Working with optional parameters

[Sheri_AnneSantos]

Hi smart people!!

I have created a script to automate our workflow at work but have been having difficulty with my optional parameter. I've googled every possible help i could get with this but nothing so far...

Please see below the script:

# Import all necessary modules
import os, sys, arcpy
from arcpy import env
import getpass

# Define all objects to be used
sde_conn = "S:/Projects/Oilsands/FortHills/OS0101_Fort_Hills_MPG/010_FH_GDA/002-GDA_LOG/My_ArcSDE_Conn.sde"
outpath = sde_conn + "/"
gdaFC = "FORTHILLS.GDA_PERMIT_BOUNDARY_A"
arcpy.AddMessage("SDE Connection Successful")

# Prompt for user parameters
table = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
field = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
gdanum = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
extstart = arcpy.GetParameter(3)
extend = arcpy.GetParameter(4)
extdue = arcpy.GetParameter(5)
asbsubmit = arcpy.GetParameter(6) # Optional Parameter

arcpy.SetParameter(3, gdanum)

# Specify selection
whereClause = '"GDA_NUMBER"' + " = '" + str(gdanum) + "'"

# Updates information of gda feature class
try:
    cursor = arcpy.UpdateCursor(outpath + gdaFC, whereClause)
    for row in cursor:
        row.setValue("EXTENSION_START_DATE", extstart)
        row.setValue("EXTENSION_FINISH_DATE", extend)
        row.setValue("EXTENSION_DUE_DATE", extdue)
        row.setValue("ASBUILT_SUBMIT_DATE", asbsubmit) # Script should skip this if no value entered
        row.setValue("STATUS", "E")
        row.setValue("INTERNAL_ROW_CHANGED_DATE", time.strftime("%x %X", time.localtime()))
        row.setValue("INTERNAL_ROW_CHANGED_BY", getpass.getuser().upper())
        cursor.updateRow(row)

    del cursor, row

except:
    print arcpy.GetMessages(1)
                               
arcpy.AddMessage("GDA has been extended")

[XanderBakker · Accepted solution]

When a parameter is not set, this is normally replaced by a "#" sign. I did a small test and reading the optional parameter when it is supposed to be an object ended in a "Object: Error in getting parameter as text" error. So I placed it in a try except and assigned it to None when there is an error (presumably the parameter was not set).

I guess you could do something like this:

# Import all necessary modules
import os, sys, arcpy
from arcpy import env
import getpass

# Define all objects to be used
sde_conn = "S:/Projects/Oilsands/FortHills/OS0101_Fort_Hills_MPG/010_FH_GDA/002-GDA_LOG/My_ArcSDE_Conn.sde"
gdaFC = "FORTHILLS.GDA_PERMIT_BOUNDARY_A"
fld_gdanum = "GDA_NUMBER"

# Prompt for user parameters
table = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
field = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
gdanum = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)
extstart = arcpy.GetParameter(3)
extend = arcpy.GetParameter(4)
extdue = arcpy.GetParameter(5)
try:
    asbsubmit = arcpy.GetParameter(6) # Optional Parameter
except:
    asbsubmit = None
##arcpy.SetParameter(3, gdanum)

# Specify selection
fc = os.path.join(sde_conn, gdaFC)
whereClause = "{0} = '{1}'".format(arcpy.AddFieldDelimiters(fc, fld_gdanum), gdanum)

# Updates information of gda feature class
try:
    cursor = arcpy.UpdateCursor(fc, whereClause)
    for row in cursor:
        row.setValue("EXTENSION_START_DATE", extstart)
        row.setValue("EXTENSION_FINISH_DATE", extend)
        row.setValue("EXTENSION_DUE_DATE", extdue)
        if asbsubmit != None:
            row.setValue("ASBUILT_SUBMIT_DATE", asbsubmit) # Script should skip this if no value entered
        row.setValue("STATUS", "E")
        row.setValue("INTERNAL_ROW_CHANGED_DATE", time.strftime("%x %X", time.localtime()))
        row.setValue("INTERNAL_ROW_CHANGED_BY", getpass.getuser().upper())
        cursor.updateRow(row)
    del cursor, row
except:
    print arcpy.GetMessages(1)

arcpy.AddMessage("GDA has been extended")

I switched line 22 off. Not sure why you want to set the value of the parameter extstart (3) to contain the value contained in gdanum...

[Sheri_AnneSantos]

Thank you so much Xander!!! It works!

Happy new year to you

[XanderBakker]

I'm glad it works. Happy New Year to you too.