Wish: Access Dynamo's Package Paths from Python

[mostaphaRoudsari]

Following up from this discussion on the forum.

I'm looking for a call from inside python node to access package path(s)? It will save me an other developers who are loading the libraries from package folder a lot of duplicated code and also ensures that we can have access to the libraries even if the user installs them in a custom folder.

cc: @mjkkirschner
labels: wish, python

[andydandy74]

@mostaphaRoudsari - Great idea. In the meantime, have a look at how this was solved for BumbleBee package: ksobon/Bumblebee#15

[Amoursol]

Hello @mostaphaRoudsari,

We don't currently have a stable way to access the Dynamo document to pull the Package Directories path (i.e part of the DynamoServices.dll) - but you can do so, at risk and unsupported, in the following way:

# Load the Python Standard and DesignScript Libraries
import sys
import clr
clr.AddReference(‘DynamoRevitDS’)
from Dynamo.Applications import *

packageDir = list(DynamoRevit.RevitDynamoModel.PathManager.PackagesDirectories)[0]
OUT = packageDir

[mostaphaRoudsari]

Hi @Amoursol, This is very helpful. Can you tell me what are the possible risks involved? Also do I need a specific minimum version of Dynamo for this to work?

[Amoursol]

@mjkkirschner or @QilongTang would be better suited to answer this question 😊

[QilongTang]

@mostaphaRoudsari @Amoursol Traced back, it was added five years ago, so pretty much all major versions we are supporting right now, 1.3.x and 2.x.x

[mostaphaRoudsari]

Thank you @QilongTang. One follow up question. I assume this will not work in Dynamo-core (is this what you call it?). Or is there a similar call that I can use to get the packages in DynamoCore?

The differences between DynamoRevit and DynamoCore has been an issue for us.

[mjkkirschner]

What is risky is by accessing a property of the application during graph execution it's not guaranteed to be up to date - it's also not expected that these package directories would ever be modified during graph execution... Only on from the UI or from an extension etc.

It will work for DynamoRevit only - the reason it works is becasue DynamoRevit.DynamoRevitModel is static - in all honesty, it likely should not be.

[mjkkirschner]

The better solution here is for us to add an API to dynamoServices which is safe to consume from a node - likely just the getter for the package directories, which would be accessible easily during graph execution from any node by referencing a static property in DynamoServices.

[mostaphaRoudsari]

Hi @mjkkirschner, I prefer to wait for the second solution which should work for both DynamoRevit and DynamoCore. @Amoursol if this is something that you can include in an upcoming release we will be happy to test it for you.

This will also help us to do a new release of our Dynamo packages so at least they work as they are.

[Amoursol]

Hello @mostaphaRoudsari - This has been added to our backlog.

[mjkkirschner]

Please see related PR.

[mostaphaRoudsari]

@mjkkirschner, thanks. Do we know from which version of Dynamo this will be available?

[mjkkirschner]

as of now, this code has been merged to trunk which is currently 2.8.

[Amoursol]

Hello @mostaphaRoudsari - Have you had a chance to check this in a daily build?

[mikkelvangsgaard]

Hi, any updates on this?

thanks

[Amoursol]

Hello @mikkelvangsgaard - This is now part of Dynamo 2.8 😄

[mikkelvangsgaard]

Great! Thank you @Amoursol