listing directory folders in a menu

[LaidlawFX]

Hello,

Trying to figure out how to list directories in a string submenu, such as, a parameter drop down list(like a group list), but on windows. Say I want to list C:\Users\ so each user shows up in the menu.

This help doc list how a submenu works; The python command works, but the hscript version doesn't work for some fun reason.

http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini12.5/ref/windows/optype#menu_tab

Also was trying to get uls -d as my source to fill the list but failing at that too, not sure if it's a windows thing.

http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini12.5/commands/uls

If anyone can help that be great, I would prefer hscript, but python works, too.

Thanks

-Ben

[Guest mantragora]

Something like this should theoretically return all directories in specified path:

def MakeList(path):
   import os
   dirList = os.listdir(path)
   dirs = []
   for dirName in dirList:
      fullPath = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(path, dirName))
      if os.path.isdir(fullPath):
         dirs += [fullPath, dirName]

   return dirs

return MakeList("C:\Users")

It works in python shell, but half-works in menu. When I return it, the listmenu is not fully populated with positions from python list.

EDIT:

It looks that it always populate menu with only half of the positions that python finds. For example. If I list my "C:\Program Files" where I have 38 items, python finds them correctly but Houdini will create list only from 19 elements from this list. So for my "C:\Users", where I have 6 dirs (with all hidden, protected ones) it will create menu of 3 positions. It is not a python problem because when you print list you will see all directories in the list, so must be a bug in Houdini or maybe I'm doing something wrong.

Edited July 20, 2013 by mantragora

[graham]

Python menus require your values in token/value pairs where the first element is the actual value and the second is the display string. When doing something like this you need to add each element twice (one for the token and one for the value).

[Guest mantragora]

Python menus require your values in token/value pairs where the first element is the actual value and the second is the display string. When doing something like this you need to add each element twice (one for the token and one for the value).

I have been all night on legs. It's 6.00 AM now. My eyes are not what they use to be when it was 20.00 PM and I just missed the part about pairs

EDIT: Fixed the code.

Edited July 20, 2013 by mantragora

[LaidlawFX]

Awesome! works like a charm

Thanks mantragora heroic late night effort, and thanks graham as always.

-Ben

[LaidlawFX]

Hey I get a python error if the directory doesn't exist yet? Is there away to capture/prevent that python error from being thrown to windows?

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "<stdin>", line 13, in expression

File "<stdin>", line 4, in MakeList

WindowsError: (3, 'The system cannot find the path specified', 'C:/Directory/Path/*.*')

I was thinking of tossing a default path in there if this path does not exist... but there is probably a smarter way.

[Guest mantragora]

def MakeList(path):
   import os
   dirList = os.listdir(path)
   dirs = []
   for dirName in dirList:
          fullPath = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(path, dirName))
          if os.path.isdir(fullPath):
                 dirs += [fullPath, dirName]

   return dirs

try:
    return MakeList("C:\ShitHappens")
except WindowsError:
    return ["WrongPath", "WrongPath"]

[Guest mantragora]

You can also add to "except" part

hou.ui.displayMessage("Path not found", severity=hou.severityType.Error)

before "return", but I get multiple reports then on my system, so it can be a little annoying

Edited July 29, 2013 by mantragora

[LaidlawFX]

I like the return of the Wrong Path concept it seems to be working pretty good. The error messaging, or display messaging, was def annoying and I think it was making stuff shit on the farm...

Thank you again wise python master, for saving my ass once more.