setAttr with stringArray

[pvogel2]

Hi everyone,
I try to use setAttr to update a custom attribute I defined on a group node of type stringArray. Whatever kind of format I use it does not start working.
This way the attribute is defined:

group -em -name "plumber_grp";

addAttr -dt "stringArray" -ln "parts";

Ok so far, then I try to add a string to the array:

string $parts[] = getAttr "plumber\_grp.parts";
int $numParts = size($parts);

$parts[$numParts] ="test";

setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" $parts;

--> // Error: setAttr: Error reading data element number 3: test //

or I simply try

setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" "a" "b";

or

setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" {"a","b"};

--> // Error: setAttr: Error reading data element number 3: a //

Nothing works, any idea?

Thx peter

[pvogel2]

Ok, I found the first part sollution, I always missed the array size in the function call:
setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" 2 "a" "b";
(where always the 2 was missing ... in this case.
...and in fact, it is in the documentation...)

But still fails
setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" size($parts) $parts;

[joojaa]

setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" size($parts) $parts;

Wont work, the command interpretter of mel has no way of reading BOTH options and arrays so you really need to pass each individual item separately. So NO passing of array typed variables. So partts need s to be expanded as individual strings*.

It works in python tough.

• but in general you owuld want to use multi attributes instead wich are arrys as most people precieve them. So multi attributes are like lists while arrays are immutable types.

[hansesurfer]

Peter, in case you are still looking for a solution for setting a stringArray attribute, heres the right way
(Im stopping on creativeCrash only rarely)

//
group -em -name "plumber_grp";
addAttr -dt "stringArray" -ln "parts";
 
string $stringArray = " string1 string2";
int $sizeStringArray = 2;
 
setAttr "plumber_grp.parts" -type "stringArray" ($sizeStringArray-1) $stringArray;
 
// control value:
string $parts[] = `getAttr "plumber_grp.parts"`;