Create dynamic layer for each unique value

Question

I'm new to ArcPy.

I'm trying to write a script that will loop through the unique values in a field in a FC and create dynamic layers, with definition queries, for each unique value.

Each of the dynamic layers would all point to the same master feature class.
I do not want to output static feature classes. For example, I can't use the split by attributes tool for this.

I've attempted to adapt an ArcPy script from a related answer to do it:

from arcpy import *
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "Layers")[0]
fc = "WO_VW_FGDB"
field = "CLASSIFICATIONID"
env.overwriteOutput = True
#Create cursor to iterate rows
cursor = da.SearchCursor (fc, field)
for row in cursor:
    #sql statement for a single feature
    sql = '"{0}" = '{1}''.format (field, row[0])
    #Make layer with sql for one feature only. Use the field value as the layer name.
    MakeFeatureLayer_management (fc, row[0], sql)

    #Make mapping layer object
    lyr = mapping.Layer(row[0])
    #Add mapping layer object to map
    mapping.AddLayer (df, lyr)
del cursor
mxd.save ()

When I run the script in ArcGIS Desktop 10.7.1, it successfully creates the first layer. In fact, it actually creates duplicate layers.

But then it produces an error:

Runtime error  Traceback (most recent call last):   File "<string>", line 17, in <module>   
File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.7\arcpy\arcpy\management.py", line 6986, in MakeFeatureLayer     
raise e ExecuteError: ERROR 000622: Failed to execute (Make Feature Layer). Parameters are not valid. 
ERROR 000628: Cannot set input into parameter in_features.

What am I doing wrong?

Post you referred deals with city names that are supposedly unique. You need to create unique list of values and iterate through it. — FelixIP, Aug 23 '20 at 20:31
Unique vals can be generated using a python set. i.e uniquevals = set((row[0] for row in cursor)) which you can then loop through i.e for val in uniquevals" — user2856, Aug 23 '20 at 21:59

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 24 '20 at 04:12

First you need to create a list of unique field values. Use a function like the one below:

def unique_values(table , field, criteria = None):
with arcpy.da.SearchCursor(table, [field], criteria) as cursor:
vals = set({row[0] for row in cursor})
if (None in vals):
    vals.remove(None)
if ('' in vals):
    vals.remove('')    

return sorted(vals)

Then as a seperate step loop through those values creating your layers. E.g.

vals = unique_values(fc)
for v in vals :
sql = '&quot;{0}&quot; = \'{1}\''.format (field, v)
MakeFeatureLayer_management (fc, v, sql)   
....

Thanks, Anna. You might be interested in what I came up with (I posted an answer below). Cheers. — User1974, Aug 26 '20 at 15:36

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 26 '20 at 15:33

This script works in ArcGIS Pro 2.4 (but not ArcGIS Desktop 10.7.1.):

def DuplicateLayer(CopyLayer, field, uniquevalue):
    p = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("Current")
    m = p.listMaps("Map")[0]
    LayerToDup = m.listLayers(CopyLayer)[0]
    print(LayerToDup.name)
    m.addLayer(LayerToDup, "AUTO_ARRANGE")
    LayerToDup.name = str(CopyLayer)
    lyr = m.listLayers(CopyLayer)[0]
    lyr.definitionQuery = field + " = '" + uniquevalue + "'"
    lyr.name = uniquevalue
    print (lyr.definitionQuery)
def unique_values(layer, field):
    with arcpy.da.SearchCursor(layer, [field]) as cursor:
        return sorted({row[0] for row in cursor})
def ExplodeFC(layername,field):
    fieldvals = unique_values(layername,field)
    for value in fieldvals:
        DuplicateLayer(layername,field,value)
ExplodeFC("WO_VW_FGDB","CLASSIFICATIONID")

Create dynamic layer for each unique value

2 Answers2

Linked