topic Re: How to get select by location to honor definition query that is set in tool? in Python Questions

How to get select by location to honor definition query that is set in tool?

ZacharyKasson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:32:32 GMT

I am creating a tool to write information from one layer to another via a spatial join. I am setting a definition query on a my points layer (successfully sets definition query) - then running a select by location to intersect my line layer with the queried points layer. The select by location does not honor the definition query and selects the lines that intersect the unqueried point layer.

Here is my code:

def script_tool(map_name, Point_Name,Line_Name,query): # Pro project env variables arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject('CURRENT') MasterMap=aprx.listMaps(map_name)[0] Points_Layer = MasterMap.listLayers(Point_Name)[0] # # # SET DEFINITION QUERY # # # def setDefinitionQuery(layer, sqlFilter): layer.updateDefinitionQueries( [ {'name': 'Query 1', 'sql': sqlFilter, 'isActive': True} ] ) setDefinitionQuery(Point_Name,query)# this is sucessful - layer is queried after tool is finished running arcpy.RefreshLayer(Points_Layer) # Refresh Layer # # # Select Anchors by location # # # arcpy.management.SelectLayerByLocation( in_layer=Line_Name, overlap_type="INTERSECT", select_features= Point_Name, #also used layer object with same result. search_distance=None, selection_type="NEW_SELECTION", invert_spatial_relationship="NOT_INVERT" )

This selects 10,000 features instead of the desired 18. It works fine in a notebook, but not as a tool. How do I ensure the layer refreshes before doing a select layer by location.

I could do a select by attribute, but visually I only want those queried points in my map.

Re: How to get select by location to honor definition query that is set in tool?

TonyAlmeida — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 18:24:19 GMT

Try using feature layer with definition query.

temp_points = "memory/temp_points" arcpy.management.MakeFeatureLayer( points_lyr, temp_points, where_clause=query ) arcpy.management.SelectLayerByLocation( in_layer=line_lyr, overlap_type="INTERSECT", select_features=temp_points, search_distance=None, selection_type="NEW_SELECTION" )

Re: How to get select by location to honor definition query that is set in tool?

ZacharyKasson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:16:02 GMT

Ah, that's a good idea. Not exactly the functionality I am hoping for but it should suffice if def query is not possible. Thank you!

Re: How to get select by location to honor definition query that is set in tool?

HaydenWelch — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 20:26:33 GMT

I think you just need to save the aprx:

... setDefinitionQuery(Point_Name,query)# this is sucessful - layer is queried after tool is finished running arcpy.RefreshLayer(Points_Layer) # Refresh Layer + aprx.save() ...

I also started down my cursor rabbit hole and came up with a version that only uses geometry and SearchCursors lol:

from arcpy.da import SearchCursor from arcpy import PointGeometry from functools import reduce from arcpy import ( AddError, ) from arcpy._mp import ( Layer, Map, ArcGISProject, ) from arcpy.management import SelectLayerByAttribute def script_tool(map_name: str, point_layer_name: str, line_layer_name: str, sql_query: str) -> None: # Grab layers and such aprx = ArcGISProject('CURRENT') map_objs: list[Map] = aprx.listMaps(map_name) if not map_objs: AddError(f"{map_name} does not exist!") return map_obj = map_objs[0] point_layer_objs: list[Layer] = map_obj.listLayers(point_layer_name) if not point_layer_objs: AddError(f"{point_layer_name} does not exist in {map_name}!") return point_layer_obj = point_layer_objs[0] line_layer_objs: list[Layer] = map_obj.listLayers(line_layer_name) if not line_layer_objs: AddError(f"{line_layer_name} does not exist in {map_name}!") return line_layer_obj = line_layer_objs[0] # Get point geos of points that match the query point_geos: list[PointGeometry] = [ rec[0] for rec in SearchCursor(point_layer_obj.dataSource, ['SHAPE@'], where_clause=sql_query) ] # Merge points into a multipoint multipoint = reduce(lambda a, b: a+b, point_geos) # Grab all line ids that intersect the multipoint # Need to cast to string for query interpolation line_ids: list[str] = [ str(oid) for oid, line in SearchCursor(line_layer_obj, ['OID@'], spatial_filter=multipoint) ] SelectLayerByAttribute( in_layer_or_view=line_layer_obj, selection_type='NEW_SELECTION', where_clause=f"OBJECTID IN ({','.join(line_ids)})" )

Re: How to get select by location to honor definition query that is set in tool?

Clubdebambos — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 11:31:01 GMT

Hi @ZacharyKasson,

The code above worked just fine for me after I updated the code below. Applied def query and selected by location worked as it should only selecting lines that intersected the points available from the def query.

With ArcGIS Pro 3.4

setDefinitionQuery(Points_Layer,query) ## setDefinitionQuery(Point_Name,query)

When you create the tool how are you defining the parameters? like below...

map_name = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0) point_name = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1) line_name = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2) query = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3)

All the best,

Glen