1

I have this script for querying a feature layer and then copying to a geodatabase. It works when I run it in the ArcGIS Pro Python window, but not when I run it from Spyder or PyCharm. When I run in Spyder the script fails at SelectLayerByAttribute_Management. I have tried multiple variations on the structure of the definition query. Hopefully someone can advise :)

The field the where_clause is applied to is a text field.

The error I am getting from Spyder is:

runfile('C:/Users/LENOVO-580/REMI/Join_Data.py', wdir='C:/Users/LENOVO-580/REMI') Made feature layer Traceback (most recent call last):

File "", line 1, in runfile('C:/Users/LENOVO-580/REMI/Join_Data.py', wdir='C:/Users/LENOVO-580/REMI')

File "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\lib\site-packages\spyder_kernels\customize\spydercustomize.py", line 704, in runfile execfile(filename, namespace)

File "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3\lib\site-packages\spyder_kernels\customize\spydercustomize.py", line 108, in execfile exec(compile(f.read(), filename, 'exec'), namespace)

File "C:/Users/LENOVO-580/REMI/Join_Data.py", line 61, in Selection = arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management(out_layer, "NEW_SELECTION", where_clause)

File "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\Resources\ArcPy\arcpy\management.py", line 7238, in SelectLayerByAttribute raise e

File "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\Resources\ArcPy\arcpy\management.py", line 7235, in SelectLayerByAttribute retval = convertArcObjectToPythonObject(gp.SelectLayerByAttribute_management(*gp_fixargs((in_layer_or_view, selection_type, where_clause, invert_where_clause), True)))

File "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\Resources\ArcPy\arcpy\geoprocessing_base.py", line 496, in return lambda *args: val(*gp_fixargs(args, True))

ExecuteError: ERROR 000358: Invalid expression Failed to execute (SelectLayerByAttribute).

import arcpy

monthYear = 'October 2018'

#feature from path
in_features = r'Z:\Data_Path{0}\Map 
Data\GDB_{0}.gdb\Assessed_Areas'.format(monthYear)

# Set the workspace
arcpy.env.workspace = r'Z:\Data_Path{0}\Map Data\GDB_{0}.gdb
out_layer = "out_layer"
where_clause = "Relevant_Column = '0'"
output = r'Z:\Data_Path{0}\Map Data\GDB_{0}.gdb\Output'.format(monthYear)

arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management(in_features, out_layer)
print("Made feature layer")
Selection = arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management(out_layer, 
"NEW_SELECTION", where_clause)
arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(Selection, output, None, None, None, None)

1 Answer 1

1

You need to add field delimiters, like "quotes", 'single quotes' or [brackets]. Use AddFieldDelimiters for this:

Adds field delimiters to a field name to allow for use in SQL expressions.

where_clause = """{0} = '0'""".format(arcpy.AddFieldDelimiters(in_features,'somecolumnname'))

The field needs to be a text field or change '0' to 0.

There is no need to select by attributes since make feature layer will accept a where clause, just copy features afterwards. (You can also use Select tool and save some typing)

1
  • Thanks I was able to move the where clause into arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_Management. I still couldn't get the definition query to work with a string value. I updated the field to numeric and was able to get it working that way.
    – KirkyLady
    Dec 3, 2018 at 11:40

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.