arcpy.Clip_management throws 999999 error. Running from toolbox works fine

Question

I want to clip multiple rasters to my study area, so I'm writing a script that's using the arcpy.Clip_management tool. However, the tool throws an 999999 error with no explanation when executing.

I suspect that I'm mucking up the syntax somehow since the tool runs fine when executed from the toolbox with the same inputs, but I can't figure out what I might be doing wrong.

Tool help for reference: http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/tools/data-management-toolbox/clip.htm

This is the script as is:

import arcpy, numpy

arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True

try:
# set workspace
arcpy.env.workspace = r"C:\Users\Johnnie\Desktop\exarb\gis\pilotstudie"

# set inputs
inLocation = "in.gdb/"
outLocation = "ut2.gdb/"
studyArea = inLocation + "studieomrade"
vectorInputs = ["by_get", "my_get", "vl_get"]
rasterInputs = ["hojd2m3006_6589746_685960"]


# process: clip all vector inputs to study area
#for i in vectorInputs:
    #outName = i + "_clip"
    #arcpy.Clip_analysis(inLocation + i, inLocation + studyArea, outLocation + outName)

# process: clip all raster inputs to study area
for i in rasterInputs:
    outName = outLocation + i + "_clip"
    inName = inLocation + i
    arcpy.Clip_management(inName, "", outName, studyArea, "", "ClippingGeometry", "NO_MAINTAIN_EXTENT")



except Exception as err:
print err.args[0]

This works with no problems for the commented out arcpy.Clip_analysis part.

This is what it looks like when I try to run the tool directly from the python console:

>>> arcpy.Clip_management("in.gdb/hojd2m3006_6589746_685960", "", "ut2.gdb/test2", "in.gdb/studieomrade", "", "ClippingGeometry", "NO_MAINTAIN_EXTENT")
Runtime error  Traceback (most recent call last):   File "<string>", line 1, in <module>   File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.3\arcpy\arcpy\management.py", line 13594, in Clip     raise e ExecuteError: ERROR 999999: Error executing function. Failed to execute (Clip).

I've tried with both empty quotes and "#" for default values as in the help sections code examples, but seems to make no difference.

Running the tool from the toolbox with the same inputs works just fine.

Answer 1

@Midavalo is right - a rectangle must be set. if you don't want to give specific values, use # as follows:

arcpy.Clip_management("in.gdb/hojd2m3006_6589746_685960", "#", "ut2.gdb/test2", "in.gdb/studieomrade", "", "ClippingGeometry", "NO_MAINTAIN_EXTENT")

General remark:

1. Try to use the r"Path" whereever you can. You did so for your workspace, add it to your in- and out-paths too. Sometimes you get strange errors if you don't use r.
2. Also, try to use the built-in .format() function for putting together strings, as it's much easier to prevent syntax errors. Instead of studyArea = inLocation + "studieomrade" use studyArea = """{0}studieomrade""".format(inLocation). Everything inside the triple """ will be treated as strings, even spaces and such. Put all variables inside {} and define them in the brackets of the .format() function.