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I wonder if we can use arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0) in Python IDLE to get a parameter from a user?

I am using ArcGIS Desktop 10.4 and Python 2.7.10 that comes with ArcGIS. Actually I want to know how to use arcpy.GetParameterAsText() to get an input from a user or I should use input() function insted. If so, what is the use of arcpy.GetParameterAsText()?

import os
import arcpy

arcpy.env.workspace = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)

in_featureclass = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
out_workspace = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)

out_featureclass = os.path.join(out_workspace,
 os.path.basename(in_featureclass))


arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(in_featureclass, out_featureclass)

and I got the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):

 File "C:/Data/s2.py", line 14, in <module>

arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(in_featureclass, out_featureclass)

 File "C:Program Files (x86)ArcGISDesktop10.4ArcPyarcpymanagement.py", 
line 2335, in CopyFeatures
 raise e
ExecuteError: Failed to execute. Parameters are not valid.
ERROR 000735: Input Features: Value is required
ERROR 000735: Output Feature Class: Value is required
Failed to execute (CopyFeatures).

Your Script is ok and working as expected. However by looking your error's i can say you are passing wrong parameters. For debugging i would suggest you few modification in your script.

import os
import arcpy

arcpy.env.workspace = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)

in_featureclass = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1)
out_workspace = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2)

# Printing all input parameters.
arcpy.AddMessage("Workspace--"+ arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0) )
arcpy.AddMessage("in_featureclass--"+ arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1))
arcpy.AddMessage("out_workspace--"+ arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2))

out_featureclass = os.path.join(out_workspace, os.path.basename(in_featureclass))

arcpy.AddMessage("out_featureclass --"+ out_featureclass)

arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(in_featureclass, out_featureclass)

Finally check the result window from arcCatalog or arcMap.
You should see this kind of log.

Also for taking input parameters from user, you could create script parameters in you toolbox script like this.

This is how i passed my parameters and it ran successfully.

In the arcpy module, arcpy.GetParameterAsText() is used to create python script tools in the toolbox of ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro.

Following documentaion will show you how to create a script tool: http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/analyze/creating-tools/adding-a-script-tool.htm

And following documentation will explain how arcpy.GetParameterAsText() are used:
http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/analyze/creating-tools/setting-script-tool-parameters.htm

If your objective it to run the python script in python IDLE then I would suggest you to use the input method since arcpy.GetParameterAsText() will not work in IDLE.

Or your can just hardcode the variables being used. For example:

import os
import arcpy

arcpy.env.workspace = r"C:/path/to/geodatabase.gdb"


in_featureclass = r"C:/path/to/geodatabase.gdb/featureClass"
out_workspace = r"C:/path/to/geodatabase1.gdb"

out_featureclass = os.path.join(out_workspace,
 os.path.basename(in_featureclass))


arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(in_featureclass, out_featureclass)