ArcCatalog and python crash when running ConvertTimeField_management

Question

I have a script which reclassifies a tif file, adds a new field to the tiff, and is supposed to parse the date from the filename and add it to the new date field. Everything works as it should, except parsing the date. When the script runs this line, python crashes, either runnig the script through ArcCatalog or python command line:

arcpy.ConvertTimeField_management("C:\Users\OuelletteMS\Desktop\Ice_Data_from_JohnIacozza\1978\wa_19780629_reclass.tif", 19780629, "yyyyMMdd", "Date")

This example is using variable values as they are assigned by the script (print the variables, copy/paste and add quotes). The full script is below.

I get no error messages, and commenting out this one line shows that everything else works. I got this line as a snippet after a successful run of the tool in ArcMap. What am I missing?

I'm using ArcGIS 10.1 SP1 and Python 2.7

import arcpy, os, sys
from arcpy import env
arcpy.CheckOutExtension("Spatial")

# Allow for file overwrite
arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True

# Set the workspace directory 
path = "C:\Users\OuelletteMS\Desktop\Ice_Data_from_JohnIacozza"
env.workspace = path

# Get the list of the featureclasses in the workspace directory
listFCs = arcpy.ListFiles("wa_197806*.tif") 

# Loop through each file and perform the processing

for fc in listFCs:
    print str("processing " + fc)       # displays the file that is currently being handled

    shpname = str(fc)                   # converts filename to a string
    yearVal = shpname[3:7]              # year processed
    newName = shpname[0:11] + "_reclass.tif"    # name for reclassified raster
    newPath = path + "\\" + yearVal     # sets the path for the reclassified file
    outfile = newPath + "\\" + newName  # specifies reclassified raster path
    vf = "Value"                        # sets value field to be used
    strDate = shpname[3:11]             # extracts characters 3 through 11 from the file name

# Check to see if a directory for that year exists.  If not, make one
    try: 
        os.makedirs(newPath)
    except OSError:
        if not os.path.isdir(newPath):
            raise

# Reclassify raster
    arcpy.gp.Reclassify_sa(fc,vf,"1 5 1;6 99 0;NODATA 0",outfile,"NODATA")

# Adds and populates date field
    field2 = "Date"                     # Field for storing the date as a date
    arcpy.AddField_management(outfile,field2,"DATE")
#    arcpy.ConvertTimeField_management(outfile, strDate, "yyyyMMdd", field2)

# Cleanup
del listFCs, fc, shpname, yearVal, newName, newPath, outfile, vf, strDate, field2

#
arcpy.CheckInExtension("Spatial")
print "done"

Answer 1

Looks like your path at the beginning could be a problem. You should make it a 'raw' string or escape the slashes:

path = r"C:\Users\OuelletteMS\Desktop\Ice_Data_from_JohnIacozza"
path = "C:\\Users\\OuelletteMS\\Desktop\\Ice_Data_from_JohnIacozza"

My guess is the the List result is empty because the workspace doesn't exist.