Getting user password from ArcSDE using Workspace Properties - python

Question

Looking at this page for getting Workspace Properties I am wondering if there is a simple way to get a Users password from an existing SDE connection on the users machine?

Using the code sample from the aforementioned link, something like this:

desc = arcpy.Describe(r"C:data\Connection to state.sde")
cp = desc.connectionProperties
print("%-12s %s" % (" Password:", cp.password))

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For clarification this is for a custom Python Script Tool that creates a new SDE connection as part of the code. Currently I have the user enter their user name and pword in the tool prompt. If I could however have them simply select an existing database connection on their machine and use the creds from that it would be much simpler and less error prone.

I do not think this presents a security risk because it would only have local application. A user would be accessing their own info to automate a process on their personal machine.

There are both Oracle and SQL Servers, I will put logic into the tool that will differentiate between the two.

Answer 1

You can't, the password is stored encrypted in the connection file and is not exposed as a connection property.

The only properties you can query are listed in the documentation you linked to.

What you could do is either have them input credentials and create a new connection or just reuse the existing connection.

• Simon.y: That was my assumption but I thought I would put it out there. Thanks.