Converting multiple CSVs into shapefile using Python for loops

Question

I have hundreds of CSV files with the naming convention similar to:

prcp_025_01_01.csv
prcp_025_05_01.csv
prcp_025_08_01.csv
prcp_050_01_01.csv
prcp_050_05_01.csv
prcp_050_08_01.csv
prcp_025_01_15.csv
prcp_025_05_15.csv
prcp_025_08_15.csv

I was wanting to create a shapefile for each CSV like so:

prcp_025_01_01.shp
prcp_025_05_01.shp
prcp_025_08_01.shp
prcp_050_01_01.shp
prcp_050_05_01.shp
prcp_050_08_01.shp
prcp_025_01_15.shp
prcp_025_05_15.shp
prcp_025_08_15.shp

When running the following code, it will create the first shapefile of prcp_025_01_01.shp But then error out with

ERROR 000725: Layer Name or Table View: Dataset prcp_dly_layer already exists. Failed to execute (MakeXYEventLayer).

Im running 10.5.1 Below is my script. Any suggestions on how to fix it?

import arcpy
import os
arcpy.env.workspace=r"C:\path"
shps=arcpy.ListFeatureClasses()
SR=arcpy.SpatialReference(4269) #WGS 1984
for shp in shps:
 print arcpy.Describe(shp).spatialReference.name
elem = ["025", "050", "100", "400"]
month = ["01", "05", "08", "12"]
day = ["01", "15", "31"]
for element in elem:
 for mon in month:
 for dy in day:
 in_table=r"C:\path\csv_files/prcp_" + element + "_" + mon + "_" + dy + ".csv"
 prcp_dly_layer=arcpy.MakeXYEventLayer_management(in_table, "LON", "LAT", "prcp_dly_layer", SR)
 
 fc=arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(prcp_dly_layer, r"C:\path\prcp/" + "prcp_" + element + "_" + mon + "_" + dy + "_" + '.shp')
print(arcpy.GetCount_management(prcp_dly_layer))

• Vince: Just like the message says, the "prcp_dly_layer" layer exists. You either need to sequence it or delete the layer before creating it a second time.

Answer 1

Based on what you've stated you want as output I would try this simpler code instead. Note that the output location for the shapefiles is currently set as the folder containing the CSVs outPath = arcpy.env.workspace, so you may want to change this.

#Import modules
import arcpy
import os
#Set workspace
arcpy.env.workspace = r"C:\path"
#Create list of all csvs in folder
inputFiles = arcpy.ListFiles("*.csv")
#Variable
outPath = arcpy.env.workspace
#Loop through each csv
for file in inputFiles:
 #Set the output name to be the same as the input
 outLayer = file
 #Create the temporary XY layer
 arcpy.MakeXYEventLayer_management(file, "LON", "LAT", outLayer)
 
 #Make the layer a permanent shapefile
 arcpy.FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion(outLayer, outPath, outLayer)

• ncwxpanther: Thanks for the simpler code, however its not creating anything for me. Id really like to have this working for me as I have hundreds of csv's with random names that need to be created into shapefiles. I notice it does not declare a projection (WGS 1984) or have a print statement at the end. However I do not think those are the issues here.
• JClarkson: You say it's not creating anything, at what stage - creating XY layer or shapefile? Are you getting any errors?

Answer 2

I was able to figure it out. Below is a snippet of my final code.

`SR=arcpy.SpatialReference(4269) #WGS 1984
 inputFiles = arcpy.ListFiles("*.csv")
 outPath = arcpy.env.workspace
 for csvfile in inputFiles:
 print csvfile
 #Set the output name to be the same as the input
 outLayer = "CSVEventLayer"
 arcpy.MakeXYEventLayer_management(csvfile,"LON","LAT",outLayer,SR)
 shpfile = os.path.splitext(csvfile)[0].replace('csv','')
 arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(outLayer,shpfile)
 arcpy.Delete_management(outLayer)`