FeatureSet

Summary

FeatureSet objects are a lightweight representation of a feature class. They are a data element that contains not only schema, but also the data. The FeatureSet object is also how feature data is sent and received from the server.

Discussion

Keep the following in mind when using the FeatureSet object:

Using the FeatureSet object as input to a tool or function that modifies the input, such as Calculate Field or UpdateCursor, will modify the original feature class.
Loading a new feature class into a FeatureSet object will not overwrite the original feature class. The load method will only change the reference to the feature class, not the original feature class.

Syntax

FeatureSet({table_path}, {where_clause}, {time_filter}, {renderer}, {is_renderer}, {geojson_geometry_type})

Name	Explanation	Data type
table_path (Optional)	The features to load into the `FeatureSet` object. The input can be a catalog path to a feature class, a URL to a hosted feature layer, a JSON with the syntax `{"url":"<url>", "serviceToken":"<ServiceToken>"}` to load data from external sources that require an access token, an Esri (featureSet) JSON string, or a GeoJSON string. Esri JSON and GeoJSON are standards for encoding feature (geometry and attribute) data as a `.json` file.	String
where_clause (Optional)	An SQL expression used to select a subset of records. For more information about SQL syntax, see SQL reference for query expressions used in ArcGIS. The default value is None.	String
time_filter (Optional)	The time instant or the time extent to query. The time filter can only be applied to hosted feature layers, and the layer must be time enabled. Format a time instant as a string, for example, `"1199145600000"` (1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT). Format a time extent as a comma-delimited string, for example, `"1199145600000, 1230768000000"` (1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT to 1 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT). A null value specified for the start time or the end time will represent infinity for the start or the end time, respectively, for example, `"null, 1230768000000"`. The default value is None.	String
renderer (Optional)	The output `FeatureSet` symbology can be set using a string or dictionary representation of either a JSON renderer or a JSON definition object. Learn more about JSON renderers and JSON definition objects. The default value is None.	String
is_renderer (Optional)	Specifies the type of the value used with the `renderer` argument. Set to `True` if the value is a renderer object; set to `False` if the value is a definition. The default value is None.	Boolean
geojson_geometry_type (Optional)	The geometry type of the GeoJSON file that will be loaded. A single GeoJSON file may contain multiple types of geometry records. Only the records of the specified geometry type will be loaded. By default, this is the geometry type of the first record. This option is only supported if the `table_path` value is GeoJSON. POINT—Treat GeoJSON `Point` geometry type as point features. MULTIPOINT—Treat GeoJSON `MultiPoint` geometry type as multipoint features. POLYLINE—Treat GeoJSON `LineString` and `MultiLineString` geometry types as polyline features. POLYGON—Treat GeoJSON `Polygon` and `MultiPolygon` geometry types as polygon features. Only the listed GeoJSON geometry types are supported. The default value is None.	String

Properties

Name	Explanation	Data type
JSON (Read only)	Returns an Esri JSON representation of the geometry as a string. Tip: The returned string can be converted to a dictionary using the `json` module's `loads` function.	String
GeoJSON (Read only)	Returns a GeoJSON representation of the geometry as a string. Tip: The returned string can be converted to a dictionary using the `json` module's `loads` function.	String

Methods

`load({table_path}, {where_clause}, {time_filter}, {renderer}, {is_renderer}, {geojson_geometry_type})`

Loads a table into the FeatureSet object.

Name	Explanation	Data type
table_path (Optional)	The features to load into the `FeatureSet` object. The input can be a catalog path to a feature class, a URL to a hosted feature layer, a JSON with the syntax `{"url":"<url>", "serviceToken":"<ServiceToken>"}` to load data from external sources that require an access token, an Esri (featureSet) JSON string, or a GeoJSON string. Esri JSON and GeoJSON are standards for encoding feature (geometry and attribute) data as a `.json` file.	String
where_clause (Optional)	An SQL expression used to select a subset of records. For more information about SQL syntax, see SQL reference for query expressions used in ArcGIS. The default value is None.	String
time_filter (Optional)	The time instant or the time extent to query. The time filter can only be applied to hosted feature layers, and the layer must be time enabled. Format a time instant as a string, for example, `"1199145600000"` (1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT). Format a time extent as a comma-delimited string, for example, `"1199145600000, 1230768000000"` (1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT to 1 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT). A null value specified for the start time or the end time will represent infinity for the start or the end time, respectively, for example, `"null, 1230768000000"`. The default value is None.	String
renderer (Optional)	The output `FeatureSet` symbology can be set using a string or dictionary representation of either a JSON renderer or a JSON definition object. Learn more about JSON renderers and JSON definition objects. The default value is None.	String
is_renderer (Optional)	Specifies the type of the value used with the `renderer` argument. Set to `True` if the value is a renderer object; set to `False` if the value is a definition. The default value is None.	Boolean
geojson_geometry_type (Optional)	The geometry type of the GeoJSON file that will be loaded. A single GeoJSON file may contain multiple types of geometry records. Only the records of the specified geometry type will be loaded. By default, this is the geometry type of the first record. This option is only supported if the `table_path` value is GeoJSON. POINT—Treat GeoJSON `Point` geometry type as point features. MULTIPOINT—Treat GeoJSON `MultiPoint` geometry type as multipoint features. POLYLINE—Treat GeoJSON `LineString` and `MultiLineString` geometry types as polyline features. POLYGON—Treat GeoJSON `Polygon` and `MultiPolygon` geometry types as polygon features. Only the listed GeoJSON geometry types are supported. The default value is None.	String

`save(table_path)`

Exports to a table.

Name	Explanation	Data type
table_path	The output table that will be created.	String

Code sample

FeatureSet example 1

Load data into a feature class and insert into a FeatureSet object.

import arcpy

arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True

arcpy.ImportToolbox("http://flame7/arcgis/services;BufferByVal",
                    "servertools")

# List of coordinates
coordinates = [[-117.196717216, 34.046944853],
               [-117.186226483, 34.046498438],
               [-117.179530271, 34.038016569],
               [-117.187454122, 34.039132605],
               [-117.177744614, 34.056765964],
               [-117.156205131, 34.064466609],
               [-117.145491191, 34.068261129],
               [-117.170825195, 34.073618099],
               [-117.186784501, 34.068149525],
               [-117.158325598, 34.03489167]]

# Create an memory feature class to initially contain the coordinate pairs
feature_class = arcpy.management.CreateFeatureclass(
    "memory", "tempfc", "POINT")[0]

# Open an insert cursor
with arcpy.da.InsertCursor(feature_class, ["SHAPE@XY"]) as cursor:
    # Iterate through list of coordinates and add to cursor
    for (x, y) in coordinates:
        cursor.insertRow([(x, y)])

# Create a FeatureSet object and load in_memory feature class
feature_set = arcpy.FeatureSet(feature_class)

results = arcpy.servertools.BufferPoints(feature_set)

FeatureSet example 2

Load a subset of data from ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World into a FeatureSet object and set the symbology.

import arcpy

# Set data
in_data = "https://services.arcgis.com/P3ePLMYs2RVChkJx/arcgis/rest/services/USA_States_Generalized/FeatureServer/0"
query = "STATE_NAME = 'California'"
renderer = '''{
    "renderer": {
        "type": "simple",
        "symbol": {
            "type": "esriSFS",
            "style": "esriSFSSolid",
            "color": [
                255,
                0,
                0,
                255
            ],
            "outline": {
                "type": "esriSLS",
                "style": "esriSLSSolid",
                "color": [
                    110,
                    110,
                    110,
                    255
                ],
                "width": 2
            }
        },
        "label": "",
        "description": "",
        "rotationType": "geographic",
        "rotationExpression": ""
    }
}'''

# Create FeatureSet with query and renderer
feature_set = arcpy.FeatureSet(in_data, query, renderer=renderer, is_renderer=True)

FeatureSet example 3

Create a FeatureSet object from an Esri JSON string.

import arcpy

# Set data
esri_json = '''{
 "objectIdFieldName": "objectid",
 "globalIdFieldName": "globalid",
 "geometryType": "esriGeometryPoint",
 "spatialReference": {
  "wkid": 102100,
  "latestWkid": 3857
 },
 "fields": [
  {
   "name": "objectid",
   "alias": "OBJECTID",
   "type": "esriFieldTypeOID"
  },
  {
   "name": "requestid",
   "alias": "Service Request ID",
   "type": "esriFieldTypeString",
   "length": 25
  },
  {
   "name": "requesttype",
   "alias": "Problem",
   "type": "esriFieldTypeString",
   "length": 100
  },
  {
   "name": "comments",
   "alias": "Comments",
   "type": "esriFieldTypeString",
   "length": 255
  }
 ],
 "features": [
  {
   "geometry": {
    "x": -9809161.170230601,
    "y": 5123045.5266209831
   },
   "attributes": {
    "objectid": 246362,
    "requestid": "1",
    "requesttype": "Sidewalk Damage",
    "comments": "Pothole"
   }
  },
  {
   "geometry": {
    "x": -9074857.9234435894,
    "y": 4982391.2604217697
   },
   "attributes": {
    "objectid": 246382,
    "requestid": "2",
    "requesttype": "Pothole",
    "comments": ""
   }
  }
 ]
}'''

# Create FeatureSet from Esri JSON
feature_set = arcpy.FeatureSet(data_json)

FeatureSet example 4

Create a FeatureSet object from a GeoJSON string.

import arcpy

geo_json = '''{
    "crs": {
        "properties": {
            "name": "EPSG: 3857"
        },
        "type": "name"
    },
    "features": [
        {
            "geometry": {
                "coordinates": [
                    -9809161.170230601,
                    5123045.526620984
                ],
                "type": "Point"
            },
            "id": 246362,
            "properties": {
                "comments": "Pothole",
                "objectid": 246362,
                "requestid": "1",
                "requesttype": "Sidewalk Damage"
            },
            "type": "Feature"
        },
        {
            "geometry": {
                "coordinates": [
                    -9074857.923443586,
                    4982391.260421775
                ],
                "type": "Point"
            },
            "id": 246382,
            "properties": {
                "comments": "",
                "objectid": 246382,
                "requestid": "2",
                "requesttype": "Pothole"
            },
            "type": "Feature"
        }
    ],
    "type": "FeatureCollection"
}'''

# Create FeatureSet from Geo JSON
feature_set = arcpy.FeatureSet(geo_json, geojson_geometry_type="POINT")

FeatureSet example 5

Create a FeatureSet object from a time-enabled hosted feature layer using the time_filter parameter.

import arcpy

url = {"url": "https://services.arcgis.com/O9GvsOYzrcFwdwqx/arcgis/rest/services/MyTimeEnabledLayer/FeatureServer/0"}
filter = "Country = 'United States'"
in_start, in_end = 1672473600000, 1718434800000
time_filter = f"{in_start}, {in_end}"

# Create FeatureSet using a time filter
feature_set = arcpy.FeatureSet(table_path=url, time_filter=time_filter)