Blender 2.8 - Modal Operator: How to change modifier settings?

Question

I am trying to change a the "ratio" within a "decimate" modifier with a modal operator, but cannot get the value to update (my guess is I am not passing the right value?)

import bpy, bmesh

class OBJECT_OT_make_proxy(bpy.types.Operator):
    bl_idname = "object.make_proxy"
    bl_label = "mProxy"

    flt_ratio: bpy.props.FloatProperty(default = 0.25, min = 0, max = 1)

    @classmethod
    def poll(cls, context):    
        return context.active_object is not None

    def execute(self, context):
        #TODO: handle the folder selection, saving and relinking here
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def modal(self, context, event):
        bpy.context.object.modifiers["Decimate"].ratio = self.flt_ratio
        return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}           

    def invoke(self, context, event): 
        #### add modifier ################################
        bpy.ops.object.modifier_add(type='DECIMATE')

        #self.flt_ratio = 0.25 <- commented this out, because it already has a default value        
        bpy.context.window_manager.modal_handler_add(self)
        bpy.context.window_manager.invoke_props_dialog(self)
        return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}

classes = (
    OBJECT_OT_make_proxy,
    )

register, unregister = bpy.utils.register_classes_factory(classes)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

Could somebody please show me what I am doing wrong?

Answer 1

You are using FloatProperty, although you only imported StringProperty. You can use it as bpy.props.FloatProperty, or you can import it by adding it to the import from bpy.props import StringProperty, FloatProperty. You will need to define how it is controlled during the modal operation inside invoke as well. See the examples in the Templates menu in the Text Editor's Header.

You could open the example of the modal operator from the Templates menu in the Text Editor's header and then just modify it with what you need carefully checking that you don't break it. I would suggest using some event like mouse move or mouse wheel to control the variables, because you will have a floating panel at the bottom of the 3d view with the value after the operation anyway if you define bl_options = {'REGISTER', 'UNDO'} that is the usual Blender's behavior - adjusting with mouse on the fly and then having that last operator's history panel.

It would be something like this:

import bpy
C = bpy.context

class OBJECT_OT_make_proxy(bpy.types.Operator):
    """Saves the world from war and hunger"""
    bl_idname = "object.make_proxy"
    bl_label = "mProxy"
    bl_options = {'REGISTER', 'UNDO'}

    ratio: bpy.props.FloatProperty( name = "Decimate Ratio",
                                    description = "Does something",
                                    default = 0.25,
                                    min = 0, max = 1    
                                  )
    @classmethod
    def poll(cls, context):    
        return context.object is not None
    def execute(self, context): #This is apparently needed for the history panel to work
        if "mProxyDecimate" not in C.object.modifiers:
            bpy.ops.object.modifier_add(type='DECIMATE')
            C.object.modifiers[len(C.object.modifiers)-1].name = 'mProxyDecimate'
        C.object.modifiers["mProxyDecimate"].ratio = self.ratio
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def modal(self, context, event):

        if event.type == 'WHEELUPMOUSE':
            self.ratio += 0.02
            C.object.modifiers["mProxyDecimate"].ratio = self.ratio
        elif event.type == 'WHEELDOWNMOUSE':
            self.ratio -= 0.02
            C.object.modifiers["mProxyDecimate"].ratio = self.ratio
        elif event.type == 'LEFTMOUSE': #You need to be able to confirm it
            return {'FINISHED'}
        elif event.type in {'RIGHTMOUSE', 'ESC'}: #..and also to get out of it
            bpy.ops.object.modifier_remove(modifier="mProxyDecimate")
            return {'CANCELLED'}

        return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}

    def invoke(self, context, event):
        if context.object:
            if "mProxyDecimate" not in C.object.modifiers:
                bpy.ops.object.modifier_add(type='DECIMATE')
                C.object.modifiers[len(C.object.modifiers)-1].name = 'mProxyDecimate'
            C.object.modifiers["mProxyDecimate"].ratio = self.ratio
            context.window_manager.modal_handler_add(self)
            return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}
        else:
            self.report({'WARNING'}, "No active object, could not finish")
            return {'CANCELLED'}


def register():
    bpy.utils.register_class(OBJECT_OT_make_proxy)


def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(OBJECT_OT_make_proxy)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()