topic Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME in Python Questions

arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

MaximeDemers — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 12:50:43 GMT

Something very strange happen in my FME shutdown python script that uses arcpy.Exists() function. This function test if a feature class exists or not and returns True or False.

The following script returns False in FME even if the feature class do exists. I have tryed the same script in a python shell using the same python interpretor, and it returns True.

Any ideas why it fails in FME shutdown python?

import arcpy
print arcpy.Exists("\\\\cnatrtd8\\geo\\GEODEV011.sde\\GEO09_WEB_MERCATOR\\GEO09E03_CS_STA")

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

JoshuaBixby — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 13:12:25 GMT

Seeing you are using an SDE connection file, what are the properties in the file? Is it setup for DB user authentication or Operating System authentication? If the latter, does the account or service running FME server have credentials to access the geodatabase?

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

MaximeDemers — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 14:00:08 GMT

Hi!

How can I know if the DB use user authentication or Operating System authentication?

I have forgot to mention that FME is not running on a server, but on the same desktop than the python shell, and both are using the same python interpretor (I have double check using sys.version to be sure its the same python interpretor).

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

MaximeDemers — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 14:10:52 GMT

I have look in the Database Connection properties of the .sde connection file and I can confirm the Authentication Type is: Database authentication, and the username and password are saved inside

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

JoshuaBixby — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 14:39:41 GMT

FME and ArcMap may be on the same machine, and even using the same Python interpreter, but it doesn't mean they are executing under the same credentials when accessing the geodatabase.

In terms of determining authentication type; launch ArcCatalog, locate the SDE connection file, and right-click properties:

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

MaximeDemers — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 14:44:32 GMT

I can confirm the Authentication Type is: Database authentication, and the credentials are saved inside the .sde. I doubt that this is the cause of the problem...

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

JoshuaBixby — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 14:47:38 GMT

It might be time to head over to forum - FME Knowledge Center , and see what the folks there have to say.

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

AllisonBailey — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 18:32:27 GMT

hmmm... I just had a very similar result, but it was simply with table inside a personal geodatabase. Did you find a solution?

Re: arcpy.Exists() return False even if feature class exists when used inside FME

MaximeDemers — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 19:10:02 GMT

Yes, it was a known problem of FME 2016 with PYTHONPATH environment variable and arcpy. The workaround is the following:

# Fix pythonpath
import sys
sys.path.append(sys.path.pop(0))
sys.path.append(sys.path.pop(0))
 
# Business as usual from here
import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = r"\\cnatrtd8\geo\GEODEV011.sde"
print arcpy.Exists(r"GEO09_WEB_MERCATOR\GEO09E03_CS_STA")

Note that the issue is resolved in FME 2017