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":
            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.")