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Apply Symbology to TOC layers

JordanMiller5

I have a .lyr file on my desktop that I would like apply symbology to a TOC sde layer in an existing map document. How can I do this using python IDLE?

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RandyBurton

Looks like you are on the right track. You can use ApplySymbology outside with IDLE; what type of error do you get when using IDLE.

Here's a script that I use to apply symbology using a layer file:

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> os
<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy <SPAN class="comment token"># if outside ArcMap</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># inside ArcMap, use "CURRENT" for document name</SPAN>
mxd <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>MapDocument<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>r<SPAN class="string token">"C:\Path\To\SymbolTest.mxd"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># layer file is in directory with mxd map document; this will be the workspace</SPAN>
arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>env<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>workspace <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>dirname<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>filePath<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># dictonary matches map layer with symbology layer file</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># layer name in TOC : name of layer file (can use full path/file name if not in map directory)</SPAN>
symbols <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">{</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'SymbolTest'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'LayerSymbology.lyr'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">}</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> layer <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListLayers<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> symbols<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Layer: '{}' - previous symbology type: '{}'."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>symbologyType<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"><SPAN># </SPAN><A class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://community.esri.com/external-link.jspa?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdesktop.arcgis.com%2Fen%2Farcmap%2Flatest%2Ftools%2Fdata-management-toolbox%2Fapply-symbology-from-layer.htm" target="_blank">http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/tools/data-management-toolbox/apply-symbology-from-layer.htm</A></SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management (in_layer, in_symbology_layer)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Applying symbology to layer '{}' using '{}'."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> symbols<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> symbols<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Layer: '{}' - new symbology type: '{}'."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>symbologyType<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Layer '{}' not updated."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># may need to refresh map</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># arcpy.RefreshTOC()</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># arcpy.RefreshActiveView()</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">del</SPAN> mxd‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

All comments

RandyBurton

Looks like you are on the right track. You can use ApplySymbology outside with IDLE; what type of error do you get when using IDLE.

Here's a script that I use to apply symbology using a layer file:

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> os
<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy <SPAN class="comment token"># if outside ArcMap</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># inside ArcMap, use "CURRENT" for document name</SPAN>
mxd <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>MapDocument<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>r<SPAN class="string token">"C:\Path\To\SymbolTest.mxd"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># layer file is in directory with mxd map document; this will be the workspace</SPAN>
arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>env<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>workspace <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>dirname<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>filePath<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># dictonary matches map layer with symbology layer file</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># layer name in TOC : name of layer file (can use full path/file name if not in map directory)</SPAN>
symbols <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">{</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'SymbolTest'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'LayerSymbology.lyr'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">}</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> layer <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>mapping<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListLayers<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>mxd<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> symbols<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Layer: '{}' - previous symbology type: '{}'."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>symbologyType<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"><SPAN># </SPAN><A class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://community.esri.com/external-link.jspa?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdesktop.arcgis.com%2Fen%2Farcmap%2Flatest%2Ftools%2Fdata-management-toolbox%2Fapply-symbology-from-layer.htm" target="_blank">http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/tools/data-management-toolbox/apply-symbology-from-layer.htm</A></SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="comment token"># ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management (in_layer, in_symbology_layer)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Applying symbology to layer '{}' using '{}'."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> symbols<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> symbols<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Layer: '{}' - new symbology type: '{}'."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>symbologyType<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">"Layer '{}' not updated."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>layer<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># may need to refresh map</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># arcpy.RefreshTOC()</SPAN>
<SPAN class="comment token"># arcpy.RefreshActiveView()</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">del</SPAN> mxd‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

Madanbhurati

Hi Jordan,

In following line of script "symbolLyr" is defined as "ymbolLyr", as stated in error trace back.

# Set layer that output symbology will be based on

ymbolLyr = r"C:\Users\aa2zz6\Desktop\test\Meters.lyr"

JordanMiller5

Hi Dan,

I did try using the example code but it didn't work. I'll post my code and error.

Edit: If I run the symbology to TOC part of the script inside the map python it works great. Why is it not able to run outside in IDLE?

# Name: Create Map

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

# Rebuild Map Workspace
#
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\Users\aa2zz6\Desktop\test\Untitled.mxd")

df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "*")[0]
# Add layer to TOC
#
addLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"I:\UPDM.gdb\P_PipeSystem\P_Meters")
arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(df, addLayer, "BOTTOM")

addLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"I:\UPDM.gdb\P_PipeSystem\P_MeterSetting")
arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(df, addLayer, "BOTTOM")

addLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"I:\UPDM.gdb\P_PipeSystem\P_Regulator")
arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(df, addLayer, "BOTTOM")

addLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"I:\UPDM.gdb\P_PipeSystem\P_TownBorderStation")
arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(df, addLayer, "BOTTOM")

mxd.save()

# Apply Symbology to TOC layer

#Set layer to apply symbology to
lyr = "P_Meters"

# Set layer that output symbology will be based on
ymbolLyr = r"C:\Users\aa2zz6\Desktop\test\Meters.lyr"

# Apply the symbology from the symbology layer to the input layer
arcpy.ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management(lyr, symbolLyr)

Error

Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\aa2zz6\Downloads\CREATE NEW MXD.py", line 38, in arcpy.ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management(lyr, symbolLyr) NameError: name 'symbolLyr' is not defined

DanPatterson_Retired

Did you see Apply Symbology from Layer there is a code sample at the end.

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