changing text in an MXD textbox with items from a list in ArcPy

Question

I am trying to create a text label for a series of maps over time. I have a text box with the element name "DateBox" in my mxd. As a filler, it says "Week # here". I want to it say "Week XX", where XX refers to the week number. I am using arcgis 10.3.

I have tried:

import arcpy
from arcpy import env 
env.workspace = r"C:\Users\GIS_User\Output"
map_mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\Users\GIS_User\Output\timelapse.mxd")
for XX in range(1,121): 
 for TextElement in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(map_mxd, "TEXT_ELEMENT"):
 if TextElementName == "DateBox":
 TextElement.text = 'Week ' + str(XX)
 print TextElement.text

The arcpy window in ArcMap prints the text and shows that it successfully loops from Week 1 to Week 120. However, this change is not reflected in the textbox of the map document. The textbox itself still holds my original filler text "Week # here" and shows no changes when I run this code.

• Midavalo: remember to use map_mxd.save() to save your MXD after the script is run. Or use arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT") to run it on the currently open MXD.

Answer 1

Assuming that you are using the "CURRENT" map I think what you may be missing is:

arcpy.RefreshActiveView()

at the end of each iteration.

• Mon Mo: arcpy.RefreshActiveView() worked to refresh the view, but did not produce any changes in the displayed text. I am trying to incorporate either arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT") or map_mxd.save() into the loop. The first runs but produces no changes, while the second gives me this error:
• Mon Mo: Traceback (most recent call last): File "<string>", line 8, in <module> File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.3\arcpy\arcpy\utils.py", line 182, in fn_ return fn(*args, **kw) File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.3\arcpy\arcpy\_mapping.py", line 850, in save return convertArcObjectToPythonObject(self._arc_object.save(*gp_fixargs((), True))) IOError: MapDocObject: Unable to save. Check to make sure you have write access to the specified file and that there is enough space on the storage device to hold your document.
• PolyGeo: @MonMo That sounds like a new question because it would seem to be using a different code snippet to the one presented in this question. Consequently, I think you should research/ask it separately.
• Mon Mo: Okay, thanks for the feedback. I think it has something to do with transferring the mxd file to a new computer a while back, but you're right, it is a separate topic.
• Mon Mo: Turns out, map_mxd.save() was not needed. The text on the display was not changing, but checking a jpg export of the map showed that arcpy.RefreshActiveView() worked and the text had the appropriate week numbers when the jpg files were viewed separately.