Shapefile buffer assigning to each buffer a different length

Question

I have drawn a set of lines (corresponding to a network) in a shapefile. I would like to buffer them, but each line has a different buffer length, so I thought to do it with Python: for each branch, identified by a particular ID number, perform the buffer up to a certain distance that you can find in an attribute column.

To do so, I would like to use: Buffer_analysis {all_my_branches, a_new_defined_layer, an_attribute_column_inserted_in_the_shapefile}

I imported arcpy, I set as arcpy.env.workspace my shapefile, but when I ask for the list of feature classes I get the answer:

"function ListFeatureClasses at 0x1948B770"

So I guess I have no features in my shapefile. How can I therefore do to perform the buffer I want? Can it be done on a shapefile?

I am new to ArcGIS and Python.

Answer 1

As the two commentators mentioned, you don't need arcpy for this task. In the interface of the Buffer (Analysis) tool, just select your shapefile and then specify the buffer distance field here:

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You can however, use arcpy for this task too. Try this:

import arcpy

# Define workspace
workspace = r"C:Path\to\workspace"
arcpy.env.workspace = workspace

# Define Inputs
your_input = r"C:Path\to\shapefile\shapefile.shp"
your_output = r"C:Path\to\output\output.shp"
distance_field = "Name_of_Distance_Field_in_Input"

# Perform Buffer
arcpy.Buffer_analysis(your feature, your_output, distance_field, "FULL", "ROUND", "ALL")