topic Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates in Python Questions

Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

SeanLukacs — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:19:26 GMT

Hello! I am still learning the basics.

I have a several tables in a .gdb that I have assigned as a variable: (The reason being I am building a script tool for handling multiple fc and tables to generate a location based report on facilities and infrastructure. I am creating template tables to then use when I run summary statistics, and I want to account for instances where some layers Objectid count == 0, in that case, a row is not generated, and then it causes issues when appending each layer to the final table even if to just say "0")

This is what I have:

import os
arcpy.env.workspace = r"path.gdb"

listTables = arcpy.ListTables("*qual_text")
print(listTables)
rows = arcpy.InsertCursor(listTables)<-----this is where it errors out "does not exist"

# Create 25 new rows. Set the initial row ID and distance values
for x in range(1):
row = rows.newRow()
row.setValue("FREQUENCY", 0)
row.setValue("COUNT_OBJECTID", 0)
row.setValue("FAC_TYPE", )
rows.insertRow(row)

# Delete cursor and row objects to remove locks on the data
del row
del rows

print("Row Added")

I am getting an error about the tables not existing, but they print out and indeed do exist in the path I set. do I have bad code formatting?

How do I use InsertCursor (or any other method) to insert 1 row with default values for fields (Already exist)?

Thanks in advance!

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

Neal_t_k — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:23:34 GMT

Once you have your list of tables, you need to address each table individually, start here:

listTables = arcpy.ListTables("*qual_text")

for table in listTables:

rows = arcpy.InsertCursor(table)

listTables = arcpy.ListTables("*qual_text") for table in listTables: rows = arcpy.InsertCursor(table)

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

DanPatterson — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:22:05 GMT

Code formatting ... the Community Version - Esri Community

to make it easier to read and refer to line numbers

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

TonyAlmeida — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:09:54 GMT

I don't think you can create a cursor on this list. You must create a cursor for each individual table in that list.

Try this,

Iterates table by table
Checks row count
Uses arcpy.da.InsertCursor

import arcpy arcpy.env.workspace = r"path.gdb" listTables = arcpy.ListTables("*qual_text") for table_name in listTables: # Get the count of rows in the table count_int = int(arcpy.management.GetCount(table_name)[0]) print(f"Table: {table_name} has {count_int} rows.") if count_int == 0: print(" Count is zero. Adding default row...") try: fields = ["FREQUENCY", "COUNT_OBJECTID", "FAC_TYPE"] with arcpy.da.InsertCursor(table_name, fields) as cursor: cursor.insertRow((0, 0, "No Features Present")) print(" Success!") except Exception as e: print(f" Failed: {e}") else: print(" Count is not zero. Skipping.")

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

HaydenWelch — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 16:14:02 GMT

Here's a version that abuses comprehensions and a for...else block to check for empty tables with a single operation:

from arcpy.da import ( SearchCursor, InsertCursor, ) from arcpy import ListTables def is_empty(table: str) -> bool: """This is a bit of a weird one that abuses a for ... else block to test if an iterator is empty. Since we don't want to waste time counting the whole table, we can hop out early and only check the first record. the `else` block only executes if the break is never hit, an empty table will never begin iteration, so that break is never hit and False is returned. If the table isn't empty, the loop immediately breaks and the else is skipped returning True The reason to do this is to take checking if a table is empty from O(n) to O(1) since we only ever need to look at the first record. """ with SearchCursor(table, 'OID@') as cur: for _ in cur: break else: return True return False def insert_row(table: str, vals: dict) -> None: with InsertCursor(table, list(vals.keys())) as cur: cur.insertRow(tuple(vals.values())) def main(): row = {"FREQUENCY": 0, "COUNT_OBJECTID": 0, "FAC_TYPE": "No Features Present"} tables = [t for t in ListTables("*qual_text") if is_empty(t)] updates = { insert_row(table, row) for table for table in tables } print(f'updated {updates} with default rows') if __name__ == '__main__': main()

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

SeanLukacs — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:16:34 GMT

Thanks for the that

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

SeanLukacs — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:44:20 GMT

@TonyAlmeida This worked, like of the shelf, thank you!!

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

SeanLukacs — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:45:37 GMT

@HaydenWelch I am getting a syntax error at line 37 of your cell

for table in tables ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax

. Is that For loop okay where it's at?

Re: Insert one (1) row into multiple empty table templates

HaydenWelch — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:11:03 GMT

I typoed on that line lol, there's 2 "for table" tokens. Just delete the one on like 36.

I shouldn't try to format python code on my phone...

I think it was originally "or table" so you'd get a list of tables updated actually and autocorrect sniped me.