Merging all feature classes with same name nested in multiple geodatabases using ArcPy?

Question

I am using arcpy and I want to extract a specific feature class called "building" nested in a number of geodatabase within my workspace.

Here is the code:

import arcpy
import os

workspace = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis"
search = "Building"
outdir = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis/HK80.gdb"
fc = []

walk = arcpy.da.Walk(workspace, datatype="FeatureClass", type="Polygon")

for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in walk:
          for filename in filenames:
             if search == filename:
                     fc.append(os.path.join(dirpath, filename))
if fc:
     output = os.path.join(outdir, os.path.basename(search) + "_merge")
     arcpy.Merge_management(fc, output)

This code was successful.

But there are many other featureclass in the geodatabase apart from "Building" So I expanded the code a bit and try to loop the merge command through all these feature class:

    import arcpy
import os

#--------------------------
#example list workspace
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis/HKU_Job69.gdb"

#Generate exmaple list dataset
datasets = arcpy.ListDatasets(feature_type='All')
datasets = [''] + datasets if datasets is not None else []
fc_list = []

#--------------------------

#where all the gdb is nested
workspace = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis"

#define output
outdir = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis/HK80.gdb"

#List of Feature classes
fc = []

#define walk for looping
walk = arcpy.da.Walk(workspace, datatype="FeatureClass", type="Any")

for ds in datasets:
     for fc_example in arcpy.ListFeatureClasses(feature_dataset=ds):
        fc_list.append(fc_example)


for f in fc_list: #Loop through the list   
   for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in walk:        
        for filename in filenames:
           if f == filename:
                     fc.append(os.path.join(dirpath, filename))
   if fc:
        output = os.path.join(outdir, os.path.basename(search) + "_merge")
        arcpy.Merge_management(fc, output)

This is where I hit a wall. Is there anything wrong with this code? I am new to Python so for a trained eye you guys may spot out the error in the logic immediately. The f variable didn't seem to loop at all.

Answer 1

You'll want to use a python dictionary for this task, with the key being your feature class name and the value being a python list of merge feature classes.

import arcpy
import os

workspace = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis"
outdir = "C:/Wiley/P1/gis/HK80.gdb"

walk = arcpy.da.Walk(workspace, datatype="FeatureClass", type="Polygon")
di = {}

for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in walk:
          for filename in filenames:
             fcFullPath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
             #try adding feature class to dictionary with already-existing key
             try: di [filename] += [fcFullPath]
             #key not in dictionary yet. Create key
             except: di [filename] = [fcFullPath]

#iterate dictionary
for filename in di:
    #get merge feature classes
    mergeFcs = di [filename]
    output = os.path.join(outdir, os.path.basename(fcFullPath) + "_merge")
    arcpy.Merge_management(mergeFcs, output)

Answer 2

For anybody else from the future, Emil's code worked for my similar application with one minor edit. I was having issues with the naming convention returning only the last fc name in the dictionary, so changed os.path.basename(fcFullPath) to just filename:

import arcpy
import os

workspace = "D:\xyz"
outdir = "D:\xyz\merged_dissolves.gdb"

walk = arcpy.da.Walk(workspace, datatype="FeatureClass", type="Polygon")
di = {}

for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in walk:
          for filename in filenames:
             fcFullPath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
             #try adding feature class to dictionary with already-existing key
             try: di [filename] += [fcFullPath]
             #key not in dictionary yet. Create key
             except: di [filename] = [fcFullPath]



#iterate dictionary
for filename in di:
    #get merge feature classes and print output filename from dict
    mergeFcs = di [filename]
    print(filename)
    output = os.path.join(outdir, filename + "_merge")
    arcpy.Merge_management(mergeFcs, output)