Use updateConnectionProperties to change to new data source which is not in dataset

Question

I am using updateConnectionProperties() method to change data sources for layer files. The layer is "C:/gis/layer.lyrx". The old path is "C:/gis/oldGDB.gdb/oldDS/FC". The new path is "C:/gis/newGDB.gdb/FC". As you can see, the new data source is not in a feature dataset like the old one. First I tried:

lyr = arcpy.mp.LayerFile('C:/gis/layer.lyrx')
lyr.updateConnectionProperties('C:/gis/oldGDB.gdb', 'C:/gis/newGDB.gdb')
lyr.saveACopy('C:/gis/newLayer.lyrx')

When I check the property of newLayer.lyrx, its data source is unchanged - still the FC in oldDS in oldGDB.gdb. Then I tried:

lyr = arcpy.mp.LayerFile('C:/gis/layer.lyrx')
lyr.updateConnectionProperties('', 'C:/gis/newGDB.gdb')
lyr.saveACopy('C:/gis/newLayer.lyrx')

The data source did change this time, but it assumed that the new source is still in a dataset, and thus it could not find the new source. Lastly, I tried:

lyr = arcpy.mp.LayerFile('C:/gis/layer.lyrx')
lyr.updateConnectionProperties('', {'connection_info': 
   {'database': 'C:/gis/newGDB.gdb'}, 
    'dataset': '', 
    'workspace_factory': 'File Geodatabase'})
lyr.saveACopy('C:/gis/newLayer.lyrx')

Again, the data source did not change. How can I make it work?

Answer 1

Late reply but maybe it will help people finding this post and having the same problem. The .updateConnectionProperties method did nothing when used on layer in my case, so a defined a function using the Python CIM access to change the data source from a featureclass file in a GDB.

In this function, no need to specify the feature dataset name, arcpy will handle this automatically (because you can't have feactureclass with the same name in a gdb). This work with GDB that don't have feature dataset AND with GDB that have feature class datasets.

def update_layer_source(layer, new_gdb_path, new_feature_name, new_feature_dataset=None):
    """Use Python CIM access to modify a layer data source
    https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/arcpy/mapping/python-cim-access.htm
    """
    if not isinstance(layer, arcpy._mp.Layer):
        raise TypeError(f"layer arg must be a arcpy.mp.Layer object")
    lyrCIM = layer.getDefinition('V3') 
    data_source = lyrCIM.featureTable.dataConnection
    
    data_source.dataset = new_feature_name
    data_source.workspaceConnectionString = f'DATABASE={new_gdb_path}'
    if new_feature_dataset !=None: 
        data_source.featureDataset = new_feature_dataset
    
    layer.setDefinition(lyrCIM)
    
    return None

How to use :

# Import your lyr file or select it in the map
_map = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("CURRENT").listMaps('your_map_name')[0]
lyr = _map.listLayers('your_lyr_name')[0]

# Change Data Source of your layer
update_layer_source(lyr, 'your_new_gdb_path', 'your_new_feature_name')

Answer 2

Try this:

lyr = arcpy.mp.LayerFile('C:/gis/layer.lyrx')
current_conn = lyr.connectionProperties
new_conn = {'dataset':'your_new_file', 
            'workspace_factory': 'File Geodatabase',
            'connection_info':{'database': 'your_gdb_path'})
lyr.updateConnectionProperties(current_conn, new_conn)
lyr.saveACopy('C:/gis/newLayer.lyrx')

Answer 3

It may be tripping up on the forward slashes, see if this works:

lyr = arcpy.mp.LayerFile(r'C:\gis\layer.lyrx')

for layer in lyr.listLayers():
    layer.updateConnectionProperties(r'C:\old.gdb', r'C:\data\newGDB.gdb')

lyr.saveACopy(r'C:\gis\newLayer.lyrx')

(I suspect lyr.updateConnectionProperties(r'C:\old.gdb', r'C:\data\newGDB.gdb') would do the trick, too).

A layer file can, theoretically, contain multiple layers at its top level so think of it as a container that has-many layers, not a layer itself.