Publishing a layer creates lock and my python script cannot replace the feature class

[al_Dhakal]

Hello, I get a fresh csv every morning that I geocode and publish as a feature layer to be consumed in a dashboard. Now when I use python script to automate the workflow every morning, I see a lock from my ArcGIS Server service account. This lock (probably) doesn't let the python to overwrite the feature and a result, the new feature class that gets created appears in UPPER CASE and as a stand alone layer (not inside feature dataset). From second time around, the script just fails because either it couldn't overwrite the feature class or because it thinks there is already a feature class with that name inside the enterprise geodatabase. 

So, basically how can I overwrite a feature class that is published and hence has a lock from service account using python?   

[Scott_Tansley]

Assuming your data is not on the c: you can change the permissions of the server service account to read only.  Then it can’t create locks. 

[al_Dhakal]

Thanks but I have other services that need write access to be editable on Collector app or through browser. 

[RyanBohan]

Hi Shital, 

  I am fairly new to python myself.  I did find a tutorial on YouTube that really helped.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfnBLGLRb7Q

I also found making a view of my feature layer to share with the public helped once it's published.

[al_Dhakal]

Thank you. I will look into this. Although mine is not a hosted layer. It's a feature layer published through federated server so that the layer is always in sync with the enterprise geodatabase. 

[Anonymous User]

It all depends on how you have it set up but a truncate and load will work even with locks.  Keep the existing table and just replace the data.

[al_Dhakal]

I will look into this, thank you. I am also trying to see if creating a 'database view' and publishing the view layer might release lock from my actual feature class. 

[IhabHassan]

Hi @al_Dhakal 
instead of republishing the service every time you get new data, you can use the feature access capability to update the service features. 
I would recommend having a look into this tutorial, implementing almost exactly what you are after:

Append attribute values from a CSV into a new column on a Feature Layer
https://developers.arcgis.com/python/guide/appending-features/#Append-attribute-values-from-a-CSV-to...

Hope that helps

Ihab

[IhabHassan]

Alternative approach, while still using the service, is to use API for Python arcgis.features.FeatureLayer module, either using the "append" or "edit_features" methods, as explained here:
https://developers.arcgis.com/python/api-reference/arcgis.features.toc.html#featurelayer

[al_Dhakal]

Thank you. Append might not work for what I am trying to do because I want to add all the records every morning and delete all the records from the previous day.