tkinter Entry and Radiobutton variables not updating

Question

I'm using python 3.8 on PyCharm. I want to create a GUI in which I can choose between making a directory or a file and give it a name. Here is just the function

def ask_add():
    global aroot
    aroot = Tk()
    aroot.asking = True
    name_var = StringVar()
    aroot.geometry('500x400')
    aroot.title('OOS')
    aroot.config(bg='black')
    # name label
    name_label = Label(aroot, text='Name:', bg='black', fg='#00ff00', font=16)
    name_label.grid(row=0, column=0, padx=20, pady=10)
    # name entry
    name_entry = Entry(aroot, bg='black', fg='#00ff00', insertbackground='#00ff00', textvariable=name_var, width=40)
    name_entry.grid(row=0, column=1)
    # type label
    type_label = Label(aroot, text='Type:', fg='#00ff00', bg='black', font=16)
    type_label.grid(row=1, column=0)
    # type radio buttons
    type_var = StringVar()
    file_option = Radiobutton(aroot, bg='black', fg='#00ff00', text='File', font=16, variable=type_var, value='File', activebackground='#00ff00', activeforeground='black')
    file_option.grid(row=1, column=1)
    dir_option = Radiobutton(aroot, bg='black', fg='#00ff00', text='Dir', font=16, variable=type_var, value='Dir', activebackground='#00ff00', activeforeground='black')
    dir_option.grid(row=2, column=1)
    # create dir / file
    create_button = Button(aroot, text='Create', bg='black', fg='#00ff00', font=18, activebackground='#00ff00', activeforeground='black', command=lambda: add(name_var.get(), type_var.get()))
    create_button.grid(row=3, column=1)

    while aroot.asking:
        aroot.update()

and here is the add() function

def add(n, t): # name, type
    global aroot
    aroot.asking = False
    aroot.destroy()
    print(n, t)
    if t == 'File':
        p = subprocess.Popen(f'echo.>{n}', shell=True, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
        err = str(p.stderr.read().decode())
        if err != '':
        tkinter.messagebox.showerror(title='Error', message=err)
    else: # t == Dir
        p = subprocess.Popen(f'md {n}', shell=True, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
        err = str(p.stderr.read().decode())
        if err != '':
            tkinter.messagebox.showerror(title='Error', message=err)
    update() # updates a window that displays directories

I expect the script to pass the name_var and the type_var to the function add(), but these variables don't update (their value remains '') when I type in the Entry or click the Radiobuttons, so the function add() cannot create any file or directory. I also tried to print the variables in the while loop

    while aroot.asking:
        print(name_var.get(), type_var.get())
        aroot.update()

but their value remains ''. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks

Answer 1

Solved my problem just by changing the value of type_var whenever I click a radiobutton using command=lambda: type_var.set(*my value*).

file_option = Radiobutton(aroot, bg='black', fg='#00ff00', text='File', font=16, variable=type_var, value='File', activebackground='#00ff00', activeforeground='black', command=lambda: type_var.set('File'))
file_option.grid(row=1, column=1)
dir_option = Radiobutton(aroot, bg='black', fg='#00ff00', text='Dir', font=16, variable=type_var, value='Dir', activebackground='#00ff00', activeforeground='black', command=lambda: type_var.set('Dir'))
dir_option.grid(row=2, column=1)