May I please have some help with creating a Python NWC User Tool?

2014-01-20 06:08 pm

Dear NWC Forum,

Thanks for being a great place to share info. I am trying to write my first User Tool. It will be in Python. It is very simple. It copies a clip to a file.

I am using NWC 2.5.5 & have installed version 2.5 of the NWC2 User Tool Starter Kit.
Here's some system info from About Starter Kit:

System => Windows NT cmptrName 5.1 build 2600 (Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3) i586
Build Date => Sep 17 2009 19:13:11
Compiler => MSVC9 (Visual C++ 2008)
Architecture => x86
Configure Command => cscript /nologo configure.js  "--disable-all" "--enable-cli" "--enable-zlib"
Server API => Command Line Interface

Here is my simple Python program to copy a clip to a file:

import sys
instr = sys.stdin.read()
f = open('joesFirstTestOut.txt', 'w'); f.write(instr); f.close()

When I run it from a windows prompt, it works :

C:\...Scripts>python joesFirst.py<joesFirstTestIn.txt

When I run it from a NWC User Tool, there is NO CHANGE in joesFirstTestOut.txt.

My User Tool Description Dialog has been set with 2 alternatives with the same results as above:
Alt-1

group: joe
name: joesFirst.py
command: python scripts\joesFirst.py 
input type: clip text
options: 
    compress input:         [ ]
    returns file text:      [ ]
    long task handling:     [ ]
    prompts for user input: [ ]

Alt-2

group: joe
name: joesFirst.py
command: python scripts\joesFirst.py 
input type: clip text
options: 
    compress input:         [ ]
    returns file text:      [ ]
    long task handling:     [X]
    prompts for user input: [ ]

Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
Love and peace,
Joe

Re: May I please have some help with creating a Python NWC User Tool?

Reply #1 – 2014-01-20 06:51 pm

OK here's the answer. It DID work from a NWC User Tool.

When I run it from a NWC User Tool, apparently the Current Working Directory:

    IS NOT <path>\NoteWorthy Composer 2\Scripts\
    BUT IS <path>\NoteWorthy Composer 2\

Mystery Solved.

I have published a small description of how to do this on my blog under:
How 2 Create a Python NWC User Tool

Thanks for being a GREAT Forum.

Love and peace,
Joe

Re: May I please have some help with creating a Python NWC User Tool?

Reply #2 – 2014-01-20 07:47 pm

For the instance of NWC that runs it, this tool will report the current working directory for all tools:

Code: (php) [Select · Download]

<?php
# rg_HomePath.php ver 1.00;
# Ref: http://my.noteworthysoftware.com/?topic=8709.0

require_once ('lib/nwc2clips.inc');
echo getcwd();
exit(NWC2RC_REPORT);
?>

Re: May I please have some help with creating a Python NWC User Tool?

Reply #3 – 2014-01-20 08:01 pm

Quote

For the instance of NWC that runs it, this tool will report the current working directory for all tools

Thanks, Rick.

Love and peace,

Joe