How to add multiple rasters to a layer file?

Question

I'm trying to make a .lyr file to bring into ArcMap with arcpy.mapping. I can bring a single raster into a .lyr with the script below. I'm unsure how to proceed to get multiple rasters from the same folder into a .lyr. Any help appreciated.

Thanks

# Import system modules
import arcpy, os
from arcpy import env
# Workspace Directory 
env.workspace = r'F:\Ortho_prelim\TEST'
workspace = r'F:\Ortho_prelim\OUT'
# Set local variables
inLyr = 'ImageLyr'
outLyr0 = 'ImageLyr'
outLyr = workspace + os.sep + 'Image.lyr'
# Make feature layer variables
fList = os.listdir(r'F:\Ortho_prelim\TEST')
for f in fList:
 if fList.endswith('.ecw'):
 print fList
 arcpy.MakeRasterLayer_management(f, outLyr0, "", "")
 print 'Made ' + outLyr0
 print outLyr0
 # Save Feature Layer
 arcpy.SaveToLayerFile_management(inLyr, outLyr)
 print 'Made layer ' + outLyr

So the pseudo code should be something like:

• Look in folder
• Look up all files with extension .ecw
• Add all the .ecw files in the folder to a .lyr file...

• PolyGeo: Do you really want to use Python for this? I would multiple select all the rasters from the Catalog window, drag and drop them into an empty map (they should stay selected), then right click to create a Layer Group which you can right click to Save as Layer File.
• user14589: I would do that, but I have 191 .ecw files and ArcMap crashes when I try to load them that way. This script is a precursor to adding the .lyr file to map with the arcpy.mapping module and then printing to pdf.

Answer 1

Hi maybe you could do something like this.

fList = os.listdir(r'F:\Ortho_prelim\TEST')
count = 0
for f in fList:
if fList.endswith('.ecw'):
 outlyr = "outlyr" + str(count)
 print fList
 arcpy.MakeRasterLayer_management(f, outLyr, "", "")
 print 'Made ' + outLyr
 arcpy.SaveToLayerFile_management(inLyr, outLyr)
 print 'Made layer ' + outLyr
 count = count + 1

• user14589: I think this is along the lines of what I need. However I really need it to iterate through the .lyr files so I end up with: Image1.ecw in Layer1.lyr >> Image2.ecw in Layer2.lyr >> etc. Then I can add all the .lyr's to a group layer in ArcMap with the arcpy.mapping module. Thanks for your help!
• user14589: Yep, code in post above didn't work out because I need to iterate each layer as well. Not sure on correct syntax for that!?
• PolyGeo: If the step you are stuck at is adding your 191 layers into a single group layer in the TOC and then saving that out as a single layer file then perhaps review this Q&A from a few days ago.