Distinguishing between table and feature class using ArcPy, when exporting from ArcSDE

Question

I'm working on a project where I'm pulling some data out of ArcSDE and putting it into a file geodatabase for a group of people to look at with a custom map. I'm writing a script using the featureclasstofeatureclass function to pull out the features. Pretty basic stuff, however when trying to run the script I'm getting the " does not exist or is not supported" error.

After checking for all the basic errors the only thing I can figure is that the script is failing because in our main SDE connection, every feature has a corresponding table with the exact same name. I tried running the script on my edit version for the same feature, where there aren't any same-named tables, and it ran fine. All I changed was the SDE path and it worked.

Is the script failing because of these duplicate names or is there some other possible explanation?

If this is the issue can I use the describe function to get the script to select just the FC and not the table?

What code or function do I need to use to check for tables or select only features?

Right now in the code I'm just copying features because I'm not sure what I need to do next. I know its probably something to do with Describe or listfeatureclasses I'm just not familiar enough with these functions to know how to implement them.

Code snippet:

#############################
#### Update Map Data Script
#############################
#### Imports:
import arcpy
#############################
#### Local variables:
warehouse = "C:\\Users\\aaronmanuel\\AppData\\Roaming\\ESRI\\Desktop10.0\\ArcCatalog\\Warehouse.sde"
meters = "\\coagiswarehouse.coagis.coa_water_meter"
MapData = "G:\\WATERMNT\\AaronManuel\\MapData\\MapData.gdb"
MapData_old = "G:\\WATERMNT\\AaronManuel\\MapData\\MapData_old.gdb"
############################
### GDB Management: Create Backup GDB and create new one
try:
 if arcpy.Exists(MapData_old):
 arcpy.Delete_management(MapData_old)
 print( "Old GDB deleted..." '\n')
 if arcpy.Exists(MapData):
 arcpy.Rename_management(MapData,"MapData_old.gdb")
 print( "Renamed MapData GDB..." '\n')
 arcpy.CreateFileGDB_management("G:\\WATERMNT\\AaronManuel\\MapData", "MapData.gdb")
 print( "Created New GDB..." '\n' '\n')
except:
 print arcpy.GetMessages(2)
#### Processes: Export features from SDE
# Meters Export
arcpy.FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion(warehouse + meters, MapData, "meters_test")

• Michael Stimson: Try arcpy.Exists resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#//… before attempting to write a feature class. If you are using arcpy.ListFeatureClasses then you shouldn't get tables, however on the describe object you shouldn't have shapeFieldName - perhaps the Crash 'n burn approach may help here. Can you post some code around the failing line just in case there's an obvious error there?
• Stephen Lead: every feature has a corresponding table with the exact same name definitely sounds suspicious. If you try to create this manually in a file geodatabase you get an error message, hinting that it's not supported/desirable
• PolyGeo: It's hard to answer an ArcPy/Python question that does not include a code snippet to illustrate your precise procedure, and where you are stuck with it.
• Aaron M: I'll add the code in when I get to work tomorrow. Stephen, I agree that it is weird, however since I'm just a GIS tech in a department and not actually working for the GIS department, I'm just trying to work around what they have setup.
• Devdatta Tengshe: I don't see where in this code you are checking for tables. You are just creating a new file geodatabase and then copying a featureclass to it. You should probably receive the errors and look at them in details.

Answer 1

As you said you could either do something with Describe or with ListFeatureclasses.

Describe option to check if the referenced path is a table or not, based on the fact that every feature class has an attribute featureType, whereas tables don't:

d = arcpy.Describe(warehouse + meters)
if hasattr(d, 'featureType'):
 # feature class
 your_export_function(warehouse + meters)
else:
 # table
 pass

ListFeatureClasses option, using the name of your wanted feature class as a wildcard.

arcpy.env.workspace = waterhouse
lf = arcpy.ListFeatureClasses()
for meters in lf:
 arcpy.FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion(warehouse + meters, MapData, meters + "_export")

Although, just like the other commenters, I find it strange that several datasets with identical names can exist in the same space...

---

edit: updated the listfeatureclasses option, note that for every feature class found in warehouse, this creates a feature class with the same name plus the suffix "_export" in MapData.

• Aaron M: Thanks Menno, appreciate the input. My issue though is that I'm looking to export about 20 or so features, so I am trying to figure how I could pass a list to Describe or ListFeatureClasses. Sorry that my code makes it look otherwise, I just hadn't started to put in the additional features since I couldn't even get the first one to export when I tested it. So could I put your describe example in a for loop?

Answer 2

Based on the answers and comments here is a snippet of what I ended up doing:

dataList = [ ###list of variables defined above### ]
env.workspace = warehouse
warehouseList = arcpy.ListFeatureClasses("*", "", "")
print "Created Lists \n"
print "Loop through warehouse List.... \n"
try:
 for warehouseList in dataList:
 arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(warehouseList, MapData + "\\" + warehouseList) 
except:
 print arcpy.GetMessages(2)

Maybe there is a cleaner way to do this but its working for me so far.

• Menno: That's about what I was going to suggest, the only thing I don't get in this is the for warehouseList in dataList. Have a look at my updated answer.