Assertion Error when attempting arcpy.mapping.AddLayer

Question

Whenever I attempt to use AddLayer it gives me: Runtime error <type 'exceptions.AssertionError'>

This is what I've been using:

arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(MainDF, r"\\GEOGDATA\campusmapping\CampusWide\LayerFiles\CAD\Floor2\Casanova2", "BOTTOM")

Casanova2 is a .lyr file. I've also attempted to use this with a few other layer files. Every time it gives me an AssertionError.

Do you know what I'm doing wrong?

Answer 1

I figured out the problem. The second parameter needs to be a previously-defined layer, not a string that points to the layer.

addLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"\\GEOGDATA\campusmapping\CampusWide\LayerFiles\CAD\Floor2\Casanova2")
arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(MainDF, addLayer, "BOTTOM")

Works great.

Answer 2

Hard to say, but you could try following the sample in API documentation: AddLayer

import arcpy
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\Project\Project.mxd")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "New Data Frame")[0]
addLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"C:\Project\Data\Orthophoto.lyr")
arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(df, addLayer, "BOTTOM")
mxd.saveACopy(r"C:\Project\Project2.mxd")
del mxd, addLayer