Can ArcGIS ModelBuilder open Excel file for manual editing, then feed those edits back into model?

Question

I have been tasked with creating a model using ArcGIS ModelBuilder, that initially runs a couple of geoprocessing tasks, before then joining an Excel table to the result of those geoprocesses. However, the model needs to actually open the Excel file first, for the user to manually edit it, before the user then saves their edits and closes the file. It is then expected that the model will join this Excel file to the attribute table of a dataset (still part of the model) before the model continues on with a number of other geoprocessing tasks.

I include a high-level schematic outline below to help illustrate the point (I understand this might not make a lot of sense to start with).

So the model would run, complete a couple of geoprocessing tasks, pause to open an Excel file, wait for the user to edit it, save it and close it, before resuming to join that Excel file to an attribute table and then running a number of other geoprocessing tasks.

I should imagine this would require incorporating a Python script or two into the model. Currently though I am just interested to know whether the concept is actually possible or not.

Answer 1

This sounds like you need to develop more of a custom Python tool than a model in ModelBuilder. xlwt or xlutils at http://www.python-excel.org/ will let you write to your Excel file (XlsxWriter will handle xlsx files). If the edits are minor, you could probably incorporate this in a standard ArcToolbox tool (with some creativity). If you are using 10.1+, then you could create a Python Add-In or Python Toolbox to do the GUI work in as well.

Answer 2

I've been thinking about it and it's possible I've found a novel solution. You set up a python script in a toolbox with two user parameters, firstly the location of the Excel EXE. This could even be smartly coded to check a list of hardcode likely filepath locations (Office12, Office13 etc).

Next use the subprocess.call function. There some really neat things about using this method:

1. It doesn't require any external libraries
2. the call function doesn't allow continuation of the script until excel it is closed
3. You can specify the excel document as the second argument

4. It's one line of code!

   import subprocess subprocess.call(["C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE", "Test.xlsx"]) #Replace args with user inputs (sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2] respectively)

The only thing is I'm not 100% sure if this will work in the model builder, this will need to be tested, however I don't see why it wouldn't but as I'm sure you're aware Arc is a temperamental beast.