topic Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool? in Python Questions

How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 15:48:38 GMT

How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool at the end of tool execution? In other words, I want to select my tool, click the map to execute my script logic, and then I want the tool to automatically deactivate or select a different tool by default. Is this possible? I'm currently working in ArcGIS 10.2, but I'm planning to move on to 10.4, if this matters.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 15:54:09 GMT

haven't used ... Tool class—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:08:56 GMT

Thanks, Dan. Yes, I have looked over the Help for Tool Class. I should also point out the content of this post: https://community.esri.com/thread/88371 . I was hoping for some more recent information or new insight on this topic.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:10:01 GMT

Please see also https://community.esri.com/thread/88371 . I'm hoping for more recent info or new insight on this topic.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:15:21 GMT

It would be a good idea then to point that out to the documentation people at the bottom right of the page I sent. They are pretty good about addressing topics that are found to be in error or, in this case, not quite as advertised. A reference to the link you posted and your attempts in code might flag more than documentation changes since I doubt that this would be classified as a 'bug', perhaps a 'placeholder' for future enhancements... or at its worst a mis-representation.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:20:53 GMT

I'm afraid you cannot deactivate programmatically What do you want to achieve by deactivating the add-in? Not to be able to use it in the same session? or next time you open ArcMap?

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:28:08 GMT

I can see situations when any deactivation of a tool would be useful (not just tied in to Arc* software). For example, to select something, when an on-click (new parlance?) has occured, the tool becomes deactivated until it is selected again. By deactivation, I would normally assume that one could specify the default tool as becoming active. But, I left behind the world of writing stuff for user interaction a long time ago, so maybe things are different now.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:29:55 GMT

I'm wanting to deactivate the tool, as in making it no longer the active tool. I'm not trying to disable it, as in grayed out and unavailable. My reason for wanting this is that some of my other addin items will crash ArcMap if this tool is actively selected. Nothing ever crashes if the tool is NOT the active tool. So I'm just wanting to deactivate it as soon as the user has completed its task.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:47:56 GMT

In short, this particular tool works perfectly on its own. My other addin items work perfectly on their own. But they don't play nice together if the tool is left active. The other items utilize a tkinter user input dialog (which I have read can be problematic with arcpy addins). I believe there is a problem when the tool is left active because both the tool and the tkinter items are looping as they wait for more user interaction. But again, everything works fine unless the tool is left active when the tkinter dialogs are launched (by a button).

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:57:04 GMT

Just to be precise – you are using a Tool Class, right? You want to deactivate it “as soon a user has completed its task” – is there is any mechanism the tool can be aware of when the task is done? It has to happen before the Tkinter dialogs are launched – how do you launch the Tkinter dialog? By clicking on another button or tool?

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 18:11:12 GMT

Yes, I'm using a tool class. It is a tool that is used to click once on the map, and then the script uses the mousedown point to execute some code. I would like for the last action of the code to be the deactivation of the tool. If the user wanted to click another point using this tool they would have to reselect the tool from the toolbar. As it stands right now, the tool remains active and the user can click the map as many times as they want. This would be fine if it were not for the conflict with the tikinter dialog that is launched from several other buttons (not tools). Clicking a button does not deactivate a tool...at least, not automatically. I would love to know how to code that, if possible. I'm not necessarily against the tool staying active, but it isn't necessary in most circumstances and I'm just trying to eliminate the conflict with my other addin items.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 19:35:29 GMT

Here is an idea – just tried and it works for me.

In any of the methods of the Tool class, such as OnDblClick, write this line of code:

self.enabled = False

So, whenever you want to deactivate the tool, just double-click anywhere on the map.

I’m still trying to figure out how can I activate it back. If you have any other button or tool you can use one of those methods to enable it to True. I’ll get back once I get a solution.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 20:04:26 GMT

Nobbir, I really appreciate your help on this, but we are still having a miscommunication. I don't want to disable the tool...I want to deactivate it. These are two different things. I still want the user to be able to select the tool whenever they want. I just don't want it to be left as the active tool after they click the map. After they click the map with this tool, they will be briefly handling the result of clicking the tool (which does not logically include selecting a different tool), and then they will be moving on to something else entirely....which is likely to include clicking one of the buttons that initiates a tkinter dialog. I could, of course, instruct my users to make sure they select a different tool before moving on (selecting any esri standard tool would do the trick and produce the desired result). However, I think this is kind of a ridiculous thing to ask of my users...they are going to forget, and it is going to keep crashing when they do. Nobody is accustomed to a GUI that insists that you 'unpress' one button before you press another....that should be handled by the coding behind the GUI.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 20:44:29 GMT

Greg – I understand your problem. Right now I don’t see any other way to “deactivate”. The deactivate method in Tool class is only triggered when the tool is disabled. I’m end of my ideas ☹

Please share with us if you find a good way to achieve your goal.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 20:49:01 GMT

going back to my original comment, perhaps it needs to become 'deactivated' rather than 'deactivate' a small but subtle difference in meaning, so perhaps a note to the linking page, asking for elaboration on what it actually does would go a long way... I will leave it in the hands of those still active on deactivate

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 21:03:36 GMT

Nobbir and Dan, thanks for your prompt attention to my post. I appreciate your time, and I will definitely let you know if I find a solution.

Nobbir, I did toy around with your disabling idea, hoping that I could do something like:

self.enabled = False

self.enabled = True

I was hoping that disabling would kick the active tool to some other tool by default and then enabling again immediately would make my tool available again (but not active)..... but it didn't work.

Dan, I will take your advice and see if I can alert the appropriate people to this issue.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 21:23:29 GMT

If you haven’t browsed this topic yet ☺

http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/analyze/python-addins/managing-the-state-of-add-in-types.htm#GUID-F8454EED-0371-49E9-BFC7-D820B00C62C4

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:05:38 GMT

Ok, so I'm trying to go the route of temporarily disabling the tool as part of the script execution of one of my other buttons.

The name of my tool class that I'm trying to disable is 'Identify'.

If I add this line to my button script:

Identify.enabled = False

it runs without error, but does nothing. My Identify tool is still enabled and functioning.

Any thoughts?

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

NobbirAhmed — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:09:18 GMT

Can you message me the config file (located where the makeaddin.py file is)? There might be some name conflict.

Re: How can I programatically deactivate my python addin tool?

GregoryAllspaw — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 12:38:16 GMT

Nobbir,

Did you receive my config file and have a chance to look at it?