DataDrivenPagesExperiment.md

Exporting map data into separate Adobe Illustrator (.AI) files for each individual map can be a lot of repetitive clicking. I've already prepared and styled the vector data and shaded relief rasters, and I've also created a polyon layer which shows the extent for each map. My hope is that I can use the arcpy.mapping module to write a python script which will loop through each polygon feature in my map extent layer, and export the area inside each feature as a new .AI file.

It looks like there are already some useful pyton scripts to work from in the ESRI support documentation.

One of the first things I need to do is to make sure that I don't have any vector layers styled using transparency. In the ESRI Support pages, there is a python script designed to create a report which tells you which layers in your MXD curently have a transparency applied import arcpy

def DetectRasterization():
  mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT")
  df_list = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd)
  foundRasterization = False
  noneFoundMsg = "No rasterizing layers were detected."
  for df in df_list:
    lyr_list = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, data_frame=df)
    for lyr in lyr_list:
      if lyr.isRasterizingLayer or lyr.supports("BRIGHTNESS"):
        foundRasterization = True
        if lyr.isGroupLayer and lyr.transparency > 0:
          print "In data frame '" + df.name + "', the group layer '" + \
                   lyr.longName + "' is a rasterizing layer:\r",
          print "\tVisibility is " + str(lyr.visible) + ".\n" + \
                "\tTransparency is " + str(lyr.transparency) + " percent.\n"
        elif not lyr.isGroupLayer:
          print "In data frame '" + df.name + "', the layer '" + \
                   lyr.longName + "' is a rasterizing layer:\r",
          if lyr.transparency > 0:
            print "\tVisibility is " + str(lyr.visible) + ".\n" + \
                  "\tTransparency is " + str(lyr.transparency) + " percent.\n"
          else:
            print "\tVisibility is " + str(lyr.visible) + ".\n" + \
                  "\tTransparency is 0 percent, but the layer may be a\n" + \
                  "\traster layer or contain rasterizing symbology such\n" + \
                  "\tas bitmap picture symbols.\n"
      del lyr
    del lyr_list
    del df
  if not foundRasterization:
    print noneFoundMsg
  del df_list
  del mxd

DetectRasterization()

In addition to having a hard time remembering whether transparency has been applied or not, I also have a hard time keeping track of label classes, since they may or may not match your feature symbology classes. The python script below (based on "LabelClass Example 1" found here) will quickly run a report of the currently applied label classes.

import arcpy
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("CURRENT")
for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd):
    if lyr.supports("LABELCLASSES"):
        if lyr.showLabels:
            print "Layer name: " + lyr.name
            for lblClass in lyr.labelClasses:
                if lblClass.showClassLabels:
                    print "    Class Name:  " + lblClass.className
                    print "    Expression:  " + lblClass.expression
                    print "    SQL Query:   " + lblClass.SQLQuery
del mxd

The script below (copied from "Example 2" here) will export an AI file based on the current data frame extent, and desired output resolution.

import arcpy   
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(r"C:\Project\Project.mxd")
df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "Transportation")[0]
arcpy.mapping.ExportToAI(mxd, r"C:\Project\Output\ProjectDataFrame.ai", df,
                         df_export_width=1600,
                         df_export_height=1200)
del mxd

!!Here's a script I just made which actually worked. I had to greatly simplify the MXD file I started with, but the output are 5 different maps covering different parts of the world as defined by a single input shapefile.

##TITLE: Exporting ArcGIS maps to AI using DataDrivenPages and Definition Queries
##AUTHOR:  Ryan Lash
##DATE:  5/28/2014
##PURPOSE:  This script is meant to help automate the workflow for exporting
##    lots of maps from the same MXD file using ArcGIS Data Driven Pages.
##    The input for this is an MXD file which contains:
##        -A series of vector layers using mostly Natural Earth Data
##        -An "Index file" (See ArcGIS docs on "Data Driven Pages"), which in this
##            example is a polygon feature layer with rectangles showing the desired
##            extent for each map to be output.
##    The desired output is a reference map where the country of interest shows
##    Admin 1 boundaries drawn for only the country of interest, with each
##    of these Admin 1 regions labeled.  Since the Natural Earth Data has a global
##    coverage, a Defenition Query is used to select only the Admin 1 labels and
##    Admin 1 boundaries for the country of interest for that map.  In this example,
##    the admin 1 boundary files is a line file, so a separate file is needed for
##    labeling the areas.  These files have slightly different field names, so while
##    each definition query relies on the name of the country for defining the query,
##    the field names are different for the two feature layers.

    
print "*STARTING SCRIPT NOW*\n"

import arcpy

#Specify map document and data frame.  Note MXD must already have Data Driven Pages initiated
mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument("Z://Yellow_Book_2016//AdministrativeFiles//Maps//MapTemplates//DataDrivenPages_ReferenceMap_MultiScale_v1.mxd")

print "Starting Data Driven Pages FOR loop"

for pageNum in range(1, mxd.dataDrivenPages.pageCount + 1):

    mxd.dataDrivenPages.currentPageID = pageNum
    outputFileName = mxd.dataDrivenPages.pageRow.getValue('MapTitle')
    
    #Retrieve and define query argument value from QryAdmin1 Field in DataDrivenPages Index File
    qryDefArg = mxd.dataDrivenPages.pageRow.getValue('QryAdmin1')
    print "\t...Defining query arguement as: " + qryDefArg
    
    #Create query text for Label and Line layers
    qryDefAdmin1Label = '"admin" = ' + "'" + qryDefArg + "'"
    qryDefAdmin1Line = '"adm0_name" = ' + "'" + qryDefArg + "'"
    
    #Loop through layers in Data Frame to identify Label and Line Layers, and then pass the Defenition Queries
    for lyr in arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd):
        if lyr.name == "ne_10m_admin_1_label_points":
            lyr.definitionQuery = qryDefAdmin1Label
        if lyr.name == "ne_10m_admin_1_states_provinces_lines_geodb":
            lyr.definitionQuery = qryDefAdmin1Line
    print "\t...Definition queries completed"
    
    #Refresh the Active View
    arcpy.RefreshActiveView()
    
    #Run the export to AI process
    arcpy.mapping.ExportToAI(mxd, "C://Temp//DataDrivenPagesTest//" + outputFileName + ".ai")
    
    print "\tExport complete for map " + outputFileName
    
del mxd

print "\n*SCRIPT COMPLETED*"