Skip To Content

ListDatasets

Summary

Lists all of the datasets in a workspace. Search conditions can be specified for the dataset name and dataset type to limit the list that is returned.

Discussion

The workspace environment must be set first before using several of the List functions, including ListDatasets, ListFeatureClasses, ListFiles, ListRasters, ListTables, and ListWorkspaces.

Syntax

ListDatasets ({wild_card}, {feature_type})
ParameterExplanationData Type
wild_card

The wild_card limits the results returned. If no wild_card is specified, all values are returned.

String
feature_type

The feature type to limit the results returned by the wildcard argument. Valid dataset types are:

  • CoverageOnly coverages.
  • FeatureCoverage or geodatabase dataset, depending on the workspace.
  • GeometricNetworkOnly geometric network datasets.
  • MosaicOnly mosaic datasets.
  • NetworkOnly network datasets.
  • ParcelFabricOnly parcel fabric datasets.
  • RasterOnly raster datasets.
  • RasterCatalogOnly raster catalog datasets.
  • SchematicOnly schematic datasets.
  • TerrainOnly terrain datasets.
  • TinOnly TIN datasets.
  • TopologyOnly topology datasets.
  • AllAll datasets in the workspace. This is the default value.

(The default value is All)

String
Return Value
Data TypeExplanation
String

A list containing dataset names returned from the function, limited by the wildcard and feature type arguments.

Code sample

ListDatasets example

List Feature Dataset names that start with C.

import arcpy

arcpy.env.workspace = "c:/data"

# Print to the Interactive window all the feature datasets in the
#   workspace that start with the letter C.
datasets = arcpy.ListDatasets("C*", "Feature")

for dataset in datasets:
    print(dataset)
ListDatasets example 2

List Feature Dataset names that start with c or f, start with letters except c, or contain both c and f.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = 'c:/data'
# Print to the Interactive window all the feature datasets in the
#   workspaces that start with the letter c or f.
datasets1 = list(set(arcpy.ListDatasets("c*", "Feature")) |
                 set(arcpy.ListDatasets("f*", "Feature")))
print(datasets1)

#   workspaces that start with the letters except c
datasets2 = list(set(arcpy.ListDatasets("*", "Feature")) -
                 set(arcpy.ListDatasets("c*", "Feature")))
print(datasets2)

#   workspaces that contain both the letter c and f
datasets3 = list(set(arcpy.ListDatasets("*c*", "Feature")) &
                 set(arcpy.ListDatasets("*f*", "Feature")))
print(datasets3)

Related topics