Simultaneously adding multiple search results from Catalog into ArcMap

Question

System spec: ArcInfo 10.1

I have performed a search on an indexed file geodatabase, looking for feature classes with the word "building" in their name.

I either need to add all of these to a blank map, or copy/export them all to a new location. I was hoping that after performing the search I would be able to select all of the returned results and add them to the map, but it appears that I have to add them one at a time. There's thousands of feature classes returned, so adding them one by one isn't really an option.

Am I missing something really simple? Or is there a better way to do this?

Answer 1

I would suggest to use arcpy/python for this task. The workflow would go something like this:

1. Iterate through geodatabase and do a wildcard search for all features with name "building"
2. Loop through the returned list from step one and add each found case to a map (Add Layer).
3. Then, save the map e.g. mxd.saveACopy(r"C:\Project\Project2.mxd")

Answer 2

Working from @artwork21's suggestion I made this, however I'm having issues adding the FC to the TOC >1 *edited to account for duplicates For some reason cannot name the layer the same as the fc...perhaps someone can help with this?

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
import sys
import traceback

#Set path to geodatabase
env.workspace="G://Test//test.mdb"
#Path to your mxd
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd)[0]
#wildcard the query only list feature classes that contain it
fclist = arcpy.ListFeatureClasses("*building*")
#print all feature classes containing building
print fclist
counter = 0
try:

    for fc in fclist:
    #if this fc already exists then rename       
        if arcpy.Exists(fc) in df:
            print fc +  "Exists in dataframe"
            counter =+1
            string = str(fc) + "_" + str(counter)
            arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management(fc, string)
            layer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(string)
        else:
            counter =+1
            string = str(fc) + "_" + str(counter)
            print string + "does not exist"
            arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management(fc, string)
            layer = arcpy.mapping.Layer(string)
            layers = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers (mxd)


    arcpy.RefreshActiveView()
    arcpy.RefreshTOC
except:
    print ("Error occurred")
    tb = sys.exc_info()[2]
    tbinfo = traceback.format_tb(tb)[0]
    pymsg = "PYTHON ERRORS:\nTraceback Info:\n" + tbinfo + "\nError Info:\n    " + \
        str(sys.exc_type)+ ": " + str(sys.exc_value) + "\n"
    msgs = "GP ERRORS:\n" + arcpy.GetMessages(2 )+ "\n"
    print (pymsg)
    print (msgs)