arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management fails on Feature Class

Question

I'm trying to streamline contour production with a script tool. Typically we make the contours to bring into AutoCAD Map where we need the "Elevation" and "Layer" fields populated so they import correctly.

Basic steps in the tool:

-create a focal statistics raster

-contour the Focal Stats raster

-add CAD fields

-calculate the contour values to the "Elevation" field that Auto CAD recognized

-Calculate destination CAD Layers (intermediate or index)

I'm throwing an error when I try to do arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management at the end of the script below. the error states that "Parameters are not valid.The value cannot be a feature class".

OK. so if I can't use a Feature Class, what function should I use instead that can accept a FC input?

#Import stuff
import os
from arcpy import env  
from arcpy.sa import *

#where am I saving?
path = (str(arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)))


#What layer are we using ?
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT")
ras1= arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)

#name of contour FC or shp
fc_out= arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)

#zfactor
z=arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3)

#contour interval in units of z factor
interval=arcpy.GetParameterAsText(4)

#Focal Statistics Raster (hopefully this is just memory and goes away....confirm this later)
focalras=FocalStatistics(ras1, NbrCircle(3, "CELL"),"MEAN", "NODATA")


#do teh contour
Contour(focalras,str(path)+"\\"+str(fc_out),interval,0,z)

#Add CAD Fields

if ".gdb" in path:

    try:
        #Add CAD Fields
        arcpy.AddCADFields_conversion(str(path)+"\\"+str(fc_out),"ADD_ENTITY_PROPERTIES","ADD_LAYER_PROPERTIES","NO_TEXT_PROPERTIES","NO_DOCUMENT_PROPERTIES","NO_XDATA_PROPERTIES")

    except:
        # If an error occurs while running a tool print the message
        print arcpy.GetMessages()



#Calculate attributes in new contour FC - still working on this.....

    contours = str(path)+"\\"+str(fc_out)

    #copy "Contour" field to newly added "Elevation" CAD field
    arcpy.CalculateField_management(contours, "Elevation", '!Contour!', "PYTHON_9.3")

#--------------WORKS FINE UP TO HERE------------    

    #Populate Indedx Contour layer name
    arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management (contours, "NEW_SELECTION", "mod(Contour,10)=0")
    arcpy.CalculateField_management ( contours, "Layer", "\"ETOPO-IND\"", "PYTHON_9.3")

    #Populate Intermediate Contour layer name
    arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management (contours, "NEW_SELECTION", "mod(Contour,10)>0")
    arcpy.CalculateField_management( contours , "Layer", "\"ETOPO-INT\"", "PYTHON_9.3")

else:
    print "SHP output - no CAD fields added"

Answer 1

Create a feature layer from contour FC:

arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management(contour, "contour_lyr")

Use "contour_lyr" instead of contour in Select by attribute.

You can also create a variable for this line of code and use it as a layer name.

mylyr = arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management(contour, "contour_lyr")

arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management (mylyr, "NEW_SELECTION", "mod(Contour,10)=0")

See this link.