Cannot start subprocess or os.system(command) with 'import arcpy'

KevinAndras — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:54:37 GMT

I need to call a python script from another script, and not wait (this is a script to start multiple other scripts).

I have three different methods of calling the script - execfile(), os.system(), and subprocess.popen(). These all work - but, the first one forces the program to wait; and the other ones will fail when it tries to import arcpy. I suspect it is something to do with my 64-bit background geoprocessing, which I just reinstalled this morning. The error that occurs when importing arcpy is this:

"Traceback (most recent call last):
File "f:\scratch\test.py", line 5, in <module>
import arcpy
File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.8\ArcPy\arcpy\__init__.py", line 22, in <module>
from arcpy.geoprocessing import gp
File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.8\ArcPy\arcpy\geoprocessing\__init__.py", line 14, in <module>
from _base import *
File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.8\ArcPy\arcpy\geoprocessing\_base.py", line 14, in <module>
import arcgisscripting
ImportError: DLL load failed: %1 is not a valid Win32 application."

I only have one installation of Python.

I'm attaching two scripts: test1.py will call test.py with the three different methods - if they are successful, they will write out text files indicating which method was used.

I can't attach my scripts here, so they are pasted below: The called script is commented out. I'd sure appreciate any help with this!

#MAIN SCRIPT

import os
import subprocess
import sys
#import arcpy #works whether or not this is commented

''' script that's called by 3 methods below:
#script f:\\scratch\\test.py

import sys
import time
outFile = sys.argv[1]
print (outFile)
import arcpy #if this is commented, all three methods work; otherwise only execfile works
print ("writing file")
newInputFile = "f:\\scratch\\" + outFile + ".txt"
inputfile = open(newInputFile, "w")
inputfile.close()
print(sys.version)
print("sleeping")
time.sleep(5)

'''

print ("execfile here:")
sys.argv = ['test.py','file_from_execfile']
execfile("f:\\scratch\\test.py")

print("")

command = 'python f:\\scratch\\test.py file_from_command'
print ("command here:")
os.system(command)

script = "f:\\scratch\\test.py"
pythonExePath = r'C:\Python27\ArcGISx6410.8\python.exe'
pid = subprocess.Popen([pythonExePath, script, 'file_from_subprocess'], shell=False) # Call subprocess

print ("done")

Re: Cannot start subprocess or os.system(command) with 'import arcpy'

DanPatterson — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:15:37 GMT

There are limits to 64 background geoprocessing. Most would move to ArcGIS Pro

Background Geoprocessing (64-bit)—ArcMap | Documentation (arcgis.com)

topic Cannot start subprocess or os.system(command) with 'import arcpy' in Python Questions

Cannot start subprocess or os.system(command) with 'import arcpy'

Re: Cannot start subprocess or os.system(command) with 'import arcpy'