Change text\ font size element using Arcpy

Question

I try to change the font size and the element xy position of text element for several maps. Right now the font size is 21.79 and the xy position is:

elm.elementPositionX = 8.204

elm.elementPositionY = 26.596

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I try this code:

import arcpy
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"G:\desktop\Project\project.mxd")
for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"TEXT_ELEMENT"):
 if elm.text == "data1":
 elm.fontSize = 16
 elm.elementPositionX = 9.898
 elm.elementPositionY = 27.649
 mxd.save()
del mxd

The code above works fine when i run for one map but when i loop it on several maps the code does not work:

import arcpy, os, sys
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = r"G:\desktop\Project"
for mxdname in arcpy.ListFiles("*.mxd"):
 print mxdname
 mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"G:\desktop\Project\\" + mxdname)
 for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"TEXT_ELEMENT"):
 if elm.text == "data1":
 elm.fontSize = 16
 elm.elementPositionX = 9.898
 elm.elementPositionY = 27.649
 print 'elementPosition changed'
 mxd.save()
del mxd

• PolyGeo: I'm confused by your title (which is meant to be a summary of your question) because it mentions "code error" while your question body provides no error message.
• newGIS: you right, i changed it now.
• PolyGeo: Where is the "3" coming from that appears in your output? It does not appear to be from the code presented, and that code could easily be focussed down to a shorter snippet as recommended in both answers.
• newGIS: in the real code i use count variable- i removed it - please ignore it
• PolyGeo: Have you tried setting the indentation level of the deletion of your MapDocument object to be the same as when you create it? You do that in the first code snippet but not when you start iterating. I think your code snippet could still benefit from more messaging while testing.

Answer 1

Your output suggests that your script found a layout element of type text element in each of three maps, and that it moved each of them.

When working with layout elements I think you would be wise to give each of them a unique name on their Size & Position tab so that you can use their name property (e.g. elm.name) to access them.

I'm not clear from your question as to what you mean by "nothing happen", because I would expect from that output that, if it was run while the MXDs were closed, then the next time you opened them the movement should have happened.

I suspect that the code you ran is not quite what you presented because there seems to be an extra "3" printed at the end which is not accounted for.

I think it would be useful if you could focus your question on what happens within a single map rather than looking at an iteration of three maps.

A more minimal code snippet to test would be:

import arcpy
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"G:\PROJECTS\antiquities__55-30__403.mxd")
for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd,"TEXT_ELEMENT"):
 if elm.text == "data1":
 elm.fontSize = 16
 elm.elementPositionX = 9.898
 elm.elementPositionY = 27.649
 print 'elementPosition changed'
 mxd.save()
del mxd

• newGIS: i tried your code- nothing changed
• Midavalo: I agree - set a element name and use elm.name

Answer 2

All three properties you are working with are Read/Write properties, so to test what is happening and whether things are changing I would focus on just one MXD (and once it's working set it to loop through all your MXDs), and print the fontSize, elementPositionX, elementPositionY before and after each change, to see what it is doing and whether it is actually changing anything.

import arcpy
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"G:\PROJECTS\\antiquities__55-30__403.mxd")
for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd, "TEXT_ELEMENT"):
 if elm.text == "data1":
 print "fontSize = {}".format(elm.fontSize) # return fontSize before change
 elm.fontSize = 16
 print "fontSize = {}".format(elm.fontSize) # return fontSize after change
 print "elementPositionX = {}".format(elm.elementPositionX) # return elementPositionX before change
 elm.elementPositionX = 9.898
 print "elementPositionX = {}".format(elm.elementPositionX) # return elementPositionX after change
 print "elementPositionY = {}".format(elm.elementPositionY) # return elementPositionY before change
 elm.elementPositionY = 27.649
 print "elementPositionY = {}".format(elm.elementPositionY) # return elementPositionY after change
 mxd.save()
del mxd

• newGIS: i try this code- nothing changed in the map
• Midavalo: but what did it print before and after each change? And are you trying to run this on an open map, or a closed one?
• newGIS: in printed: >>> fontSize = 21.7905 fontSize = 16.0 elementPositionX = 8.7748 elementPositionX = 9.898 elementPositionY = 26.8438 elementPositionY = 27.649 >>>
• newGIS: and actually nothing changed in the map
• Midavalo: are you trying to run this on an open MXD? If so then you need to use arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT") and arcpy.RefreshActiveView()