ArcGIS Calling Wrong fme.exe When Python Script Converted To An ArcGIS Script Tool

Question

I'm using this this bit of code to execute a FME Workbench file through a Python script ...

import os
os.system("fme.exe P:\\Mapping\\Scripts\\FME\\Easements_ROW_Extract_From_CAD.fmw")

However, when I try using it as an ArcGIS script tool, ArcGIS tries to execute it using the Data Interop's fme.exe. I only have the stand alone version of FME. I tried using the full path to the fme.exe i'm trying to use, but that's not working ( the script runs without error, but nothing is produced). Any ideas on how to get this script to work, using the stand alone version of FME, as an ArcGIS script tool?

Answer 1

Not sure why the full path isn't working, unless you aren't escaping backslashes maybe? I would think the full path should work just fine. Maybe post that code as well. Another option would be to setup the path to fme.exe as an Environmental Variable, so add the path, something like C:\Program Files\FME\path\to\fme.exe as a environmental variable.

• dchaboya: Using this ... "C:\\Program Files\\FME\\fme.exe P:\\Mapping\\Scripts\\FME\\Easements_ROW_Extract_From_CAD.fmw"
• Chad Cooper: See this as well: gis.stackexchange.com/a/19141/65

Answer 2

This worked for me. Apparently the os.system module is being replaced by the subprocess module. Here is the documentation.

import subprocess
subprocess.Popen(['C:\\Program Files\\FME\\fme.exe', 'P:\\Mapping\\Scripts\\FME\\Easements_ROW_Extract_From_CAD.fmw'])

This now works within an ArcGIS script tool.