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Assuming that I have an idealized .mxd TOC structure with group layers that contain group and subgroup layers which have the same name like in the following example:

Layers

  • GroupLayer1
    • SubGroupLayer1
      • Raster1.tif
      • Raster33.tif
    • SubGroupLayer2
      • Raster44.tif
  • GroupLayer2
    • SubGroupLayer1
      • Raster2.tif
      • Raster4.tif
    • SubGroupLayer2
      • Raster7.tif

Is it possible to add data using an 'absolute' layer path with ArcPy?

For example, if I want to add a raster layer SampleRaster.tif to the following place GroupLayer2/SubGroupLayer2 : how could I do this in ArcPy?

I know how to add a group layer and then add the specific layer (e.g. solution in this question Adding new group layer with ArcPy?) but have not found a solution how to add it if two layers have the same name.

My code that I have so far is pasted below

 # add rasters to .mxd project
    import arcpy

    arcpy.env.workspace = r'D:\Data\Rasters'
    rasters = arcpy.ListRasters("*", "TIF")

    for raster in rasters:
        # add raster to .mxd
        mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"D:\Data\Test.mxd")
        df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd)[0]

        # here I need to list the layers in the subgroup "SubGroupLayers2", but what to do when the subgroup layers names are equal? Is there a way to indicate an absolute path (e.g. Layers/GroupLayer2/SubGroupLayer2 here?)
        targetGroupLayer = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "SubGroupLayer2", df)[0]

        # I am then using another layer to apply the symbology to the raster and update the layer
        newlayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(raster)
        newlayer.visible = False
        arcpy.mapping.AddLayerToGroup(df, targetGroupLayer, newlayer, "BOTTOM")
        updateLayer = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, raster, df)[0]
        sourceLayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(r"D:\Data\Colormap.lyr")
        arcpy.mapping.UpdateLayer(df, updateLayer, sourceLayer, True) 
        mxd.save()
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You can get the group/subgroup path using the longName attribute:

...

targetGroupLayer = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "SubGroupLayer2", df)[0]
print targetGroupLayer.longName

...

So you could loop through your targetGroupLayer list and create an if/then statement, based on the .longName, to find and insert layers to the specific group/subgroup.

Example code:

#Instead of using the index 0, return the whole list. 
grouplyrs = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "SubGroupLayer2", df)
#Then loop through that list. 
for grplyr in grouplyrs: 
    if grplyr.longName == "GroupLayer2\SubGroupLayer2": # add your desired full path here, from examples 
        targetGroupLayer = grplyr
# return to your code in progress.
newlayer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(raster)
newlayer.visible = False
arcpy.mapping.AddLayerToGroup(df, targetGroupLayer, newlayer, "BOTTOM")
...

Additional resources:

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  • Could you give me a working example with the dummy dataset above, how would you incorporate the if statement?
    – redshoe
    Apr 2, 2019 at 12:34
  • 2
    Instead of using the index 0, return the whole list. Then loop through that list. e.g. grouplyrs = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "SubGroupLayer2", df); for grplyr in grouplyrs: if grplyr.longName == "": # add your desired full path here, from examples targetGroupLayer = grplyr
    – SMiller
    Apr 2, 2019 at 13:26
  • 2
    Added this and some additional resources to the answer.
    – SMiller
    Apr 2, 2019 at 13:29

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