Point to raster conversion works as a tool in arcmap but fails when attempted with identical parameters in a script

Question

I'm working on a script that will automate a stream delineation protocol given a DEM and a culvert layer. I was having difficulty troubleshooting problems with the point to raster conversion tool so I ran the tool in arcmap (successfully) and copied the python snippet from the results. I then closed arcmap to avoid lock problems and tried running the script (shown with my original code commented out) with the snippet. It produced the same error I encountered with my code.

Code:

    # Environment Set-Up and parameter initialization
import arcpy
from arcpy import *
from arcpy.sa import *
from arcpy.cartography import *
arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True
arcpy.CheckOutExtension ("Spatial")

    #Provide the full filepath for you working geodatabase here. ##DATASET STARTING NAME IS "LIDAR_DEM", MAKE A COPY OF YOUR ORIGINAL AND CALL IT THAT## 
WSV = r"C:\Users\rdcoopercaroselli\RowynProjects\LiDAR_Work\AutomationTest\Automation_try2.gdb"
arcpy.env.workspace = WSV

    #Provide the culvert datset here
CulvertFeature= WSV+'/Culverts'

    #Get the cell size, pixel type, desired operating extent, and coordinate system of the LiDAR DEM. Set up DEM as Snap Raster for raster calculations
DEM = Raster (WSV+"/LIDAR_DEM")
CellSize = GetRasterProperties_management (WSV+"/LIDAR_DEM", "CELLSIZEX")

ptype    = DEM.pixelType
code     = {'U1':'1_BIT','U2':'2_BIT','U4':'4_BIT','U8':'8_BIT_UNSIGNED','S8':'8_BIT_SIGNED','U16':'16_BIT_UNSIGNED', 'S16':'16_BIT_SIGNED',
           'U32':'32_BIT_UNSIGNED','S32':'32_BIT_SIGNED','F32':'32_BIT_FLOAT','F64':'64_BIT'}
ptype    = code[ptype]

arcpy.env.extent     = DEM.extent

arcpy.env.snapRaster = WSV+"/LIDAR_DEM"

     # Convert Culvert Shapefile to Raster with same cell size as DEM
#CreateRasterDataset_management (WSV, "CulvertRaster", CellSize, ptype, DEM,1)     
#PointToRaster_conversion(CulvertFeature,"ELEV",WSV+"/CulvertRaster","MOST_FREQUENT","NONE",CellSize)
#CulRast = Raster (WSV+"/CulvertRaster")

# Replace a layer/table view name with a path to a dataset (which can be a layer file) or create the layer/table view within the script
# The following inputs are layers or table views: "Culverts"
PointToRaster_conversion("Culverts","ELEV","C:/Users/rdcoopercaroselli/RowynProjects/LiDAR_Work/AutomationTest/Automation_try2.gdb/CulRast","MOST_FREQUENT",
                         "NONE","C:/Users/rdcoopercaroselli/RowynProjects/LiDAR_Work/AutomationTest/Automation_try2.gdb/LIDAR_DEM")

Error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\rdcoopercaroselli\RowynProjects\LiDAR_Work\AutomationTest\R05_DRAINAGE_DELINEATOR_Backup.py", line 40, in <module>
    "NONE","C:/Users/rdcoopercaroselli/RowynProjects/LiDAR_Work/AutomationTest/Automation_try2.gdb/LIDAR_DEM")
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\arcpy\arcpy\conversion.py", line 2393, in PointToRaster
    raise e
ExecuteError: ERROR 999999: Error executing function.
The table was not found. [CulRast]
The table was not found. [fras_bnd_CulRast]
No spatial reference exists.
Failed to execute (PointToRaster).

This error message alternately appears with and without a long series of "A column was specified that does not exist." messages

Answer 1

Make sure that you are formatting your paths correctly. Currently your CulvertFeature = "C:\Users\rdcoopercaroselli\RowynProjects\LiDAR_Work\AutomationTest\Automation_try2.gdb/Culverts"

There are a number of other paths with the same issue.