Using ArcPy to move a scalebar

[SimonWebster1]

I'm looking to shift a scale bar with Python, and as such have a small proof of concept script happening in a python console window. Using the below code, no matter the location given with elementPositionY, the scale bar does not seem to change location at all. 

• My current mxd has a single scale bar named "ScaleBar1"
• My data frame has a geographic coordinate system set (not sure if this matters). 
• I'm attempting to access the scale bar this way because ultimately I'll extend the for and if statements to work with multiple bars and some logic. 
• I'm not a python coder, so please be gentle. 

My code: 

mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\users\I5-Desktop\Documents\untitled.mxd") #current mxd
scaleBar = arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"MAPSURROUND_ELEMENT","ScaleBar1") #enforce working on "ScaleBar1". Can use wildcards when we have more.
for item in scaleBar:
   print item.name #confirm that we are working on the only scalebar that's currently in the document
   if item.name == "ScaleBar1":
      item.elementPositionY = 1
      print item.name #reconfirm we have entered the if statement with the name

What reason might there be for the scalebar not changing location? I can resolve its name, and enter a loop based on its name, etc. 

[DanPatterson_Retired]

everything points to saving the mxd since you aren't working with 'CURRENT', otherwise, there arcpy.RefreshActiveView

[SimonWebster1]

Thanks Dan

Neither saving nor using arcpy.RefreshActiveView after the posted code seems to make a difference. That said, there's no errors either. RefreshActiveView returns <function RefreshActiveView at 0x255B32B0> which seems ok. 

[DanPatterson_Retired]

you need... RefreshActiveView()  # the brackets

[SimonWebster1]

Thanks Dan.

Although this didn't work for me in this instance, I need to learn where I require brackets and where I don't. Rookie error. Thanks.

As it turns out, and for whatever reason, I needed to be using CURRENT and not a reference to the mxd. The brackets were similarly important.

So, the working code is:

mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT") #current mxd
scaleBar = arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"MAPSURROUND_ELEMENT","ScaleBar1") #enforce working on "ScaleBar1". Can use wildcards when we have more.
for item in scaleBar:
   print item.name #confirm that we are working on the only scalebar that's currently in the document
   if item.name == "ScaleBar1":
      item.elementPositionY = 1
      arcpy.RefreshActiveView()
      print item.name #reconfirm we have entered the if statement with the name

[DanPatterson_Retired]

As suspected... glad it worked out