Why is Python Script (using XYTabletoPoint) Deleting target Feature Class? [closed]

Question

When I run the following script (using Arc 10.2.2):

import arcpy

if __name__ == "__main__":

    # Get Parameters
    Source_CSV = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
    Target_FC = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)

    # Get Spatial Reference of Target_CSV
    SR = arcpy.Describe(Target_FC).spatialReference.Name

    # Produce New Feature Class (Overwrites Same-Named File if it exists)    
    arcpy.management.XYTableToPoint(Source_CSV, Target_FC,"Lat", "Lng", "",SR)

...I get the following error complaining that the Target Feature Class does not exist.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Q:\CSVtoASMADPointFeatureClass.py", line 10, in <module>
    SR = arcpy.Describe(Target_FC).spatialReference.Name
  File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.2\arcpy\arcpy\__init__.py", line 1234, in Describe
    return gp.describe(value)
  File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.2\arcpy\arcpy\geoprocessing\_base.py", line 374, in describe
    self._gp.Describe(*gp_fixargs(args, True)))
IOError: "Q:\Data\Infrastructure\Infrastructure.gdb\LiftStations_Active" does not exist

As you've likely figured out, "Target_FC" is indeed the feature class referred to in the error message called "LiftStations_Active".

I can assure you before I run the script the Target_FC ("LiftStations_Active") does exist. After I run the script and get the above error I come to discover it is gone.

I assumed that "XYTabletoPoint" would simply overwrite a feature class that already exists. Perhaps its methodology is a bit more stepwise? Perhaps it first deletes any feature class (with the same name) and then creates the new feature class (of course, with the same name)? Regardless, the error refers to line 11 ("SR = arcpy.Describe(Target_FC).spatialReference.Name") and then complains that "LiftStations_Active" does not exist.

What is causing the deletion of the target feature class?

Answer 1

ArcGIS Desktop 10.6 does not have a tool named XY Table To Point so I assume that ArcGIS Desktop 10.2.2 did not have it either.

On the other hand there is an ArcGIS Pro tool named XY Table To Point which:

Creates a new point feature class based on x- and y-coordinates defined in a table. A z-coordinate can also be used if it's defined in the table.

To me this seems to be the most important of several issues that I think you should address when developing a code snippet to investigate the error that you are receiving.