Automating Processes with ArcPy Automating Processes with ArcPy to do work so I don’t have toto do work so I don’t have to

Joe Guzi

GIS Systems Analyst

Stark County GIS Department

2015 Ohio GIS ConferenceSeptember 21 - 23, 2015 | Hyatt Regency Columbus| Columbus, Ohio

Why Automate processes?

•Not only to do work so I don’t have to•But mainly to Free me up to do more work

Why do more work?

•Because work leads to Taking Over the world!

Automaton Strategies

•Walk through Process•Test•Be prepared•Task Scheduler and BAT Files•Maintenance•Excel Sheet To Maintain Schedule•Code Examples

Automaton Strategies:Walk through process

Automaton Strategies:Walk through process

Automaton Strategies:Walk through process

Automaton Strategies:Test

Automaton Strategies:Test

Automaton Strategies:Test Again

Automaton Strategies:Task Scheduler and BAT Files

Automaton Strategies:Task Scheduler and BAT Files•Bat Files

▫Just Text Files saved with a bat extension▫Written using DOS Commands ▫Syntax

Automaton Strategies:Task Scheduler and BAT Files

Automaton Strategies:Task Scheduler and BAT Files•Task Scheduler Parameters:

▫Trigger – Declare when the task will run and how frequently

▫Actions – Declare what the Task will do▫Conditions – Declare computer setting for

power or idle▫Settings – Determine how the task can be

treated Allow the task to run on demand Stop the task if it takes forever

Excel Sheet to Maintain Schedule

Code Examples

Code Examples:Layer Update Automation

Code Examples:Feature Update Email Notification

Code Examples:Automation of Tax Map Updates

Code Examples:Cache Error Detection

Python Tips and Tricks

•Section your code•Comment Comment Comment•Use Print Command•Error Block•Email Notification•Create Logs•Time•Use Resources

Python Tips and Tricks:Section your code

•Description•Import Section

•Variables•Processes•Output•Error Reporting

Python Tips and Tricks: Comment Comment Comment• Comment everything• If you change your code

comment the change• You never know when you

will have to come back to your code and commenting will be the best way to remember why you did something

• Also commenting is good back up in case something happened to the author (God forbid)

Python Tips and Tricks: Comment Comment Comment

Python Tips and Tricks: Use the print Command

Python Tips and Tricks: Error blocks

Python Tips and Tricks: Email Notification

Python Tips and Tricks: Create logs

Python Tips and Tricks: Time• Time Libraries:

▫ Time▫ Datetime

• Time.gmtime• datetime.datetime.utcnow

()• datetime.timedelta(minute

s = 15)• str(DayAgo)[0:19]• "( LAST_EDITED_DATE

>= '" + DayAgoFormat + "' )"

Python Tips and Tricks: Use Resources•Python Window in ArcGIS desktop•ArcGIS Resources Python Section•Geoprocessing Tool References•GitHub•Friends•Python Documentation Site

Questions?

•Joe Guzi• jsguzi@starkcountyohio.gov•330-451-7188