Script opens "Pick Directory" twice

Question

Hi all,

I find this weird behaviour and can't tell why... If I take the script of Multiple File Import and replace the directory path with a "Pick Directory", It opens the pick directory dialog twice. It works still, but why does it open up twice?

tblref = Multiple File Import(
	<<Set Folder( Pick Directory() ),
	<<Set Show Hidden( 0 ),
	<<Set Subfolders( 0 ),
	<<Set Name Filter( "*.xlsx;" ),
	<<Set Name Enable( 1 ),
	<<Set Size Filter( {30892, 30892} ),
	<<Set Size Enable( 0 ),
	<<Set Date Filter( {3795955555.806, 3795955555.806} ),
	<<Set Date Enable( 1 ),
	<<Set Add File Name Column( 0 ),
	<<Set Add File Size Column( 0 ),
	<<Set Add File Date Column( 0 ),
	<<Set Import Mode( "CSVData" ),
	<<Set Charset( "Best Guess" ),
	<<Set Stack Mode( "Stack Similar" ),
	<<Set CSV Has Headers( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV Allow Numeric( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV First Header Line( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV Number Of Header Lines( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV First Data Line( 2 ),
	<<Set CSV EOF Comma( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV EOF Tab( 0 ),
	<<Set CSV EOF Space( 0 ),
	<<Set CSV EOF Spaces( 0 ),
	<<Set CSV EOF Other( "" ),
	<<Set CSV EOL CRLF( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV EOL CR( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV EOL LF( 1 ),
	<<Set CSV EOL Semicolon( 0 ),
	<<Set CSV EOL Other( "" ),
	<<Set CSV Quote( "\!"" ),
	<<Set CSV Escape( "" ),
	<<Set XML Method( "guess" ),
	<<Set XML Guess( "huge" ),
	<<Set XML Settings( XML Settings() ),
	<<Set JSON Method( "guess" ),
	<<Set JSON Guess( "huge" ),
	<<Set JSON Settings( JSON Settings() ),
	<<Set PDF Method( "guess" ),
	<<Set PDF Settings( PDF All Tables( Combine( All ) ) ),
	<<Set Excel Best Guess( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Worksheet Filter( "" ),
	<<Set Excel Has Headers( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel First Header Line( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Number of Header Lines( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel First Data Line( 2 ),
	<<Set Excel First Data Column( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Limit Column Type Detection( 0 ),
	<<Set Excel Column Headers As Hierarchies( 0 ),
	<<Set Excel Replicate Data In Spanned Rows( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Suppress Hidden Rows( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Suppress Hidden Columns( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Suppress Empty Columns( 1 ),
	<<Set Excel Last Data Row( . ),
	<<Set Excel Last Data Column( . ),
	<<Set Excel Column Name Separator( "-" ),
	<<Set Excel Multiple Series Stack( 0 ),
	<<Set Excel Replicate Headers In Spanned Rows( 0 ),
	<<Set Excel Import Color Cells( 0 ),
	<<Set Excel Add Sheet Name Column( 0 ),
	<<Set Import Callback( Empty() )
) << Import Data;
tblref << Set Name( "Set Name" );

Appreciate any help :)

Thanks

Florian

DonMcCormack · Accepted Answer

myDir = Pick Directory();
Multiple File Import(
	<< Set Folder(myDir)
) << Create Window;

or if you're feeling lucky, replace Create Window with Import Data. I suspect the reason you're getting the Open dialog box twice has to do with the way that Multiple File Import handles user input. BTW, it's much easier to find the syntax reference for Multiple File Import using the PDFs that can be downloaded from the File Exchange Add-Ins than by using the online help. Thanks @Quiana_Eaglin

MikeD_Anderson · Accepted Answer

At a guess - it's already got a pick directory() call in there when there isn't a file path.  But - the interesting thing is that when you leave out the pick directory()  and just have the empty set folder() piece it throws an error for not enough arguments.  Digging into the scripting index, there's another plan of attack you might try to get what you want:

// from the scripting index's "Set folder" example under the  MFI section
Names Default To Here( 1 );

// Create the MFI object (you could put everything but your directory call here)
mfi = Multiple File Import();

// get the directory of interest
path = pick directory()

// set the path for the directory in the mfi object 
mfi << Set Folder( path );

// run the thing
mfi << Import Data;

nick_shelton · Accepted Answer

Hi @Florian_Vogt ,the example in the scripting index (below), will open the multiple file import utility and there's a default option to select the directory. I don't think it's necessary to add the additional "Pick Directory" function.

Multiple File Import( <<Set Folder( "$DESKTOP" ), <<Set Name Filter( "*.csv;" ), <<Set Name Enable( 1 ) ) << Create Window;