Set gp.workspace with a Variable Read in from a Text File

[MichaelVolz]

To All Python Users:

In ArcGIS v9.3.1 I want to be able to set certain variables such as the gp.workspace from a configuration file outside the python script so it is not hard-coded in the script.

I was able to read in text for other variables I needed to set but it did not work with gp.workspace as I received the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "G:\deptdata\GIS\GIS_Services\User\server_Scripts\01_Data_Read_Config.py", line 37, in <module>
    gp.workspace = "'" + source + "'"
RuntimeError: NotInitialized

The code to set the variable source is as follows:

vars = myfile.read().rstrip().split(",")  connSDE = vars[0] EOC_source = vars[1]  gp.workspace = "'" + EOC_source + "'"  (I have tried gp.workspace = """ + EOC_source + """ as well as gp.workspace = EOC_source 

Can gp.workspace be set with a variable?  If so, what am I doing wrong with the syntax?

Any help or hints regarding this issue are greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[StacyRendall1 · Accepted solution]

Michael, have you tried using print or arcpy.AddMessage to ensure the variable is coming through as expected? You can also do type(). If you are running as a script tool:

gp.AddMessage(EOC_source) gd.AddMessage(str(type(EOC_source))

or from the command line:

print EOC_source print type(EOC_source)

Either of these should produce (for example):

C:/Datastore/2006/Forestry/
<type 'str'>

EOC_source should be coming through as a string, which means just writing:

gp.workspace = EOC_source

should work.... Although it is possible that the syntax for 9.3 is different.

[StephenBarrow]

If you are running this from within an ArcMap/Catalog session you can also create a tool script dialog box and attach your script to it to get the input that way and the dialog will ensure it is a workspace as well.

[MichaelVolz]

Thank you for the reply Stacy.

I was using python syntax that is compatible with ArcGIS v10, but I was mistakenly running the code on an ArcGIS v9.3.1.  Once I ran the code on an ArcGIS v10 machine it worked fine.  This type of stuff happens as I am working in dual environments as my organization works on upgrading GIS software and GIS dependent applications.