright: 2011  ''' !!!!  Change the output and log file paths as needed where the Chapter 11 folders exist.!!!  Save these changes.  Test the script to make sure it executes properly. '''   import arcpy, sys, os, traceback, datetime  CURDATE = datetime.date.today()  try:      # workspace for input data     # e.g c:\\pythonprimer\\chapter11\\data     arcpy.env.workspace = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)      # name of input shapefile feature class to be clipped     # i.e. city_facilities.shp     infile = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)      # name of clip shapefile feature class to use as the clip file     # i.e. central_city_commplan.shp     clipfile = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)      # output folder name for output     # e.g. c:\\pythonprimer\\chapter11\\mydata     output_ws = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3)      # name of the output feature class     # NOTE: the output path is hard coded to the following path     #       the user will need to change this location     outfile = output_ws + os.sep + arcpy.GetParameterAsText(4)      # location of log file for tracking messages     logfile = output_ws + '\\log' + str(CURDATE) + '.txt'      if arcpy.Exists(logfile):         arcpy.Delete_management(logfile)      # Open the log file for writing     log = open(logfile, 'a')        print '\nRunning Clip Routine...'     print >> log, 'Running Clip Routine...'     print 'Input workspace is: ' + arcpy.env.workspace     print >> log, 'Input workspace is: ' + arcpy.env.workspace     print 'Input file is: ' + infile     print >> log, 'Input file is: ' + infile     print 'Clip file is: ' + clipfile     print >> log, 'Clip file is: ' + clipfile     print 'Output workspace is: ' + output_ws     print >> log, 'Output workspace is: ' + output_ws     print 'Output file is: ' + outfile     print >> log, 'Output file is: ' + outfile      if arcpy.Exists(outfile):         arcpy.Delete_management(outfile)      arcpy.Clip_analysis(infile, clipfile, outfile)      print 'Completed Clip'     print >> log, 'Completed Clip'      log.close()  except:     print arcpy.GetMessages(2)     tb = sys.exc_info()[2]     tbinfo = traceback.format_tb(tb)[0]     pymsg = "PYTHON ERRORS:\nTraceback Info:\n" + tbinfo + "\nError Info:\n     " +        str(sys.exc_type) + ": " + str(sys.exc_value) + "\n"     msgs = "arcpy ERRORS:\n" + arcpy.GetMessages(2) + "\n"      arcpy.AddError(msgs)     arcpy.AddError(pymsg)      print msgs     print pymsg      arcpy.AddMessage(arcpy.GetMessages(1))     print arcpy.GetMessages(1)

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

StacyRendall1 — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 04:25:06 GMT

Please test two things:

Navigate into your ArcGIS Python folder, double click that python.exe enter 'import arcpy'

Go the the command line and type in 'python' then 'import arcpy' what happens? I.e.:

C:\>python
Python 2.7.2 (default, Jun 12 2011, 15:08:59) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>import arcpy

If the first thing works then your ArcGIS Python is working fine (which the fact that PyScripter works also corroborates).

If the second thing fails I guess that your Path might have another Python on it, located before (to the left) of the ArcGIS Python. As the system works from left to right and takes the first python.exe it finds, you might inadvertently be loading the other one. The one that cannot access Arcpy.

If this is the case you can do one of:

delete the other Python from your path

move ArcGIS Python to the start of your path

allow the other Python to access Arcpy

I would recommend either the first or second option. Details for doing the third can be found here.

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:19:49 GMT

Hi Stacy,

I tried that and I still got an error. All the python.exe versions I have gave me an error. I am not sure which version ArcGIS is using now. It seems I have an installation of Python for ArcGISx6410.1 also, but if I delete this folder, arcpy still works in ArcGIS.
Can you tell which python is running by looking at the software installed? Is is python for 32 or 64?

I did not have another python from the path. However, I moved the one you suggested to the front (please see images in this post and next).

Also, is it ok that Python27\Lib has a folder called site-packages and python27\arcgis10.1\Lib also has a folder site-packages?
I also had a version of python26 that I removed yesterday because 10.1 uses 26 and I figured I don't need it anymore. Could the python be in another variable besides path? Not sure if any of this is contributing to the problem. Thank you!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26196[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26197[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26198[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26199[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26200[/ATTACH]

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:20:45 GMT

And here are the other images
[ATTACH=CONFIG]26205[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26201[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26202[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26203[/ATTACH]

I think what is making arcgis work with arcpy is that insided Python\Lib\site-packages there is a file called DEsktop10.1.pth pointing to arcpy:

C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\bin
C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\arcpy
C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\ArcToolbox\Scripts

And here are all the paths in the path variable. I looked at all the system variables and there is not a python anywhere else

C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1;%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Intel\DMIX;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\OEM\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\OEM\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Roxio Shared\OEM\12.0\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Roxio\OEM\AudioCore\;c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\;c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\;c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\DTS\Binn\;c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE\;c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\jZip;C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\ArcSDE\sqlexe\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft ASP.NET\ASP.NET Web Pages\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\EsriProductionMapping\Desktop10.1\Bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\Bin;

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

Anonymous User — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 04:25:09 GMT

What does it look like when you print off your PYTHONPATH from within the interactive window of IDLE? I see that you are on python 2.7.3. Did you install that separately? Or is that what was installed with your 10.1 install? (I only ask because I also have 10.1 and mine came with python version 2.7.2)

import sys
for p in sys.path:
    print p

Here is a screenshot of mine (both 32 bit and 64 bit version, also I added a few folders to my .pth file for 64 bit)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26208[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]26209[/ATTACH]

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 14:31:01 GMT

It seems I have two versions of Idle. I think I installed the 2.7.3 by downloading and installing it by myself. I am not sure about the other version though.

When I enter the expression I get this for the Idle version 2.7.2:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ArcGIS\Python 2.7
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\Lib\idlelib
C:\Windows\system32\python27.zip
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\DLLs
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib\plat-win
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib\lib-tk
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib\site-packages
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib\site-packages\win32
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib\site-packages\win32\lib
C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.1\lib\site-packages\Pythonwin

And this for the version idle version 2.7.3.
C:\Python27\Lib\idlelib
C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\distribute-0.6.25-py2.7.egg
C:\Windows\system32\python27.zip
C:\Python27\DLLs
C:\Python27\lib
C:\Python27\lib\plat-win
C:\Python27\lib\lib-tk
C:\Python27
C:\Python27\lib\site-packages
C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\bin
C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\arcpy
C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\ArcToolbox\Scripts
C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\setuptools-0.6c11-py2.7.egg-info

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26210[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]26211[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]26213[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]26212[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]26214[/ATTACH]

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

Anonymous User — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:03:27 GMT

Ok, I think the problem is coming from the 2.7.3. Whenever you install a new version of python/IDLE, it will always default to the most recent install. Since you installed 2.7.3 AFTER the ArcGIS install that had 2.7.2, your default python is 2.7.3. Your PYTHONPATH for 2.7.3 has some of the folders, but not all and it is not accessing the arcpy DLL's. I think you should delete this and that *should* fix the problem.

Was there a particular reason for the 2.7.3 install? I do not think there would be a big difference in functionality between 2.7.2 and 2.7.3. There is a pretty big difference in 2.7 vs 3.x, but I think you would be best off by unistalling 2.7.3. Then, your default python should go back to 2.7.2 and arcpy should work no problem.

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:19:57 GMT

So Caleb, the install you see in this image,is this the one I should uninstall?
I am not sure where 2.7.2 is installed
Why don't I have the 2.7.2 in this image?
Also, which one is the pythonpath for 2.7.3 that I should delete?

Because it seems the python in ArcGIS is also 2.7.3. I check the version in the python window and I got:

2.7.3 (default, Apr 10 2012, 23:31:26) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)]

So why arcpy works in 2.7.3 but not in the command window?

Also, where do I get 2.7.2? should I get it from the arcgis installation disc if I have it, should I reinstall arcgis or should I download 2.7.2 from the web? It is weird that idle has 2.7.2 but I can't find where it is installed

Thank you!!!

Thanks[ATTACH=CONFIG]26215[/ATTACH]

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

Anonymous User — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 16:20:29 GMT

I am a little confused...If python 2.7.3 is indeed the version that came with your ArcGIS install, it should not ever fail when you import arcpy. Mine came with 2.7.2 but those who have installed more recently may get 2.7.3. I have no problems importing arcpy from the command window.

Earlier, you said:

It seems I have two versions of Idle. I think I installed the 2.7.3 by downloading and installing it by myself. I am not sure about the other version though.

So maybe if you installed this separately, it probably would have looked to see if you already had a Python27 folder, which you would have. I am thinking that maybe it just installed this extra IDLE 2.7.3 inside the ArcGIS folder. That may have overwritten some of the arcpy stuff because you seem to be missing a lot of things from your "site-packages" folder (compared to mine anyways). I have installed quite a few third party modules, but you are missing numpy and some other stuff that comes with the ArcGIS python install.

This is probably not what you want to hear, but you may have to uninstall ArcGIS and reinstall again to get the python folders in order...Before doing the reinstall, it may be a good idea to check to make sure that there is no Python27 folder left over after the uninstall.

I am pretty much out of ideas. Does anyone else know what could be going on here?

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 19:00:08 GMT

I think you got it Caleb. So should I delete that entire python folder before installing ArcGIS? Do you know if I need to reinstall the extensions? Should I delete anything from the registry to make sure that python version is really gone! Thank you Stacy and Caleb! You both helped me with this!

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

Anonymous User — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 19:32:42 GMT

Here is what I would do:

1. Uninstall ArcGIS
2. Delete the "C:\Python27" folder if it still exists after the uninstall
3. Reinstall ArcGIS

To answer your questions:

Do not change anything in the registry; the new install should take care of everything.

You do not have to "reinstall" the extensions, but rather just provide your license number for each extension. Be sure to paste all of your license numbers in a text file before uninstalling. Otherwise, I think Esri usually sends you an email with all the license numbers for your reference.

EDIT: I just noticed looking at your screenshots of your folders/PYTHONPATH again, something is definitely not right. For instance, your "Lib" folder is not even inside of an ArcGIS folder. The install of 2.7.3 definitely took over the folders that shipped with the ArcGIS install. Now I am convinced the reinstall is your best bet. Good luck!

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:14:08 GMT

Thank you Caleb! I will do that and I will let you know how it goes! Thank you so much again! I love Python!!!

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

StacyRendall1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:26:14 GMT

Ionara, Caleb is on the right track.

Do you need any Python other than the Arcpy one? If the Arcpy one is the only one you need you should also uninstall every Python and Python related thing you can find, so from your image of installed programs that is:

PyScripter 2.5.3

Python 2.7 matplotlib-1.1.0

Python 2.7 numpy-1.7.1

Python 2.7 pywin32-218

Python 2.7.3

Python tools for Visual Studio 2010 (only if you do not use this - if you don't know what it is, you can probably uninstall it)

Then:

uninstall ArcGIS

delete Python27 folder, and any other Python folders (in local drives like C: or D:) if you have them

restart the computer

reinstall ArcGIS 10.1

install 10.1 Service Pack 1

This whole process will leave you with one single Python. Add this to the start of your system PATH (you have already done this, so maybe no change is required). Then if you need other libraries, i.e., matplotlib they should automatically install to that Python.

If you need 64 bit background processing, install that, and make that your one and only Python (i.e. add it to the PATH instead of 32 bit and install 64 bit libraries to it only)...

Hope this sorts all your problems out!

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:41:24 GMT

Thank you Stacy! Why do I need to uninstall all of them? (just curious) and how do I use the python 64? Basically, what is the advantage of using it and how do I choose that when running the scripts? Thanks!!!

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

StacyRendall1 — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 21:07:43 GMT

Thank you Stacy! Why do I need to uninstall all of them?

I am quite a fan of keeping everything as clean as possible, so I tend to uninstall/delete anything that I am not using. In your case it seems like the number of Pythons was adding to the overall confusion. As you can get by perfectly fine on just one, and thus avoid any future complications, I would strongly recommend doing so.

(just curious) and how do I use the python 64? Basically, what is the advantage of using it and how do I choose that when running the scripts? Thanks!!!

Do not install 64-bit background geoprocessing unless you really need to. If you don't need it, but do install it, it will just be yet another Python in the way and adding to the confusion. To make use of 64-bit background geoprocessing your computer needs to have more than 4GB of RAM, less than this it won't solve any of your problems (not entirely true, but for most practical purposes it is accurate). Things that might indicate 64-bit background geoprocessing will help:

you frequently have Arc programs or scripts crash due to MemoryError

you do large operations, but have implemented a workflow of breaking your inputs into smaller parts to avoid crashes and instability

For me 64-bit background geoprocessing has been incredibly useful. I used to use Arcs 32-bit Python as my default and have a 64-bit Python installed to do non-GIS parts of some of my work. For some large workflows I would have scripts running one after the other that switched between these two, doing any non-GIS processing in the 64-bit Python, and each GIS script would have to be very carefully designed to break everything up into much smaller parts that could be handled by 32-bit. No longer having to worry about all this has saved a lot of time, and made everything a lot simpler to both write and maintain. Most GIS users won't have these issues; so, like I said above, don't bother unless you really need it!

To choose the 64-bit Python when running scripts, you simply pass the script to the 64-bit python.exe rather than the old 32-bit one...

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:46:47 GMT

Thank you Stacy! I don't need it yet, so I am not going to install it but it is good to know.

Re: ImportError: No module named arcpy

ionarawilson1 — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 18:59:34 GMT

Hi guys,

This post is just to let you know that I had the courage to uninstall ArcGIS and delete the Python folder (I also deleted all the python2.7 software, just keeping pyscripter and the tool for Visual Studio). I redid the exercise and everything worked like a charm so it was really a problem with having that other Python installation. Thank you so much for all your help!!!:D