20 ArcPy Interview Questions and Answers

ArcPy is a Python site package that is used to perform geographic data analysis, data conversion, data management, and map automation. If you are applying for a position that requires knowledge of ArcPy, you can expect to be asked questions about your experience and skills during the interview process. In this article, we will review some common ArcPy interview questions and provide some tips on how to answer them.

ArcPy Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked ArcPy interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is ArcPy?

ArcPy is a Python site package that provides access to the powerful arcgis.geoprocessing module. This module allows you to perform various geoprocessing tasks such as creating new features, calculating field values, and more.

2. What are the different ways of importing ArcPy into a Python script?

There are three ways to import ArcPy into a Python script:

1. import arcpy
2. from arcpy import *
3. from arcpy.mapping import *

3. How do you make use of the Map class in ArcPy?

The Map class is used to manage a map document and its layers. You can use it to add or remove layers, change layer visibility, and reorder layers. You can also use the Map class to create new map documents.

4. Can you name some common data types used by the arcpy module?

The arcpy module uses a number of data types, including:

– Shapefiles
– Rasters
– Geodatabases
– Feature Classes
– Tables

5. What does the “arcpy.env” command do?

The “arcpy.env” command sets the environment variables for a particular ArcPy session. This includes things like the workspace, the scratch workspace, the extent, and the output coordinate system.

6. Can you explain what an environment workspace is in the context of ArcPy?

An environment workspace is a location where you can store your data and settings for an ArcPy script. This can be useful if you want to keep your data separate from your code, or if you need to share your script with others but don’t want to share your data.

7. Is it possible to set multiple environments at once with ArcPy? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to set multiple environments at once with ArcPy. You can do this by using the “Multiple Environments” option in the “Environment Settings” dialog box.

8. What are the differences between rasters and vectors?

Rasters are made up of pixels, which are small squares of information. Vectors are made up of points, lines, and polygons. Rasters are best suited for representing continuous data, like land elevation or satellite imagery. Vectors are best suited for representing discrete data, like roads or political boundaries.

9. What’s a geodatabase? What are its advantages over other formats like shapefiles?

A geodatabase is a type of database that is used to store geographic data. Geodatabases have many advantages over other formats like shapefiles, including the ability to store multiple types of data in one place, the ability to more easily query and update data, and the ability to enforce data integrity.

10. What are feature layers?

Feature layers are layers that contain geographic features. These features can be points, lines, or polygons, and they can come from a variety of sources, including shapefiles, geodatabases, and web services. You can use feature layers to display data on a map, query features, and edit features.

11. What is the purpose of the CopyFeatures tool? When would you want to use it?

The CopyFeatures tool is used to copy features from one feature class to another. This can be useful if you want to create a backup of your data, or if you want to create a new feature class that is a subset of another feature class.

12. Is it possible to create a new feature layer in ArcPy? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to create a new feature layer in ArcPy using the MakeFeatureLayer_management() function. This function takes two arguments: the input dataset and the output layer name.

13. What’s the best way to delete existing features from a layer?

The best way to delete existing features from a layer is to use the Delete Features tool.

14. How can you extract the x, y coordinates of vertices in a polygon using ArcPy?

You can use the getPart() method to extract the x, y coordinates of vertices in a polygon.

15. What is a multipatch object in ArcPy?

A multipatch object is a three-dimensional object that can represent a variety of real-world objects, such as buildings or bridges. Multipatch objects are made up of one or more individual patches, which are themselves three-dimensional objects.

16. What are Table Views? What is their purpose?

Table views are a way of looking at data in a table that can be filtered, selected, and sorted. You can think of them as a way of creating a “view” of the data that can be customized to show only the information that you are interested in. Table views can be created from any table in ArcGIS, including feature class tables, stand-alone tables, and tables in a geodatabase.

17. What are some important commands for querying tables?

The following are some important commands for querying tables:

– The “Select” command is used to select a subset of records from a table.
– The “Where” clause is used to specify conditions for selecting records.
– The “Order By” clause is used to specify the order in which records are returned.
– The “Group By” clause is used to group records together.
– The “Having” clause is used to specify conditions for grouping records.

18. What does the arcpy.da package help us achieve?

The arcpy.da package helps us achieve two main things: first, it allows us to create and manage cursors in order to iterate through data, and second, it allows us to create and manage feature classes and tables.

19. Is it possible to move rows from one table to another in ArcPy? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to move rows from one table to another in ArcPy. This can be done using the TableToTable_conversion function.

20. How would you generate graphs from feature classes using ArcPy?

The first step would be to import the arcpy module. Next, you would need to set up a connection to the feature class that you want to generate graphs from. After that, you would use the MakeFeatureLayer_management function to create a layer from the feature class. Finally, you would use the GenerateGraph function to generate the graphs.