AttributeError from PDF Export from ArcMap Bookmark Loop [closed]

Question

import arcpy, os, datetime

folderPath = r"C:\path"
dateTimeStamp = time.strftime('%Y%m%d')

basename = "Flows"
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\path\file.mxd")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "Layers")[0]
#loops through bookmarked locations and executes a PDF export
for bkmk in arcpy.mapping.ListBookmarks(mxd, "",data_frame=df):
    #going through text elements to find the map title and set it to the bookmark name
    for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd, "TEXT_ELEMENT", "documentTitle"):
        elm.text = str(bkmk.name) + " - Flows"
        #set extent to bookmark extent before pdf export
        df.extent = bkmk.extent


    print basename + "_" + bkmk.name + " is exporting to PDF"
    arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(mxd, basename + "_" + bkmk.name + "_" + dateTimeStamp)
    print basename + "_" + bkmk.name + " successfully exported to PDF"
    print "Done exporting this folder to PDF - " +folderPath


#cleanup
del mxd

I'm receiving the following error after attempting to loop through about 10 bookmarks worth of PDF exports. The odd thing is, if I do 3-4 bookmarks at a time, it will export successfully but not if I do the full set of 10.

AttributeError: PageLayoutObject: Error in executing ExportToPDF

Answer 1

If every PDF can be exported when done one at a time, then it would appear that you may be running out of resources.

You could try making your list of bookmarks first, then deleting that MapDocument object, then within your loop of the bookmarks recreate your MapDocument object and delete it.

The kind of untested refactoring of your code that I think may work is:

import arcpy, os, datetime

folderPath = r"C:\path"
dateTimeStamp = time.strftime('%Y%m%d')

basename = "Flows"
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\path\file.mxd")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "Layers")[0]
bkmks = arcpy.mapping.ListBookmarks(mxd, "",data_frame=df)
del mxd

#loops through bookmarked locations and executes a PDF export
for bkmk in bkmks:
    mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\path\file.mxd")
    df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "Layers")[0]
    #going through text elements to find the map title and set it to the bookmark name
    for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd, "TEXT_ELEMENT", "documentTitle"):
        elm.text = str(bkmk.name) + " - Flows"
        #set extent to bookmark extent before pdf export
        df.extent = bkmk.extent

    print basename + "_" + bkmk.name + " is exporting to PDF"
    arcpy.mapping.ExportToPDF(mxd, basename + "_" + bkmk.name + "_" + dateTimeStamp)
    print basename + "_" + bkmk.name + " successfully exported to PDF"
    print "Done exporting this folder to PDF - " +folderPath
    #cleanup
    del mxd