Using Gui tools and arcpy.mapping

Question

For a project I want to create a little program that does simple things like export a map from the python command line, but also users are able to edit said map (without having to open arcmap) e.g change font text, replace a street name with another street name, change map layout. I know you can do something similiar in arcpy.mapping from the command line - but what if I use gui tools to create a small program that allows users to do so by pressing buttons (e.g one button exports map, I could then upload a few example maps that can be worked on) - I'm looking at using tkinter.

Does this sound overly complex? I can remove the gui tools part if its too hard - is it possible to test out python programs somewhere? - like can I upload it somewhere and test it out and do I need html knowledge?

thanks

• on a second note - does anyone know a way to replace a graphic in all maps - for example, if I want to replace the company logo of all my maps with another logo I've made - I've googled and can't seem to find an answer to it.

Answer 1

You're going to be quite limited if you're going the pure Python route -- for one, you can't use Tkinter in arc*.exe, the event loops will conflict. If you do something that runs in python.exe instead, Tkinter will work but you'll have no way to show the map for any sort of interactive selection (though you might hack something together with PIL and a canvas and exporting maps to temporary .JPG or .PNG files). Obviously in that case a Tkinter UI will work, but ideally coming to terms with a geoprocessing tool and its associated dialog might be your best bet.