Can ArcGIS Desktop 10 Add-in Use IronPython?

Question

Coming from the same background as the original poster in this thread, I wonder if anyone has had any success creating an Arc10 Add-In using IronPython.

I have been able to access ArcObjects via IronPython using the info in the linked thread, assorted blog postings, and a few posts on the ESRI forums. These neophyte attempts have all been run from the command line and I would to be able to gain access through either a toolbar or a button.

One thought that I had was to create the add-in using the .Net 3.5 template, add a python file, and then call a function in the python file from the button's C# file. It appears though that add-ins are not yet supported in .Net4?

Here is the code from the .cs file which controls button functionality.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.IO;

//I need to then add references to IronPython
using IronPython;
using IronPython.Hosting;
using Microsoft.Scripting;
using Microsoft.Scripting.Hosting;

namespace PyButtonTest
{
    public class ZoomToLayer : ESRI.ArcGIS.Desktop.AddIns.Button
    {
        public ZoomToLayer()
        {
        }

        protected override void OnClick()
        {
            var ipy = Python.CreateRuntime();
            dynamic test = ipy.UseFile("ZoomToLayer.py");
            test.ZoomToActiveLayerInTOC(); //Call this function in the py file

            ArcMap.Application.CurrentTool = null;
        }
        protected override void OnUpdate()
        {
            Enabled = ArcMap.Application != null;
        }
    }

}

As far as I can tell the Add-in format takes care of getting the application hook. I should then be able to, in the python file, after referencing and importing all of the necessary libraries get the map document with (I think?)

mxDoc = ArcMapUI.IMxDocument.ActiveView

From here I am stumped. Google has not turned up anything helpful. Has anyone else tried this? Got something to work? Do I need to wait until add-ins are supported in .Net4 to go this route?

Answer 1

So I'm hoping this helps. I was having an issue with the 3.5 framework a few weeks back, to the point that I couldn't build and populate a new geodatabase using straight up ArcObjects within my Add-in. However I could do all of that work from my python prototype. So what I ended up doing was building a wrapper method that just called my python directly (no iron python needed). I also have a method that tracks down the python executable path (which if memory serves, iron python needs anyway):

    public void RunPython(String pythonpath, String filename)
    {
        Process p = new Process();
        p.StartInfo.FileName = pythonpath;
        p.StartInfo.Arguments = "C:\\Users\\Luke\\workspace\\EclipseWorkspace\\GCWWPythonSVN\\src\\EditorUtilities\\SurveyLoader.py " //
            + '"' + filename + '"';
        p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
        p.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = false;
        p.Start();

        p.WaitForExit();
    }

    public String FindPythonPath()
    {
        String pythondirectory = "";
        DriveInfo[] allDrives = DriveInfo.GetDrives();
        foreach (DriveInfo dirInfo in allDrives)
        {
            if (dirInfo.IsReady)
            {
                String[] driveDir = Directory.GetDirectories(dirInfo.Name);
                foreach (String dir in driveDir)
                {
                    if (dir.Contains("Python"))
                    {
                        String[] directoryInfo = Directory.GetFiles(dir);
                        if (directoryInfo.Length == 0)
                        {
                            String[] pythonFolder = Directory.GetDirectories(dir);
                            foreach (String pyDir in pythonFolder)
                            {
                                String[] pyDirFiles = Directory.GetFiles(pyDir);
                                foreach (String file in pyDirFiles)
                                {
                                    if (file.Contains("python.exe"))
                                    {
                                        pythondirectory = file;
                                        break;
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            String[] fileFolder = Directory.GetFiles(dir);
                            foreach (String pyfile in directoryInfo)
                            {
                                if (pyfile.Contains("python.exe"))
                                {
                                    pythondirectory = pyfile;
                                    break;
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            if (!pythondirectory.Equals(""))
            {
                break;
            }
        }
        return pythondirectory;
    }

In my case I'm passing in the csv file that I'm parsing through with the python code. So you with the Add -in (or a COM hook for that matter), you should be able to pass the map document. My application ends up firing a python command line window from my click event, but I'm guessing that if you're firing off a python app with IP you're expecting the PVM to run anyway.

p.StartInfo.Arguments = "C:\Users\Luke\workspace\EclipseWorkspace\GCWWPythonSVN\src\EditorUtilities\SurveyLoader.py " // + '"' + filename + '"';

Hope this helps.