Dynamic Menu

This part makes it very versatile.

You can write a python file in which you write a get_sub_md function that returns several python lists which are used to creates the submenu.

Examples

“_d_dynamicMenu.py”
def foo(caller):
    print('foo called', caller.param)

# def foo():
#     print('foo called')

def get_sub_md():
    # texts, onClicks, toolTipTexts,toolTipImages, get_submenu_data_fns, params
    return ['a', 'b', 'c'], [foo, foo, foo], ['ttt', 'ttt2', 'tt3'], ['']*3, [None]*3, ['param_x', 'param_y', 'param_z']

Save the above file as _d_dynamicMenu.py in any folder.

The name of file must begin with _d_, otherwise this file will be treated as regular file which has a ui_elements function instead of get_sub_md function.

Hint

Remember d as data in _d_. since this function returns data, data to create submenu.

Return values of get_sub_md function. There are 6 lists. All should have same length equal to number_of_entries

  1. texts list

  2. functions list

  3. tool tip text list, must return ['']*number_of_entries if no tooltip is needed.

  4. tool tip image list, must return ['']*number_of_entries if no tooltip image is needed.

  5. should be [None]*number_of_entries

  6. params lists, list of length must be number_of_entries, list element can be any python object.

Example 2

Implementing primitive example create_mesh_obj.py from multiple ui_elements page.

You can get same results but by writing one get_sub_md function as shown below.

You can save the following text as _d_create_mesh.py in any folder.

import bpy

primitives = ['plane','cube','circle','uv_sphere','ico_sphere','cylinder']

def create_primitive(caller):  
    exec(f"bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_{caller.param}_add()")

def get_sub_md():
    # texts, onClicks, toolTipTexts,toolTipImages, get_submenu_data_fns, params
    
    count = len(primitives)
    return primitives, [create_primitive]*count, primitives, ['']*count, [None]*count, primitives

Above code doesn’t need much explanation. primitives is a list of strings, which is returns as texts, toolTipTexts and params.

Function create_primitive uses caller syntax.

Code below show above functionality but uses lambda function just to demonstrate that it can be done.

import bpy

def get_sub_md():
    # texts, onClicks, toolTipTexts,toolTipImages, get_submenu_data_fns, params
    primitives = ['plane','cube','circle','uv_sphere','ico_sphere','cylinder']
    create_primitive = lambda caller:exec(f"bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_{caller.param}_add()")
    count = len(primitives)
    return primitives, [create_primitive]*count, primitives, ['']*count, [None]*count, primitives

Note

check out Text Editor Scripts for more practical examples of dynamic menu.