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Is there a way to use python get the geometries of the feature classes in sde?

RPGIS

Hi,

So I am working on a script to automate a process for populating certain fields in several feature classes, but in order to do so I need to determine what kind of geometries these feature classes are. Depending on what kind of feature classes they are, the script runs a certain way. The issue I am having with the script is I am not getting the list of geometries for the feature classes. The feature classes are in sde (not sure if that makes a difference) and I keep getting a list, but not a list of the geometries. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy

arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>env<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>workspace <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">'Database Connections\Storm Water.sde\STORM.GISADMIN.Storm_Network'</SPAN>

fcs <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>
descList <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>
fclist <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>ListFeatureClasses<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> fc <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> fclist<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    fcs<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>append<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> fc <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> fcs<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    desc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Describe<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
    descList<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>append<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>desc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><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>

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George_Thompson

Looks like a combination of the https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/arcpy/functions/describe.htm & https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/arcpy/functions/featureclass-properties.htm

import arcpy
# Create a Describe object from the feature class #
desc = arcpy.Describe("C:/data/arch.dgn/Point")
# Print some feature class properties #
print("Feature Type: " + desc.featureType)
print("Shape Type : " + desc.shapeType)
print("Spatial Index: " + str(desc.hasSpatialIndex))

JoshuaBixby

You are on the right track. The code snippet you provided is created a list of Describe objects. What you need to do is lookup the shapeType property of the object to determine what type of geometry object is stored in the feature class.

Try:

descList<SPAN class="">.</SPAN>append<SPAN class="">(</SPAN>desc<SPAN class="">.shapeType)</SPAN>

RPGIS

Thanks Josh and George.

I am trying to automate several different tasks and the reason I was trying to determine the geometries of the feature classes is to run a different scenario depending on the type of geometry exists. I haven't worked with sde databases much and I have automated several tasks in the past before but not to this degree.

Also, I have a mixture of feature classes where the feature classes exist both in a database and dataset. I tried researching different options to extract the names of the feature classes but for some reason I get either a partial name or a partial path. Is there a way to specifically get the name of the feature class given the full path of the feature class.

Robert

MicahBabinski

I think the examples shown for Walk—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop will get you what you need in terms of full paths. From there, you can use either the name or baseName property of your describe object: Describe object properties—Help | ArcGIS Desktop.

Hope this helps!

Micah

RPGIS

Thanks Micah,

I had some issues with the overall path names since I had feature classes in both the database and the dataset within the database. I was able to figure out a solution but it was kind of lengthy. I tried to shorthand it but that didn't turn out to well. Here is the solution I came up with when I had the full path names. If there is a better way to shorthand this I would definitely be interested.

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy
<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> os

workspace <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">'Database Connections\Connection to dcp-gisapp1tst.sde'</SPAN>
fcs <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> <SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN>

walk <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>da<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Walk<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>workspace<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> datatype<SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"FeatureClass"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> dirpath<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> dirnames<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> filenames <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> walk<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> filename <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> filenames<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
        fcs<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>append<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>dirpath<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> filename<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
        
<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> fc <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> fcs<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    geometryType <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Describe<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>shapeType
    fcsname <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>basename<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
    name <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>splitext<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fcsname<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
    x <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> geometryType
    y <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> name<SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>lstrip<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'.'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'{} is a {}'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>y<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> x<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><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>

MicahBabinski

Hey Robert,

The important thing is that it works for what you need it to do. Your script looks good to me. Are you just trying to write it in fewer lines so you have a shorter script? It would be possible to accomplish what you are doing in the 'for' loop at line 13 in the 'for' loop before that one, but there's nothing wrong with the way you've done it!

If you just want to write it in fewer lines, you could do this:

<SPAN class="keyword token">import</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> os

workspace <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> r<SPAN class="string token">'Database Connections\Connection to dcp-gisapp1tst.sde'</SPAN>

walk <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>da<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Walk<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>workspace<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> datatype<SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"FeatureClass"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> dirpath<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> dirnames<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> filenames <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> walk<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> filename <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> filenames<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
        fc <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>join<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>dirpath<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> filename<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
        <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"{} is a {}"</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>split<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">-</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Describe<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>shapeType<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><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>

Micah

JoshuaBixby

See Micah Babinski‌'s reply.

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RPGIS

Hey Micah,

I was trying to figure out if there are ways to write the same thing with fewer lines. The script worked for what I needed but I wasn't sure if there was a way to write it in a simpler fashion. I know writing a simpler script is not as important as a working script, but knowing that there are ways to simplify what I have already done would make searching through the code a little easier(and streamlined).

Thanks for your help Micah,

Robert

MicahBabinski

Totally - I get it. I applaud your efforts to simplify your code - it's easier to understand, maintain, and all around better that way.

DanPatterson_Retired

Yours is much clearer and easier to dissect should something should go wrong.... compare to

a more compact version and you will see

<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> fc <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> fcs<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    shp_type <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Describe<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>shapeType
    name <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>splitext<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>basename<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>lstrip<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'.'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'{} is a {}'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>format<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>name<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> shp_type<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>

<SPAN class="comment token"># ---- or.... for python 3.6 +</SPAN>
<SPAN class="keyword token">for</SPAN> fc <SPAN class="keyword token">in</SPAN> fcs<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
    shp_type <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> arcpy<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>Describe<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>shapeType
    name <SPAN class="operator token">=</SPAN> os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>splitext<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>os<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>path<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>basename<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>lstrip<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">'.'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>
    <SPAN class="keyword token">print</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>f<SPAN class="string token">'{name} is a {shp_type}'</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><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>

RPGIS

Thanks Dan,

I never really thought about that. I simply thought a script that is written with fewer lines looks aesthetically better, but never considered troubleshooting as a factor in writing the script. I am relatively new to this and I see people write these in so many ways, but they oddly function the same.

So the thing that I am unsure about is if there is a particular method to writing scripts, or is that simply dependent on personal preference.

Robert

JoshuaBixby

a script that is written with fewer lines looks aesthetically better

I think readability is a bit more objective of a measure than aesthetics. At some point streamlining or reducing lines of code becomes code golf, fun to play but seldom the best approach for portability, maintenance, etc....

MicahBabinski

I really love where this thread has gone, especially since we all have to read code as well as write code. From my conversations with other professionals, a lot of people start out their GIS Python scripting journey by reading and modifying existing code to fix bugs, change variables, add tools, etc. Personally, I took a class in 2012 and more or less dove in. I made lots of mistakes along the way, and continue to do so! Referring to the example I gave to Robert:

fc<SPAN class="punctuation token">.</SPAN>split<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN><SPAN class="string token">"."</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">[</SPAN><SPAN class="operator token">-</SPAN><SPAN class="number token">1</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">]</SPAN><SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

is something I have typed many, many times, so placing it inside the format function makes sense to me. But Dan's example is indeed more readable.

Anyways, folks might find this resource useful: Style Guide for Python Code by Guido van Rossum et al. Lots of good practical guidelines as well as philosophy. I googled 'Python Best Practices' after checking this thread this morning so I am going to check it out myself.

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