Python for ArcGIS

Part 1
Ahmad Aburizaiza
Data Services Group - GMU Libraries
Spring 2016
What is Programming?

Programming can be explained as set of

ordered instructions for the computer
to do something(s).

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What is Programming?

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What is Programming?

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 What is Programming?
Examples of simple programs running ordered instructions:
1.
a. Add the two numbers 2 and 8
b. Multiply the addition result by 5
2.
a. Create a circle
b. Assign it the red color
c. Draw it on the computer screen
3.
a. Open a CSV file
b. Read x and y coordinates
c. Create points from the read coordinates
d. Draw the points on the map

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 Programming Languages
A programming language is a set of instructions and commands in
a specific syntax different from other programming languages.

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Programming Languages

Command Python JavaScript

Define a variable named x x=3 var x = 3;

Print x value on the screen print(x) alert(x);

Check if x is not equal to zero if x <> 0: if (x != 0)

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 Programming Benefits for GIS
1. Higher salaries and demand for GIS developers (desktop/web/mobile) in the
GIS related market.

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Programming Benefits for GIS

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Programming Benefits for GIS

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 Programming Benefits for GIS
2. Programming automates daily workflows.

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 Programming Benefits for GIS
3. It extends an application’s capabilities and/or functionalities

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About Python
● Python is a an OOP “Object Oriented Programming” language.
● It was founded by Guido Van Rossum.

● It is considered an easy language to learn.

● It is used for desktop, web, and mobile development.

● It is OS cross-platform, which means it can run in

different operating systems.

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Python for GIS professionals
● For a GIS professional, you can also use Python for desktop, web, and mobile
development.
● The following are some examples of Python packages and frameworks:
○ arcpy for ArcGIS
○ pyqgis for QGIS
○ geoDjango is a web framework
○ shapely library
○ pyshp library
○ PySAL library
● This course will cover only arcpy for arcGIS.

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arcpy package
● You have to have ArcGIS installed because arcpy needs the ESRI license.
● Python and arcpy can run in IDLE, ArcMap, or ArcCatalog.
● When coding in ArcMap or ArcCatalog, you do not have to ask Python to
use arcpy. This is done for you automatically.
● In IDLE, you have to tell Python that you will use arcpy.
● Always use the IDLE installed with ArcGIS. It can be found in the ArcGIS
folder under the start menu. Sometimes, you will have multiple IDLE
installations on your machine. For instance, SPSS installs IDLE for
statistical coding.

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 Hello world! Program
● The Hello world! program is the most basic program in
any programming language.
● Basically what we are trying to do is to print the sentence
Hello World! on the screen.
● In Python, we use the command → print(...)

print('Hello world!')

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Python in ArcMap

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Python in IDLE

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Variables
Assigning the value

X = False
Variable names Variable values
Average = 2.5
myUniv = "GMU"

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Variables : Naming Validity
Variable Name Validity
averageGrade Correct
AverageGrade Correct
average_grade Correct
AVERAGE_GRADE Correct
Average-grade Wrong
2average_grade Wrong
averageGrade2 Correct
_averagegrade Correct
Average%grade Wrong
!average_grade Wrong
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Variables : Naming Recommendations
● Have meaningful names
● Try to make the names shorter
● Use comments to describe your variables as well as all syntax
Variable Name Recommendation
averageGrade Recommended
TheAverageGradeOfStudents Not recommended
average_grade Recommended
A_G Not recommended
_a_grade Not recommended
AvErAGEGraDE Not recommended
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Variables : Types
Numeric

● integer, a whole number with no decimal value → examples: 2, 0, -1, 679, -51

● float, a number with a decimal value → 2.0, 0.0, -1.0, 679.0, -51.0, 1.23, 0.001

Textual

● string, a sequence of alphanumeric and special characters. The string value can be wrapped in
double quotes or single quotes → examples, 'GMU', "GMU", 'GMU2', "GMU2", '#GMU',"#GMU"

Boolean

● A value of True or False. This is used to evaluate expressions and conditions.

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Variables : Numeric
x=9
y=3
z = 4.0
Operation Symbol Example
Addition + x + y => 12, y + z => 7.0
Subtraction - y - z => -1.0, x - y => 6
Multiplication * y * z => 12.0, y * x => 27
Division / y / x => 0.33, z / 0 => ERROR
Remainder % x % y => 0, z % x => 4.0
To the power ** z ** y => 64.0
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Variables : Numeric
x=9
y=3
z = 4.0

Example Result

x*y+x 36

x+y*z 21.0

x+y*z+x 30.0

(x + y) * z + x 57.0

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Variables : Boolean
x = True
y = False

Example Result

x and y False

not x and y False

y or y False

x or x True

x or y True
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Variables : Boolean
x=1
y=2
z = 2.0

Example Result
x == y False
x>y False
y>x True
y >= x True
y == z True
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Variables : Textual "String"
univName = 'GMU'
numberOne =1
collegeName = 'College of Science'
departName = 'GGS'

Example Result

departName + " is in " + collegeName 'GGS is in College of Science'

departName + ' is in ' + collegeName 'GGS is in College of Science'

departName + " isn't in Research Hall" "GGS isn't in research Hall"

univName + ' is no.' + str(numberOne) 'GMU is no.1'

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Variables : Textual "String"
Method Description Example
Converts all uppercase letters in a
lower() print('AaABaB'.lower()) => 'aaabbb'
string to lowercase.
upper() The opposite of lower() print('AaBb'.upper()) => 'AABB'
str1 = 'i like pizza'
capitalize() Capitalize the first letter of a string str1 = str1.capitalize()
print(str1) => 'I like pizza'
Return the index of the search string str1 = 'i like pizza'
find(subStr,..)
or -1 if not found print(str1.find('izz') => 8
Return the number of occurrences of str1 = 'This is GMU. It is great.'
count(subStr,..)
a substring in a string print(str1.count('is')) => 3
str1 = 'This is GMU. GMU is great.'
replace(old,new,…) Replaces a substring with a new one print(str1.replace('GMU','gmu')) => 'This is gmu.
gmu is great'

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Variables : Textual "String"
Method Description Example
str1 = 'Fall2009'
str2 = 'Fall 2009!'
isalnum() Returns True if all characters are alphanumeric
print(str1.isalnum()) => True
print(str2.isalnum()) => False
isalpha() Returns True if all characters are alphabetic print('Fall2009'.isalpha()) => False

isdigit() Returns True if String has digits only print('2009.21'.isdigit()) => False

Returns True if the string is in title format based print('George Mason'.istitle()) => True
istitle()
on case-format print('George MASON'.istitle()) => False

title() Returns the title format of a string print('gEorGe mAsoN').title()) => 'George Mason'

lstrip() Removes leading white spaces print(' a a '.lstrip()) => 'a a '

rstrip() Removes trailing white spaces print(' a a '.rstrip()) => ' a a'

strip() Performs both rstrip() and lstrip() print(' a a '.strip()) => 'a a'
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Assigning Values to Variables as User Input
● Previously, we assigned the values to variables through code.
● Python gives us the option to assign the values using user input.
● x = input('Please enter a number')
● The code will display the 'Please enter a number' message on the
screen and wait for user’s input.
● The user’s input will be assigned to the variable x

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Commenting the Code
● Commenting the code or documenting the code is very important.
● It explains the code to others or it reminds you about what you did in your old code.
● The # sign comments one line. To comment multiple lines use ''' and then close the
comment with '''

val1 = 17
val2 = 55
val3 = 101
# The following line prints the average of val1, val2, and val3
print((val1+val2+val3) / 3)
'''
Written by Ahmad Aburizaiza
For educational use
'''

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Code practice

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Indentation
● Indentation in Python is similar to using parenthesis {} in other programming languages.

● It is used to define blocks of code inside statements such as conditions, functions, loops, classes.

● A block only runs if its parental or hierarchical block or is called or is True.

● For instance, the code in block 2 will not run unless the code in block 1 permits.

● The code in block 3 will run if block 1 permits and then block 2 permits.

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Conditions
● Conditional statements are used to run an interior block based on the
condition of the statement.
● if statements are the most common conditional statements in
programming languages.
x=3
y=7

if x > y:

print('x is bigger than y')

z = 'ABC'
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 Conditions
month = 10
day = 1
fiscalYear = True
if month == 6:
print("It is June")

if day <= 5:
print("It is the beginning of the month")

if fiscalYear:
print("it is a fiscal year")

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 Conditions
raining = True
cold = True

if raining and cold:

print("Wear a jacket and take an umbrella")

if not raining and cold:

print("Wear a jacket")

if raining and not cold:

print("Take an umbrella")

if not raining and not cold:

print("Enjoy the weather")

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Conditions
randNum = input('Please enter a number: ')
if randNum % 2 == 0:
print( randNum + ' is divisible by 2')

elif randNum % 3 == 0:
print(randNum + ' is divisible by 3')
else:
print(randNum + ' is not divisible neither by 2 nor 3')

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Lists
● A list is a sequence of data values stored as one variable.
● The data values in a list are called elements.
● Each element is assigned an index.
● In Python, you can create a list of different variable types. It is not
recommended but you can do it.
intList = [1, 7, 2, 5, 4, 6, 3]
stringList = ['a', 'b', 'abc123', '@TipsForGIS']
mixedList = [1, 'a', 2, '3', 'xy']
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 Lists
intList = [2, 7, 1, 5, 4, 6, 3]
stringList = ['a', 'b', 'abc123', '@TipsForGIS']
mixedList = [1, 'a', '22', 75, 'xy']

print(intList[0]) => 2
print(intList[1]) => 7
print(intList[-1]) => 3
del(mixedList[3]) => the element 75 will be deleted.
mixedList.append(101) => adds a new element with a value of 101
intList.sort() => intList will be [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
print(len(stringList)) => 4

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Loops
● A loop is control that forces repetition of interior code block(s).
● The for loop is a popular loop in programming.
● The while loop is another popular loop in programming.
● When writing loops, be careful not to write an infinite loop.

x = input('Please enter a number: ')

while x <> 17:

x = input('Please enter another number: ')

print('17 is the right guess!')

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Loops Comparison
for loop while loop

numList = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] n=1

while n <= 9:
for n in numList: print(n)
print(n) n=n+1
print('Done') print('Done')

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Conditional Statements Inside Loops
numList = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]

for n in numList:
if n % 2 == 0:
print(str(n) + ' is even')
else:
print(str(n) + ' is odd')
print('Done')

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Code practice

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 Functions
● A function is used to reuse certain code blocks.

● You can define a function with 0 or more parameters.

● A parameter is a value that you can pass to the function to use it.

Def functionName(param1,....):
line code1
line code2
line code3
…….

To call the function → functionName(x,...)

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 Functions
No-return-value function
def addTwoIntegers(int1,int2):
print(int1 + int2)

addTwoIntegers(2,3)
addTwoIntegers(30,40)

Return-value function
def addTwoIntegers(int1,int2):
return int1 + int2

a = addTwoIntegers(2,3)
b = addTwoIntegers(30,40)
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 Why Functions?
side1 = 3 def pythagorean(side1,side2):
side2 = 4
largeSide = side1 * side1
largeSide = side1*side1 largeSide = largeSide + side2*side2
largeSide = largeSide + side2*side2 largeSide = largeSide ** 0.5
largeSide = largeSide ** 0.5 return largeSide

print(largeSide)
print(pythagorean(3,4))
print(pythagorean(1,1))
print(pythagorean(2,7))

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The Scope
The scope of a variable or an object is where it can be accessed.

x=5

def func1():
x=7
print(x) => This x is the local x inside func1

func1()
print(x) => This x is the global x outside func1

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Code practice

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OOP : Classes and Objects
● OOP “Object Oriented Programming” is a concept of dealing with objects
in programming.

● Objects have attributes and methods “functions or actions”.

● A class “blueprint” is created to produce objects. The class name should

start with a capital letter.

● You can create your own classes or classes created by others.

● We are not going to cover class creation. But we need to know how to use
predefined classes.
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OOP : Classes and Objects

Class Car

Car objects
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OOP : Classes and Objects

http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_objects.asp
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Simple Class Definition
class Person:
def __init__(self,name,age,weight,height):
self.name = name
self.age = age
self.weight = weight
self.height = height

def walk(self):
print(self.name + ‘ is walking’)
def eat(self):
print(self.name + ‘ is eating’)

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OOP
● A module is .py file contains a collection of classes independent functions and/or variable.

● A package is basically a folder of modules + the __init__.py module.

● The __init__.py makes the folder a Python package. It can be left empty.

__init__.py Module1 Module2 Module3

Package
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OOP
Function1

Class1 Class2 Class3

Function2

Variable1 Variable2

Variable3 Variable4
Module
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OOP
To import a class from a module, type in:
from moduleName import ClassName
OR
from moduleName import*
OR
import moduleName

To import a class from a module from a package, type in:

from packageName.moduleName import ClassName
OR
from packageName.moduleName import*
OR
import packageName.moduleName
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 OOP : Classes and Objects
A very popular class under arcpy package is MapDocument which resides under
the mapping module.

MapDocument

mapping
arcpy

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Importing a Class from arcpy
To import the MapDocument class:
→ import arcpy.mapping.MapDocument

Class name Properties Methods

title save()

author saveACopy(fileName)
MapDocument
activeDataFrame makeThumbnail()

credits deleteThumbnail()

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Conclusion
Topics not covered in the workshop: break and continue in loops, read/write
files, and class creation

Check out my Youtube channel named Tips for GIS

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOjxVdT7wKbHKA5PWvFsW3g

Also, check out my Github account for documented code samples

https://github.com/TipsForGIS

Thank you for listening

Part 2 of this workshop will cover the usage of the arcpy package
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