1. MXD, Maps, Layers
arcpy.mapping Classes

2. Without opening ArcMap, wouldn’t it be nice to
Get or update
MapDocument (MXD) properties
e.g. title, keywords, relative path, author, etc
DataFrame properties
e.g. name, coordinate system, etc.
Layer properties
e.g. name, visibility, data source, symbology, etc.
Layout element properties
e.g. size, position,
Add, remove, move, and update layers
Save MXD or LYR to earlier version for distribution
Build PDF map books
e.g. Export to PDF or insert into existing PDF

3. arcpy.mapping module

4. Arcpy.mapping Classes & Functions

5. MapDocument Properties

6. MapDocument – Class / Function…
NOTE:
Disable background processing when using “CURRENT”

7. MapDocument Properties & Methods
activeDataFrame (ro)
activeView (rw)
author (rw)
credits (rw)
dataDrivenPages (ro)
dateExported (ro)
datePrinted (ro)
dateSaved (ro)
description (rw)
filePath (ro)
hyperlinkBase (rw)
relativePaths (rw)
summary (rw)
tags (rw)
title (rw)
Methods
deleteThumbnail()
findAndReplaceWorkspacePaths( find_workspace_path, replace_workspace_path, {validate})
makeThumbnail ()
replaceWorkspaces( old_workspace_path, old_workspace_type, new_workspace_path, new_workspace_type, {validate})
save ()
saveACopy( file_name, {version})
(ro) = read-only
(rw) = read-write

8. MapDocument.ActiveView

9. DataFrame Properties

10. DataFrame Properties & Methods
credits (rw)
description (rw)
displayUnits (rw)
elementHeight (rw)
elementPositionX (rw)
elementPositionY (rw)
elementWidth (rw)
extent (rw)
geographicTransformations (rw)
mapUnits (ro)
name (rw)
referenceScale (rw)
rotation (rw)
scale (rw)
spatialReference (rw)
time (ro)
type (ro)
Methods
panToExtent(extent)
zoomToSelectedFeatures()

11. Find DataFrames in MapDocument

12. Layer Properties

13. Find Layers in a DataFrame
i.e. All layers in all DataFrame’s

14. Layer Class / Function
Layer Class
Layer Function

15. Layer Properties & Methods
brightness (rw)
contrast (rw)
credits (rw)
datasetName (rw)
dataSource (rw)
definitionQuery (rw)
description (rw)
isFeatureLayer (ro)
isGroupLayer (ro)
isRasterizingLayer (ro)
isRasterLayer (ro)
labelClasses (rw)
longName (ro)
name (rw)
serviceProperties (ro)
showLabels (rw)
transparency (rw)
visible (rw)
workspacePath (ro)
Methods
findAndReplaceWorkspacePath( find_workspace_path, replace_workspace_path, {validate})
getExtent( {symbolized_extent})
getSelectedExtent( {symbolized_extent})
replaceDataSource( workspace_path, workspace_type, dataset_name, {validate})
save ()
saveACopy( file_name, {version})
supports( layer_property)
Layer =
.lyr file
Layer in DataFrame
Selected properties

16. Finding a specific layer in a DataFrame

17. Working with Layers arcpy.mapping can’t arcpy.mapping can
Create new map layers in DataFrame or .lyr files from scratch
Change all layer properties in a script
arcpy.mapping can
Add lyr file to DataFrame & change selected layer properties
dataSource, definitionQuery, etc. (see “(rw)” on previous slide)
Apply symbology from existing lyr files to existing layers in DataFrame

18. Adding a Layer to a DataFrame

19. Managing Layers in a DataFrame
Function
Description
AddLayer
Add a layer to a data frame within a map document (.mxd) using simple placement options.
AddLayerToGroup
Add a layer to a group layer within a map document (.mxd) using simple placement options.
InsertLayer
Insert a layer at a specific location within a data frame or within a group layer in a map document (.mxd).
MoveLayer
Move a layer to a specific location within a data frame or group layer in a map document (.mxd).
RemoveLayer
Remove a single layer or group layer from a specific data frame. If there is more than one layer that meets the criteria, then only the first layer will be removed unless the script iterates through each layer in a returned list.
UpdateLayer
Update all layer properties or just the symbology for a layer in a map document (.mxd) by extracting the information from a source layer.

20. Fixing broken data sources

21. Methods for fixing broken data sources
MapDocument.findAndReplaceWorkspacePaths(find_workspace_path, replace_workspace_path, {validate})
MapDocument.replaceWorkspaces(old_workspace_path, old_workspace_type, new_workspace_path, new_workspace_type, {validate})
Layer.findAndReplaceWorkspacePath(find_workspace_path, replace_workspace_path, {validate})
Layer.replaceDataSource(workspace_path, workspace_type, dataset_name, {validate})
TableView.findAndReplaceWorkspacePath(find_workspace_path, replace_workspace_path, {validate})
TableView.replaceDataSource(workspace_path, workspace_type, dataset_name, {validate})

22. Fixing broken data source examples
Update all workspace paths to new folder and save to new mxd.
Update all workspace paths for all the mxd’s in a folder from local system to UNC paths

23. Page Layout elements

24. Getting Page Layout Elements

25. MapSurround Element

26. Text Element

27. RefreshActiveView() and RefreshTOC()
After changing the content of a DataFrame or Page Layout … arcpy.RefreshActiveView()
After changing items in the Table of Contents (add, remove, move, update layers) … arcpy.RefreshTOC()

28. Exporting maps to images (jpg)

29. Exporting maps to PDF

30. PDFDocument’s

31. Creating/Opening PDF Documents

32. PDFDocument.appendPages Example

33. Working with arcpy.mapping scripts
Python Window has nice help … but pain for defining/calling functions, debugging, etc.
Edit in PyScripter and use Load …

34. Help is not perfect Should be:
Find the MAPSURROUND_ELEMENT with the name "ScaleBar" and move it's x position (relative to its anchor point) to the center of the parentDataFrame.  Save this change to the MXD.
Update: ESRI listened to me:

35. MapDocument, DataFrame, Layer
MapDocument.ActiveView
= “PAGE_LAYOUT”
1:*
DataFrame
DATAFRAME_ELEMENT
MAPSURROUND_ELEMENT *
Layer
GRAPHIC_ELEMENT
PICTURE_ELEMENT
GRAPHIC_ELEMENT
LEGEND_ELEMENT