Back to Top

Parameter

In this topic

  1. Summary
  2. Discussion
  3. Syntax
  4. Properties
  5. Method Overview
  6. Methods
  7. Code sample
Related topics
  1. Set script tool parameters
  2. Value
  3. Filter
  4. Schema
  5. Customizing script tool behavior

Summary

Every tool parameter has an associated Parameter object with properties and methods that are useful in tool validation.

Discussion

Although many Parameter object properties are read/write, most of these properties can only be set or modified when you initially create or modify the object. Several properties, including name, displayName, datatype, direction, and parameterType, establish the characteristics of a tool and cannot be modified during validation methods (such as updateMessages and updateParameters).

Syntax

 Parameter ({name}, {displayName}, {direction}, {datatype}, {parameterType}, {enabled}, {category}, {symbology}, {multiValue})
ParameterExplanationData Type
name

The parameter name.

(The default value is None)

String
displayName

The parameter label as shown in the Geoprocessing pane.

(The default value is None)

String
direction

The direction of the parameter.

(The default value is Input)

String
datatype

The data type of the parameter.

For a list of parameter data types, see Geoprocessing data types.

(The default value is GPString)

String
parameterType

The parameter type.

(The default value is Required)

String
enabled

Specifies whether the parameter is visible in the Geoprocessing pane.

(The default value is True)

Boolean
category

The category of the parameter.

(The default value is None)

String
symbology

The path to a layer file (.lyrx or .lyr) used for drawing the output.

(The default value is None)

String
multiValue

Specifies whether the parameter is a multivalue parameter.

(The default value is False)

Boolean

Properties

PropertyExplanationData Type
altered
(Read Only)

Specifies whether the user has modified the value.

Boolean
category
(Read and Write)

The category of the parameter.

String
charts
(Read and Write)

A list of Chart objects that are added to an output parameter.

Object
columns
(Read and Write)

The structure of the columns in a value table parameter.

The columns are organized in a list of lists, with each inner list representing the column data type, column name, and an optional read-only value. If the read-only value is set to ReadOnly, the column cannot be modified by the user.


import arcpy
param = arcpy.Parameter()
param.datatype = "GPValueTable"
param.columns = [["GPFeatureLayer", "Features"], ["GPLong", "Ranks"]]
String
controlCLSID
(Read and Write)

A class identifier that can be used to override the default control for the data type.

Learn more about parameter controls

String
datatype
(Read and Write)

The data type of the parameter.

For a list of parameter data types, see Geoprocessing data types.

String
defaultEnvironmentName
(Read and Write)

The name of the geoprocessing environment setting used to set the parameter's default value.

String
direction
(Read and Write)

The direction of the parameter.

  • Input—An input parameter
  • Output—An output parameter
String
displayName
(Read and Write)

The parameter label as shown in the Geoprocessing pane.

String
displayOrder
(Read and Write)

The order in which a parameter displays in the Geoprocessing pane. This may be different from the order the parameters are accessed from Python.

Integer
enabled
(Read and Write)

Specifies whether the parameter is visible in the Geoprocessing pane.

Boolean
filter
(Read Only)

The filter to apply to values in the parameter.

Filter
filters
(Read and Write)

Similar to the filter property, but it is used to support value table parameters.

class SampleTool(object):
    # __init__ left out to simplify example

    def getParameterInfo(self):
        in_fc = arcpy.Parameter(
            name='in_features',
            displayName='Input Features',
            datatype='GPFeatureLayer',
            direction='Input',
            parameterType='Required')

        vt = arcpy.Parameter(
            name='summary_fields',
            displayName='Summary fields',
            datatype='GPValueTable',
            direction='Input',
            parameterType='Optional')

        vt.parameterDependencies = [in_fc.name]
        vt.columns = [['Field', 'Field'], ['GPString', 'Statistic'], ['GPDouble', 'Multiplier']]
        vt.filters[0].list = ['Double', 'Float', 'Short', 'Long']
        vt.filters[1].type = 'ValueList'
        vt.filters[1].list = ['SUM', 'MIN', 'MAX', 'MEAN']
        vt.filters[2].type = 'Range'
        vt.filters[2].list = [0,10]
Filter
hasBeenValidated
(Read Only)

Specifies whether the internal validation routine has checked the parameter.

Boolean
message
(Read Only)

The message to be displayed to the user.

String
multiValue
(Read and Write)

Specifies whether the parameter is a multivalue parameter.

Boolean
name
(Read and Write)

The parameter name.

String
parameterDependencies
(Read and Write)

A list of indexes of each dependent parameter.

In a script tool, parameterDependencies is set with a list of parameter indexes; in a Python toolbox tool, parameterDependencies is set with a list of parameter names.

Integer
parameterType
(Read and Write)

The parameter type.

  • Required—The tool cannot be run until a value has been provided.
  • Optional—The parameter does not require a value.
  • Derived—The parameter returns an output value. Derived parameters are always output parameters and are not shown in the Geoprocessing pane.

For derived parameters, set the direction property to Output and the parameterType property to Derived.

In validation, the parameterType value cannot be dynamically modified. However, it may be necessary for a parameter to behave as a required parameter or an optional parameter depending on other parameter settings. If this is the case, set the parameter as optional. Then, in the validation updateMessages method, use the Parameter setIDMessage method with message ID 530 or 735. Using message ID 530 or 735 will cause an optional parameter to behave as a required parameter.

String
schema
(Read Only)

The schema of the output dataset.

Schema
symbology
(Read and Write)

The path to a layer file (.lyrx or .lyr) used for drawing the output.

String
value
(Read and Write)

The value of the parameter.

Object
valueAsText
(Read Only)

The value of the parameter as a string.

String
values
(Read and Write)

The values of a Value Table parameter, which is set using a list of lists.

Variant

Method Overview

MethodExplanation
clearMessage ()

Clears out any message text and sets the status to informative (no error or warning).

hasError ()

Returns True if the parameter contains an error.

To evaluate whether a parameter has an error, hasError should be called within the tool validation's updateMessages method.

hasWarning ()

Returns True if the parameter contains a warning.

isInputValueDerived ()

Returns True if the tool is being validated inside a Model and the input value is the output of another tool in the model.

setErrorMessage (message)

Sets a parameter as having an error with the supplied message. Tools do not execute if any of the parameters have an error.

setIDMessage (message_type, message_ID, {add_argument1}, {add_argument2})

Sets a parameter as having a system message.

setWarningMessage (message)

Sets a parameter as having an error with the supplied message. Unlike errors, tools will execute with warning messages.

Methods

clearMessage ()
hasError ()
Return Value
Data TypeExplanation
Boolean

True if the parameter contains an error.

hasWarning ()
Return Value
Data TypeExplanation
Boolean

True if the parameter contains a warning. 

isInputValueDerived ()
Return Value
Data TypeExplanation
Boolean

True if the tool is being validated inside a Model and the input value is the output of another tool in the model. 

setErrorMessage (message)
ParameterExplanationData Type
message

The string to be added as an error message to the geoprocessing tool messages.

String
setIDMessage (message_type, message_ID, {add_argument1}, {add_argument2})
ParameterExplanationData Type
message_type

Defines whether the message will be an error or a warning.

  • ERROR—The message will be an error message.
  • WARNING—The message will be a warning message.
String
message_ID

The message ID allows you to reference existing system messages.

Integer
add_argument1

Depending on which message ID is used, an argument may be necessary to complete the message. Common examples include dataset or field names. The data type is variable depending on the message.

Object
add_argument2

Depending on which message ID is used, an argument may be necessary to complete the message. Common examples include dataset or field names. The data type is variable depending on the message.

Object
setWarningMessage (message)
ParameterExplanationData Type
message

The string to be added as a warning message to the geoprocessing tool messages.

String

Code sample

Parameter example

Enable or disable a parameter in a ToolValidator class.

def updateParameters(self):
    # If the option to use a weights file ("Get Spatial Weights From File") 
    # is selected, enable the parameter for specifying the file; 
    # otherwise, disable it.

    if self.params[3].value == "Get Spatial Weights From File":
        self.params[8].enabled = True
    else:
        self.params[8].enabled = False

    return
Parameter example 2

Set a default value for a parameter in a ToolValidator class.

def updateParameters(self):
    # Set the default distance threshold to 1/100 of the larger of
    # the width or height of the extent of the input features.  Do
    # not set if there is no input dataset yet, or the user has set
    # a specific distance (Altered is true).

    if self.params[0].value:
        if not self.params[6].altered:
            extent = arcpy.Describe(self.params[0].value)
        width = extent.XMax - extent.XMin
        height = extent.YMax - extent.YMin

        if width < height:
            self.params[6].value = width / 100
        else:
            self.params[6].value = height / 100

        return
Parameter example 3

Set a custom error message for a parameter in a ToolValidator class.

def updateMessages(self):
    self.params[6].clearMessage()

    # Check whether the threshold distance contains a value of
    # zero and the user has specified a fixed distance band.
    if self.params[6].value <= 0:
        if self.params[3].value == "Fixed Distance Band":
            self.params[6].setErrorMessage(
                "Zero or a negative distance is invalid when "
                "using a fixed distance band. Please use a "
                "positive value greater than zero.")
        elif self.params[6].value < 0:
            self.params[6].setErrorMessage(
                "A positive distance value is required when "
                "using a fixed distance band. Be sure to specify "
                "a distance.")

    return

Related topics

  • Set script tool parameters
  • Value
  • Filter
  • Schema
  • Customizing script tool behavior

Feedback on this topic?

In this topic
  1. Summary
  2. Discussion
  3. Syntax
  4. Properties
  5. Method Overview
  6. Methods
  7. Code sample
Related topics
  1. Set script tool parameters
  2. Value
  3. Filter
  4. Schema
  5. Customizing script tool behavior