Set default values for value table in Python Toolbox tool

Question

I created a Python Toolbox tool to reorder fields and create a new feature class with the reordered fields. The tool works nicely and I am able to use a value table to let the user arrange the fields in the order they choose or they can fill in a rank value for each field. However, the annoying part of this tool is that all fields need to be added to the value table one at a time before reordering.

I am trying to set this up to bring in all the fields to the value table by default and any unwanted fields can be removed before reordering them. Has anyone had success doing something like this before? I am trying to achieve this in the UpdateParameters method. Here is the code I am trying:

import arcpy
import os

class Toolbox(object):
    def __init__(self):
        """Define the toolbox (the name of the toolbox is the name of the
        .pyt file)."""
        self.label = "Reorder Fields"
        self.alias = "Reorder Fields"

        # List of tool classes associated with this toolbox
        self.tools = [ReorderFields]


class ReorderFields(object):
    def __init__(self):
        """Define the tool (tool name is the name of the class)."""
        self.label = "Reorder Fields"
        self.description = ""
        self.canRunInBackground = False

    def getParameterInfo(self):
        """Define parameter definitions"""
        fc = arcpy.Parameter(displayName='Features',
            name='features',
            datatype='Feature Layer',
            parameterType='Required',
            direction='Input')

        vt = arcpy.Parameter(
            displayName='Fields',
            name='Fields',
            datatype='Value Table',
            parameterType='Required',
            direction='Input')

        output = arcpy.Parameter(
            displayName='Output Features',
            name='output_features',
            datatype='Feature Class',
            parameterType='Required',
            direction='Output')

        vt.columns = [['Field', 'Fields'], ['Long', 'Ranks']]
        vt.parameterDependencies = [fc.name]    
        params = [fc, vt, output]
        return params

    def isLicensed(self):
        """Set whether tool is licensed to execute."""
        return True

    def updateParameters(self, parameters):
        """Modify the values and properties of parameters before internal
        validation is performed.  This method is called whenever a parameter
        has been changed."""
        if parameters[0].value:
            if not parameters[1].altered:
                fields = [f for f in arcpy.Describe(str(parameters[0].value)).fields
                          if f.type not in ('OID', 'Geometry')]
                vtab = arcpy.ValueTable(2)
                for field in fields:
                    vtab.addRow("{0} {1}".format(field.name, ''))
                parameters[1].value = vtab
        return

    def updateMessages(self, parameters):
        """Modify the messages created by internal validation for each tool
        parameter.  This method is called after internal validation."""
        return

    def execute(self, parameters, messages):
        """The source code of the tool."""
        fc = parameters[0].valueAsText
        vt = parameters[1].valueAsText
        output = parameters[2].valueAsText

I want to bring all the fields as shown in the value table above by default. I also tried using the parameters[1].value to add rows the the specific value table from the GUI, but that gave me errors. I'm using ArcGIS 10.2.2.

Answer 1

Change the updateParameters as follows:

def updateParameters(self, parameters):
    """Modify the values and properties of parameters before internal
    validation is performed.  This method is called whenever a parameter
    has been changed."""
    if parameters[0].value:
        if not parameters[1].altered:
            fields = [f for f in arcpy.Describe(str(parameters[0].value)).fields
                      if f.type not in ('OID', 'Geometry')]
            vtab = []
            for field in fields:
                vtab.append([field.name,None])
            parameters[1].values = vtab
    return

Your mistake here is to try changing an already initiated parameter instead of its values due to using wrong property. Please see 'values' property of Parameter (arcpy).