SetMaxAttempts.py

# import XML libraries
import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
import sys
import os
import argparse

instructions = """
To use:
python3 SetMaxAttempts.py number path/to/problem/folder

Your options for the number are:
  - An actual number, which sets all problems to the same # of attempts
  - "delete" or "default", which removes the value so that
    course-wide default takes over
  - "auto" (recommended), in which case attempts are set as follows:
    - Numerical and Formula problems get 10
    - Customresponse and Text problems get 5
    - Checkbox problems get a number of attempts equal to the number of choices, max 5.
    - MC problems get...
      - 3 if they have 7+ options
      - 2 if they have 4-6 options
      - 1 if they have 2-3 options
    - Multi-problems get the highest number of the set.
    - Other problem types are skipped.

There will probably still be some issues, so you'll need to review.
This code will help you make a first pass, not a final pass.

Last update: March 15th 2018
"""

# Here are all the problem types we work on:
allProbtypes = ['multiplechoiceresponse',
    'choiceresponse',
    'customresponse',
    'formularesponse',
    'numericalresponse',
    'stringresponse',
]


parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(usage=instructions, add_help=False)
parser.add_argument('-h', '--help', action='store_true')
parser.add_argument('number', default='auto')
parser.add_argument('directory', default='.')

args = parser.parse_args()
if args.help:
    sys.exit(instructions)
numberAttempts = args.number.lower()


if not os.path.exists(args.directory):
    sys.exit('Directory not found: ' + args.directory)

numfiles = 0


# Walk through the problems folder
for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(args.directory):
    for eachfile in filenames:
        thisProbType = []

        # Get the XML for each file
        tree = ET.parse(os.path.join(dirpath, eachfile))
        root = tree.getroot()

        # If this isn't a problem file, skip it.
        if root.tag != 'problem':
            continue

        # Auto-set the showanswer value
        if numberAttempts == 'auto':

            # Check the problem type
            for probtype in allProbtypes:
                for item in root.iter(probtype):
                    thisProbType.append(item.tag)

            # Check for number of choice elements
            numberOptions = len(list(root.iter('choice')))

            # Set number of attempts properly
            if 'multiplechoiceresponse' in thisProbType:
                if numberOptions <= 3:
                    root.set('max_attempts', '1')
                elif numberOptions <= 6:
                    root.set('max_attempts', '2')
                else:
                    root.set('max_attempts', '3')

            if 'choiceresponse' in thisProbType:
                root.set('max_attempts', str(numberOptions) if numberOptions <= 5 else '5')

            if 'customresponse' in thisProbType or 'stringresponse' in thisProbType:
                root.set('max_attempts', '5')

            if 'formularesponse' in thisProbType or 'numericalresponse' in thisProbType:
                root.set('max_attempts', '10')

        # Remove the max_attempts value to allow unlimited attempts or course default
        elif numberAttempts == 'default' or numberAttempts == 'default':
            try:
                del root.attrib['max_attempts']
            except:
                pass

        # For non-auto mode.
        else:
            root.set('max_attempts', numberAttempts)


        # Save the file
        tree.write(os.path.join(dirpath, eachfile), encoding='UTF-8', xml_declaration=False)
        numfiles += 1


if numfiles == 0:
    print('No files found - wrong or empty directory?')
else:
    print('Max Attempts set for ' + str(numfiles) + ' files.')