ArcGIS Geoprocessing Script - Calling External EXE Works in Desktop - Causes GP Service to Quit Abruptly

Question

I have an interesting problem on my hands... I have a generic python script that does a bunch of geoprocessing functions using the standard arcgisscripting module (Yes, I am still at 9.3.1). At one point in this script, I call out to an external exe. This external exe does some heavy duty raster processing using gdal17.dll. After the .exe does its thing, my script continues on doing additional processing using the results from the .exe - still using arcgisscripting functions.

The tool runs beautifully in a desktop environment. However, as soon as I publish it as an ArcGIS Server Geoprocessing Service - it exits abruptly in the first calling of arcgisscripting function AFTER the gdal-based exe is called. I can't log or trap an error - it just plain 'ol quits.

I am very aware that mixing gdal in the arcgis geoprocessing environment is looking for trouble. However, porting the logic from the exe is just not an option at this point - if it is even possible. The fact the script works fine in the desktop environment gives me a glimmer of hope that it may work in a gp service.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I was able to figure out my issue. Before I decided on calling out to the exe I described in my original post, I was experimenting with python.net. There were some remnants of that experimentation - mainly the import clr and a few other .net dll's which were no longer necessary with the exe. After removing those lines from my script, it works fine as both a desktop tool and geoprocessing service.