Python Script Tool Startup Performance

[MattNicol]

I created a series of Python script tools that run in ArcMap 10.2 and noticed that there was significant lag before any code I wrote ran.

As a test, I created a Python script file with no executable code in it.  I didn't even import arcpy.  Under these conditions, the tool still takes around 25 seconds to run.

I tried enabling/disabling background processing and logging, and neither of these had a noticeable effect.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to improve script tool startup speed?

[ChrisSnyder]

Some things to try:

1. Make sure the .tbx and script files are accessible via a fast network connection or better yet on your local machine


2. Delete the geoprocessing history. Believe me, this can build up to a surprisingly large amount of file space. These .xml files are stored in: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Desktop10.1\ArcToolbox\History


3. This may be the most effective but be aware all your ArcMap/ArcCatalog settings (toolbars, paths, settings, etc) will go away... Try renaming (or deleting) your normal.mxt and normal.gxt files... These are the template files that control the customizations to ArcMap/Catalog. I make a habit of deleting these every so often when start up performance (ArcMap, ArcCatalog, import arcpy, etc.)goes down. Try just renaming these (they will get auto-recreated) and you will have your back ups in case you need to go back to the originals. These files are located at: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Desktop10.1\ArcMap\Templates and C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Desktop10.1\ArcCatalog

[MattNicol]

Thank you for the suggestions!  Unfortunately, they did not have an effect on performance in this case, but they all look like great suggestions for managing performance in general.

[curtvprice]

Do you have the checkbox set from the script property second tab: "Run Python script in process" - this allows your script to spawn off ArcMap's existing python process - saving startup time.

[MattNicol]

Curtis, thank you for the idea!  My scripts were all running in-process.

Surprisingly, in my empty script tool case, the tool finished in around 12 seconds when I ran it out-of-process.  When I tried this with my real script, I encountered an error though.  From the page below, it looks like Esri only recommends running scripts out-of-process in special cases:

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00150000000r000000