Maya Python - add multiple strings to render setup layer collections

Question

I am trying to add multiple strings to the Include list of my Render Setup Layer Collection.

See Image Here

Here i can add 'test1' using setPattern

import maya.app.renderSetup.model.renderSetup as renderSetup

"""create render setup instance"""
rs = renderSetup.instance()

"""create the render layer"""
test = rs.createRenderLayer("fg_bty")

"""set render layer to be visible"""
rs.switchToLayer(test)

#create collection
scene_Assets = test.createCollection("scene_Assets")

# add specific items to collection

scene_Assets.getSelector().setPattern('test1')

If I try:

scene_Assets.getSelector().setPattern('test1', 'test2')

I get an error as it only accepts 2 arguments not 3 as given.

If I try:

scene_Assets.getSelector().setPattern('test1')
scene_Assets.getSelector().setPattern('test2')

It just replaces the string test1 with test2

Does anyone know how to append to the list so it doesn't replace? another way to do this? I have got a way to explicitly list the items but I wanted to keep it as an expression in case things need to be added to it later on.

Answer 1

you can set both patterns as a single string:

scene_Assets.getSelector().setPattern('test1, test2')

you can also retrieve a previously set pattern using:

scene_Assets.getSelector().getPattern()

retrieve and append the string, then set the new combined pattern as single string

old_pattern = scene_Assets.getSelector().getPattern()
new_pattern = ', '.join([old_pattern, 'test3', 'test4'])

scene_Assets.getSelector().setPattern(new_pattern)

result: 'test1, test2, test3, test4'