Can you use active layer as input for dynamic text?

Question

I'm wondering if you can lift the name of a layer in the ToC (within a group) and use it in dynamic text. Is there existing syntax to do this?
eg.

Using ArcMap 10 sp3. Thanks in advance,

Matt

Answer 1

You could write a python script that uses the following mapping modules:

import arcpy

mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("Current")

for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd):
     if lyr == 'yourlayername':

for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd, "TEXT_ELEMENT"):
     if elm.text == "defaulttext":
        elm.text = lyr # change layout text