Example: Publish a map service from a map document (MXD)

This example publishes a new map service given the path to a map document (MXD) and the path to an ArcGIS Server connection file. The connection file has an extension .ags and is created whenever you connect to an ArcGIS Server site using the Catalog window in ArcMap. This script does not require an administrator or publisher token because it uses the connection file.

To run this example, you'll need to replace the local variables at the top of the script with the paths to your own map document and connection file. You can also change the name, summary, and tags associated with the service.

# Publishes a service to machine myserver using USA.mxd
# A connection to ArcGIS Server must be established in the
#  Catalog window of ArcMap before running this script
import arcpy

# Define local variables
wrkspc = 'C:/data'
mapDoc = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(wrkspc + '/USA/USA.mxd')

# Provide path to connection file
# To create this file, right-click a folder in the Catalog window and
#  click New > ArcGIS Server Connection
con = wrkspc + '/connections/arcgis on myserver_6080 (publisher).ags'

# Provide other service details
service = 'USA'
sddraft = wrkspc + service + '.sddraft'
sd = wrkspc + service + '.sd'
summary = 'General reference map of the USA'
tags = 'USA'

# Create service definition draft
arcpy.mapping.CreateMapSDDraft(mapDoc, sddraft, service, 'ARCGIS_SERVER', con, True, None, summary, tags)

# Analyze the service definition draft
analysis = arcpy.mapping.AnalyzeForSD(sddraft)

# Print errors, warnings, and messages returned from the analysis
print "The following information was returned during analysis of the MXD:"
for key in ('messages', 'warnings', 'errors'):
  print '----' + key.upper() + '---'
  vars = analysis[key]
  for ((message, code), layerlist) in vars.iteritems():
    print '    ', message, ' (CODE %i)' % code
    print '       applies to:',
    for layer in layerlist:
        print layer.name,
    print

# Stage and upload the service if the sddraft analysis did not contain errors
if analysis['errors'] == {}:
    # Execute StageService. This creates the service definition.
    arcpy.StageService_server(sddraft, sd)

    # Execute UploadServiceDefinition. This uploads the service definition and publishes the service.
    arcpy.UploadServiceDefinition_server(sd, con)
    print "Service successfully published"
else: 
    print "Service could not be published because errors were found during analysis."

print arcpy.GetMessages()