keep getting error while trying to insert row using insert-cursor

Question

I'm trying to add a text file of points to a feature class using insert-cursor and I can't seem to figure it out. I'm new to python and arcpy so this is a little confusing for me. the error message I get is below. if anything else is needed I will try and provide it.

the error message reads:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "L:\400\lab9data\InsertCursor_GPSPts.py", line 61, in theInsertCur.insertRow([newRow]) File "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.5\ArcPy\arcpy\arcobjects\arcobjects.py", line 106, in insertRow return

convertArcObjectToPythonObject(self._arc_object.InsertRow(*gp_fixargs(args)))

RuntimeError: Error in InsertRow

#import arcpy
import arcpy

#set up an insert cursor to write to the feature class you created in part 1. Variable name should be theInsertCur. 

#1 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
theInsertCur = arcpy.InsertCursor("l://400//lab9data1.1//lab9data//cursor.gdb//GPS_Pts//myyGPSpoints")

#a counter used to skip first heading line
theCnt = 1

#open the file and read each line using a loop
#2 ---------------Change file path below------------------ 
for theLine in open("l://400//lab9data1.1//lab9data//GPS_collection.txt", 'r'):

    #We are skipping the heading line and then reading all other lines in the text file
    if theCnt > 1:

        #split the line into a list of three values 
        threeValues = theLine.split(',')

        #print threeValues list to get an idea of what is happening
        print(threeValues)

        #get the x coordinate, y coordinate, and speed values from the threeValues list
        theX = float(threeValues[0])
        theY = float(threeValues[1])
        theSpeed = float(threeValues[2])

        #create a new point object with theX and theY as its coordinates. Variable name should be newPoint.
        #see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Classes - Point
        #3 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newPoint = arcpy.Point(theX, theY)

        #add a row to InsertCursor. Variable name should be newRow. 
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Functions - Cursors - InsertCursor
        #4 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newRow = arcpy.InsertCursor("l://400//lab9data1.1//lab9data//cursor.gdb//GPS_Pts//myyGPSpoints")

        #set the shape field value to the newPoint. The shape field name is 'Shape' 
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Classes - Row 
        #5 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newPoint = theInsertCur.newRow()


        #set the speed field value to theSpeed. The speed field name should be 'Speed' 
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Classes - Row 
        #6 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        theSpeed = theInsertCur.newRow()

        #insert newRow using theInsertCur
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Functions - Cursors - InsertCursor
        #7 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        theInsertCur.insertRow(newRow)

    #advance counter
    theCnt = theCnt + 1

#delete references to cursor and row to clean up
#uncomment the code below if you are confident you have set the variables above
#to match what is in the code below.
##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Functions - Cursors - InsertCursor
#8 ----------Uncomment below-----------------------
del theInsertCur
del newRow

Answer 1

There's a few problems with your code that show you don't quite understand about cursor and row objects, I'll see if I can explain.

A cursor is an object that operates like a shuttle between the feature class and python so you can see/set/insert one row at a time, a row is one feature in a spatial table. You create a cursor first then from that cursor you create a row then you need to set the values on that row then use the cursor to insert that new feature into the feature class.

Using your code:

import arcpy

#set up an insert cursor to write to the feature class you created in part 1. Variable name should be theInsertCur. 

#1 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
theInsertCur = arcpy.InsertCursor("l://400//lab9data1.1//lab9data//cursor.gdb//GPS_Pts//myyGPSpoints")

#a counter used to skip first heading line
theCnt = 1

#open the file and read each line using a loop
#2 ---------------Change file path below------------------

for theLine in open("l://400//lab9data1.1//lab9data//GPS_collection.txt", 'r'):

    #We are skipping the heading line and then reading all other lines in the text file
    if theCnt > 1:

        #split the line into a list of three values 
        threeValues = theLine.split(',')

        #print threeValues list to get an idea of what is happening
        print(threeValues)

        #get the x coordinate, y coordinate, and speed values from the threeValues list
        theX = float(threeValues[0])
        theY = float(threeValues[1])
        theSpeed = float(threeValues[2])

        #create a new point object with theX and theY as its coordinates. Variable name should be newPoint.
        #see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Classes - Point
        #3 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newPoint = arcpy.Point(theX, theY)

        #add a row to InsertCursor. Variable name should be newRow. 
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Functions - Cursors - InsertCursor
        #4 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newRow = theInsertCur.newRow()

        #set the shape field value to the newPoint. The shape field name is 'Shape' 
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Classes - Row 
        #5 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newRow.setValue("SHAPE",newPoint) # set the shape

        #set the speed field value to theSpeed. The speed field name should be 'Speed' 
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Classes - Row 
        #6 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        newRow.setValue("Speed",theSpeed) # set the speed, assuming your field name is 'speed'

        #insert newRow using theInsertCur
        ##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Functions - Cursors - InsertCursor
        #7 ----------Add one line of code below-----------------------------
        theInsertCur.insertRow(newRow)

    #advance counter
    theCnt = theCnt + 1

#delete references to cursor and row to clean up
#uncomment the code below if you are confident you have set the variables above
#to match what is in the code below.
##see Professional Library - Geoprocessing - The ArcPy site package - Functions - Cursors - InsertCursor
#8 ----------Uncomment below-----------------------
del theInsertCur
del newRow