How to create sequential numbers in a field by defining automatically the start, end and interval numbers?

Question

I would like to create sequential numbers in a field called "virtual _Li".

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I have used the field calculator using def autoincrement() function and manually calculate the interval number. https://support.esri.com/en/technical-article/000011137

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But I would like to have it in python.

The start point should be always the number in "Z_2018" that has "0" in "First_Dist" (Start = 1.006). End number is the number in "Z_2018" that has the Maximum number in "FIRST_DIST" (End = 1.04).

The interval is:( (End) – (Start) ) / ( max in "FIRST_DIST" field/a constant number )

Constant number is always = 0.15

Start and end number can be + or – number.

In this case interval is 0.002875793

( (1.040) – (1.006) ) / (1.773424/0.15) = 0.002875793

First create a field:

arcpy.AddField_management(ProfileGraph1WR1, "Virtual_Li", "DOUBLE", 10, 3)

then I need to create a "codeblock" and "Expression" which I don’t know How.

• SMiller: To confirm, this is working within the ArcMap window but you are just looking to convert it to arcpy?
• Anahita Kp: Yes! it works with field calculator in ArcMap and manually calculating the Interval. but I want it automatically with arcpy.
• SMiller: I think I'm still missing how you are making the choice for increment value, but the answer below has the base code for making the codeblock/expression for use in arcpy.

Answer 1

Code Example 3 on Esri's documentation for Calculate Field is probably the closest to your question.

Since you have up through the AddField, the code below proceeds from there based on that example.

with arcpy.da.SearchCursor("ProfileGraph1WR1", ["First_Dist", "Z_2018"]) as cursor:
 firstdistvals = dict() 
 for row in cursor:
 if row[0] == 0: 
 startval = row[1]
 firstdistvals[row[0]] = row[1]
 maxval = max(firstdistvals.keys())
 endval = firstdistvals[maxval]
# Set local variables
inTable = "ProfileGraph1WR1"
fieldName = ""Virtual_Li"
expression = "autoIncrement({}, {}, {})".format(startval, endval, maxval) 
codeblock = """
 rec = 0
 def autoIncrement(start, end, maximum): 
 global rec
 const = 0.15
 pStart = float(start)
 pInterval = (float(end) – float(start)) / (float(maximum)/const)
 if (rec == 0):
 rec = pStart
 else:
 rec += pInterval
 return rec"""
# Execute CalculateField 
arcpy.CalculateField_management(inTable, fieldName, expression, "PYTHON_9.3", codeblock)

• Anahita Kp: How the code calculate the interval? I want it automatically calculated.
• SMiller: I'll add in SearchCursor based checks to determine start/end.
• SMiller: Updated answer posted; please test
• Anahita Kp: I got error:ExecuteError: Failed to execute. Parameters are not valid. ERROR 000800: The value is not a member of VB | PYTHON | PYTHON_9.3. ERROR 000989: Python syntax error: Parsing error IndentationError: unexpected indent (line 2) Failed to execute (CalculateField).
• Anahita Kp: it works, my python gives error because of the spaces in PInterval. now it works :pInterval = (float(end)-float(start))/(float(maximum)/const). Thanks!