Calculate field management not working within customized Python tool in ArcGIS

Question

I am trying to make a custom made Python Script tool which I would like to use in Model builder. I am using the arcpy.Calulate_field_management function (simple reclass function as an example), but it seems not be working properly. Please note that when I run this script on its own through a Python editor (IDLE), the script works fine. After adjusting it to make it work for a custom Python Script tool, the script stops when it is going to calculate the field.

This is the script which I use for my tool with a comment where it stops. The arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0) refers to the table which you can find in the picture below.

import arcpy
try:
 fc = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0) 
 arcpy.AddMessage("Hi Jelle, your script is starting now...") 
 def calc_value(orig_field):
 if (orig_field == "R<10_min"):
 return "1"
 elif (orig_field == "R_10-20_min"):
 return "2"
 elif (orig_field == "R_30+"):
 return "3"
 def calc_field():
 arcpy.AddMessage("Calculating field management has started, Jelle")
 reclass_field = "Reclass_SA_All"
 ##HERE is WHERE PYTHON SCRIPT TOOL STOPS
 arcpy.CalculateField_management(fc, reclass_field, "calc_value(!SA_All!)", "PYTHON_9.3")
 arcpy.AddMessage("Reclass Field calculation is done, Jelle.")
 arcpy.AddMessage("Starting calc_field function, Jelle...")
 calc_field()
 arcpy.SetParameterAsText(1, fc) 
except:
 arcpy.GetMessages()

Here is a picture of the table which I am trying to edit together with the customized script tool window when it is finished running. I have added customized messages in my script to find out where the script stops running.

enter image description here

I have the feeling I am doing a basic error which stops the scripts from running the calculate_field_management within my tool. Does anybody know what I am doing wrong? AM i right if I say the calculate_field_management cannot refer to another function within my expression? This does work when I run the script on its own through a Python editor (IDLE).

• FelixIP: Try sys.argv[1] instead of GetParameterAsText(0)

Answer 1

In my opinion, the best way to calculate a field using complex logic when you're already using Python is to do it with an UpdateCursor instead of the Calculate Field tool. (As @FaridCher's answer shows, you end up defining a Python function in a string, which makes it difficult to read, as well as to write.)

In your code, I would replace

arcpy.CalculateField_management(fc, reclass_field, "calc_value(!SA_All!)", "PYTHON_9.3")

with

with arcpy.da.UpdateCursor(fc, [reclass_field, 'SA_All']) as cursor:
 for row in cursor:
 row[0] = calc_value(row[1])
 cursor.updateRow(row)

Note: this method uses the UpdateCursor from arcpy's "Data Access" (da) module. If you have ArcGIS 10.0 or earlier, you will have to use the regular cursors.

• Jelle: thank you for this tip. My code is a little more complex than this example I use here and I agree with you that using long strings as codeblocks makes it a little hard to read and write. In my current code, I have more fields within the the calc_value function. How would I call these fields within the for row loop?
• nmpeterson: In the list of fieldnames being supplied to the UpdateCursor, just add the other fieldnames you want from the feature class, then add them as additional parameters for calc_value with row[2], row[3], etc. The items in row are ordered the same as the fieldnames in the list.

Answer 2

Rather than using if-elif statements, just reclassify using a one-liner expression with a dict:

{"R<10_min": "1", "R_10-20_min": "2", "R_30+": "3"}.get(!SA_All!, "0")

which you can put the CalculateField_management function:

arcpy.CalculateField_management(
 fc, reclass_field,
 '''{"R<10_min": "1", "R_10-20_min": "2", "R_30+": "3"}.get(!SA_All!, "0")''',
 "PYTHON_9.3")