topic Re: PageLayoutObject: Error in parsing arguments for ExportToPDF in Python Questions

PageLayoutObject: Error in parsing arguments for ExportToPDF

HarmenMolenaar — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:33:55 GMT

I'm trying to create a tool where the user can specify multiple MXD-files, which will be exported to a specified output folder. As an option, the user can set the resolution for the PDF's.

My code seems to work ok, up to the point where I want to add the resolution parameter.

import arcpy, os, sys, string

# Define parameter settings for the toolbox

def getParameterInfo(self):
    #Define parameter definitions

    # First parameter
    param0 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Input MXD's",
        name="multimxds",
        datatype="DEMapDocument",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input",
        multiValue=True)

    # Second parameter
    param1 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Output folder",
        name="outputfolder",
        datatype="DEFolder",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Output")

    # Third parameter
    param2 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="PDF Resolution",
        name="pdfREs",
        datatype="GPLong",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")


#overwirte existing PDFs
arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = 1

multimxds = [filename for filename in string.split(arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0), ";")]
outputfolder = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
pdfREs = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
pdfRES = str(pdfREs)
teller = 0 # to be used for generating pdf file names when no mxd.title is specified
#print multimxds
#Create output folder
if not os.path.exists(outputfolder): os.makedirs(outputfolder)
#trying to set folder path
folderpath = outputfolder

#export to pdf
#trying to export to pdf using title name and folder parameter
try:
    for mxdloop in multimxds:
        mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(mxdloop)
        if mxd.title != "":
            name = mxd.title
        else:
            name = str(teller)
        pdf = folderpath + '\\' + name + ".pdf"
        if os.path.exists(pdf) == 'true':
            pdf = folderpath + '\\' + name + str(teller) + ".pdf"
        else: pdf = pdf
        print pdf # for debugging
        arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(mxd, pdf, data_frame="PAGE_LAYOUT", df_export_width="", df_export_height="", resolution=pdfRES)
        teller = teller+1
        del mxd
        arcpy.AddMessage(pdf + "has been exported succesfully")
        print teller # for debugging
except Exception as e:
    print e.message

    # If using this code within a script tool, AddError can be used to return messages
    #   back to a script tool.  If not, AddError will have no effect.
    arcpy.AddError(e.message)

#Succes message in the end
arcpy.AddMessage("Done exporting "+str(teller)+ " MXD's to PDF's in folder" + folderpath)
#delete folderpath variable
del folderpath

The code is largely based on snippets from other and the ESRI help. What puzzles me, is that I can't find out what is the cause for this error: "PageLayoutObject: Error in parsing arguments for ExportToPDF".

Any suggestions, other than "It's Friday, go home"?

Re: PageLayoutObject: Error in parsing arguments for ExportToPDF

JoelCalhoun — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:48:29 GMT

I believe your resolution has to be a number not a string.

Your code:
pdfREs = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
pdfRES = str(pdfREs)

Try this instead:

pdfREs = int(arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2))

Re: PageLayoutObject: Error in parsing arguments for ExportToPDF

HarmenMolenaar — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:04:35 GMT

Thanks. I am afraid that didn't solve it.

Re: PageLayoutObject: Error in parsing arguments for ExportToPDF

CurtisBelyea — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 17:14:17 GMT

Even if I'm right, no doubt it's too little too late. You've given up or you already figured this out. However, casting your resolution as integer vs text is probably not the issue. Numeric values are passed in as strings all the time (i.e. arcpy.Buffer_analysis("roads", "C:/output/majorrdsBuffered", "100 Feet"...)). If units are left out (i.e. arcpy.Buffer_analysis("roads", "C:/output/majorrdsBuffered", "100")) the linear units of the input features' spatial reference are passed in.

What seems to be the issue is the declaration (or definition? I forget which...) of ' df_export_width="", df_export_height="" '. Why exactly, I'm not sure. However, if you're using "Page_Layout" as the declaration for the data_frame variable, you don't need to pass in df_export_width or height.

For example, this worked for me:

arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(map,"P:\\Proj6\\USNVC\\Range\\geoPdf\\" + field + "d.pdf","PAGE_LAYOUT",resolution = "75")

while this did not:

arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(map,"P:\\Proj6\\USNVC\\Range\\geoPdf\\" + field + "d.pdf","PAGE_LAYOUT",df_export_width="", df_export_height="",resolution = "75")

Notice that the resolution is passed in as a string in both.