Refreshing default parameter values in custom tool loaded by python-addin?

Question

I've built a tool that will be used to populate required metadata in the attributes of a specific schema. This tool is in a python toolbox and called by a python addin button.

The value entered for each input is saved to a text file to be used as the default for the next run of the tool.

All of this works, but as I understand it, the tool is only loaded once when ArcMap opens. So even when you change the input and run it, the old values are still used as the tool defaults until ArcMap is restarted.

I've tried loading the toolbox as a temp file posted here but that breaks the reference to the toolbox and text file location, which is based on the addin_addin.py location.

I've also tried to store/load new defaults with the ConfigParser from memory, but this isn't working for me either.

What I need is for the input values from each run of the tool to be set as the defaults for the next run without the user having to do anything.

I would prefer to find a way to refresh the toolbox or store defaults in memory until ArcMap is restarted over loading a temporary toolbox and finding a new way to reference the locations.

I'm also open to novel solutions.

Addin:

class populateAttributes(object):
"""Implementation for addin_addin.populateAttributes_button (Button)"""
def __init__(self):
    self.enabled = True
    self.checked = False
def onClick(self):
    try:
        relPath = os.path.dirname(__file__)
        toolboxPath = os.path.join(relPath,"IncidentToolbox.pyt")

        pythonaddins.GPToolDialog(toolboxPath, "populateReqAttributes")

    except SystemExit:
        pass
    except:
        traceback.print_exc()
        pythonaddins.MessageBox("Somethings gone horribly wrong, sorry.", "Populate Attributes")

Get Parameters:

relPath = os.path.dirname(__file__)
iniPath = os.path.join(relPath,"incidentTools.ini")

def getParameterInfo(self):
    """Define parameter definitions"""

    default_incidentName = None
    default_irwinid = None
    default_unitID = None
    default_localIncidentID = None
    default_gacc = None
    default_imtName = None
    default_contactName = None
    default_contactEmail = None
    default_contactPhone = None

    config = ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser()

    try:
        default_incidentName = config.get("incidentAttributes","incidentName")
        default_irwinid = config.get("incidentAttributes","irwinid")
        default_unitID = config.get("incidentAttributes","unitID")
        default_localIncidentID = config.get("incidentAttributes","localIncidentID")
        default_gacc = config.get("incidentAttributes","gacc")
        default_imtName = config.get("incidentAttributes","imtName")
        default_contactName = config.get("incidentAttributes","contactName")
        default_contactEmail = config.get("incidentAttributes","contactEmail")
        default_contactPhone = config.get("incidentAttributes","contactPhone")
        print "defaults set from in memory"

    except:
        if os.path.exists(iniPath):
            config.read(iniPath)

            if "incidentAttributes" in config.sections():
                try:
                    default_incidentName = config.get("incidentAttributes","incidentName")
                    default_irwinid = config.get("incidentAttributes","irwinid")
                    default_unitID = config.get("incidentAttributes","unitID")
                    default_localIncidentID = config.get("incidentAttributes","localIncidentID")
                    default_gacc = config.get("incidentAttributes","gacc")
                    default_imtName = config.get("incidentAttributes","imtName")
                    default_contactName = config.get("incidentAttributes","contactName")
                    default_contactEmail = config.get("incidentAttributes","contactEmail")
                    default_contactPhone = config.get("incidentAttributes","contactPhone")
                    print "defaults set from file"
                except:
                    print "default value missing"


    # IncidentName
    param0 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Incident Name",
        name="incidentName",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_incidentName:
        param0.value = default_incidentName

    # IRWINID
    param1 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="IRWINID",
        name="irwinid",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_irwinid:
        param1.value = default_irwinid

    # UnitID
    param2 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Unit ID",
        name="unitID",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_unitID:
        param2.value = default_unitID

    # LocalIncidentID
    param3 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Local Incident ID",
        name="localIncidentID",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_localIncidentID:
        param3.value = default_localIncidentID

    # GACC
    param4 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="GACC",
        name="gacc",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_gacc:
        param4.value = default_gacc

    # IMTName
    param5 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="IMT Name",
        name="imtName",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_imtName:
        param5.value = default_imtName

    # ContactName
    param6 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Contact Name",
        name="contactName",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_contactName:
        param6.value = default_contactName

    # ContactEmail
    param7 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Contact Email",
        name="contactEmail",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_contactEmail:
        param7.value = default_contactEmail

    # ContactPhone
    param8 = arcpy.Parameter(
        displayName="Contact Phone",
        name="contactPhone",
        datatype="GPString",
        parameterType="Required",
        direction="Input")
    if default_contactPhone:
        param8.value = default_contactPhone

    params = [param0, param1, param2, param3, param4, param5, param6, param7, param8]
    return params

Answer 1

I would write the settings on the tool finish:

def writeParameters(parameters):
   #gets array of parameters
   fil = fopen('parms.txt','w')

   #then loop and write
   for parm in parameters:
       fil.write(str(parm) +'\n')

   #dont forget to close up that file behind you
   fil.close()

And reread them on tool start:

def readParameters():
    with open('parms.txt') as fil:
        content = fil.readlines()
    return content

Answer 2

ArcGIS only loads the toolbox once, I assume to improve performance. I workaround this by making a temporary copy of the toolbox every time I want to call it.

import os, sys  
import glob  
import shutil  
import tempfile  
import threading  
import time  

import arcpy, pythonaddins  

class Button(object):  
    # ...  
    def onClick(self):  
        GPToolDialog('path/to/toolbox.pyt', 'ToolName')  

def GPToolDialog(toolbox, tool):  
    """ 
         * Workaround for NIM089253 - "TypeError: GPToolDialog() takes at most 1 argument (2 given) 
           http://support.esri.com/en/bugs/nimbus/TklNMDg5MjUz 
         * Workaround for defaults only refreshing on first run - copy the pyt (and xml docs) 
           which forces Arc to reload it every time. 
    """  
    tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='toolbox')  
    tmpfile = os.path.join(tmpdir,os.path.basename(toolbox))  
    docs=glob.glob(toolbox[:-4]+'*.xml')  
    shutil.copy(toolbox,tmpdir)  
    for doc in docs:shutil.copy(doc,tmpdir)  
    try:  
        result=pythonaddins.GPToolDialog(tmpfile,tool)  
    except TypeError:  
        pass  
    finally:  
        #Give ArcMap time to load the toolbox before it gets cleaned up  
        threading.Thread(target=rm, args = (tmpdir,3)).start()  
        return None  

def rm(d, wait=1):  
    time.sleep(wait)  
    try: shutil.rmtree(d)  
    except: pass