ArcMap python window refusing to execfile after first attempt, requires restart

Question

I am attempting to execute a script mulitple times from the ArcMap python window (using different parameters that are hardcoded into the file).

The script runs the first time successfully, however it seems to "break" the python console, and other attempts at execfile are unsuccessful afterwards, until I restart arcgis.

Here's the a basic scenario:

1. Start ArcGIS, open python console, type:

execfile(r"C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\test.py")

2. Script executes successfully

3. Modify test.py script

4. Type execfile(r"C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\test.py")

5. Python console returns to prompt

Any ideas on what might be happening? Workarounds?

• PolyGeo: What happens if test.py has only one line of code like print "Test worked!"? What do you "modify" in step 3?
• johnmarkovich: Tried the above, unfortunately doesn't work. Also tried a different script (e.g. test2.py), and it doesn't get loaded either. In step 3 I change some of the input in the variables
• PolyGeo: If I were to use my test.py and change it to print "Test2 worked!", would I see the same symptoms?
• user2856: Any particular reason you are using execfile instead of import and calling functions, or the more ArcGISy way of using a script tool?
• jbchurchill: I use execfile without issues all the time. There was one day where a restart was required and a script I have run 100s of times just "returned to the prompt" as you described. Have you closed and restarted ArcMap?

Answer 1

I was not able to reproduce this using my test.py script which started as:

print "Test worked!"

and in your step 3 was modified to:

print "Test2 worked!"

When I ran it from the Python window using ArcGIS Desktop 10.5 and your method I got:

>>> execfile(r"C:\Temp\test.py")
Test worked!
>>> execfile(r"C:\Temp\test.py")
Test2 worked!
>>>

• johnmarkovich: Thanks for the test, I would like to specify that the above used to work for me too. However at one point I started facing the issues I describe in the post
• PolyGeo: I suspect the expedient, if restarting ArcMap does not resolve it, may be to uninstall/reinstall - it sounds like something has gone astray with your configuration.

Answer 2

While restarting ArcMap did not resolve the issue, a full reboot brought it back to working state.