Assertion Error, python

Question

I am trying to make a tool for exporting pdfs from a directory: I found one online but it was very slow, I am trying to code it more efficiently. I am getting an AssertionError and I am not sure how to fix it.

import arcpy
import os

arcpy.env.workspace = r"C:\Users\jds\Desktop\MXD_Export_Test"

folderPath = r"C:\Users\jds\Desktop\MXD_Export_Test"

mxdList = arcpy.ListFiles("*.mxd")

for mxd in mxdList:  
    saveName = mxd.split(".")[0] + ".pdf"
    savePath = os.path.join(folderPath, saveName) 
    arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(mxd, savePath)  

Error =

Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Python27\ArcGIS10.3\Lib\site-packages\pythonwin\pywin\framework\scriptutils.py", line 326, in RunScript exec codeObject in main.dict File "C:\Users\jds\Desktop\Scripts\Export_PDF_From_Directory.py", line 14, in arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(mxd, savePath) File "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.3\ArcPy\arcpy\utils.py", line 182, in fn_ return fn(*args, **kw) File "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.3\ArcPy\arcpy\mapping.py", line 1148, in ExportToPDF assert isinstance(map_document, MapDocument) AssertionError

Answer 1

Your variable mxd as it stands is not a MapDocument object, it's just a path. You have to maybe add a line under the loop:

for mxd in mxdList:  
    md = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(mxd)
    saveName = mxd.split(".")[0] + ".pdf"
    savePath = os.path.join(folderPath, saveName) 
    arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(md, savePath)  

See the documentation here: ExportToPDF

Answer 2

Ok,

I have figured it out, with help form Jvhowube.

Not only did I need a map object, but the map object needed to be the full file path.

for mxd in mxdList:
    fullPath = os.path.join(folderPath, mxd)
    md = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(fullPath)
    saveName = mxd.split(".")[0] + ".pdf"
    savePath = os.path.join(folderPath, saveName)
    arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(md, savePath)