DFHack Set Dorf Nicknames from List in a file

autoRenameDorfsFromCSV.lua

local open = io.open

-- see if the file exists
function file_exists(file)
    local f = io.open(file, "rb")
    if f then f:close() end
    return f ~= nil
  end

-- reads a file line by line
function lines_from(file)
    if not file_exists(file) then return {} end
    lines = {}
    for line in io.lines(file) do 
      lines[#lines + 1] = line
    end
    return lines
  end

-- csv holds the list that lines_from gets from the specified file, almost certainly an easier way to do this.
csv = lines_from("O:\\Games\\Dwarf Fortress 0.47.05\\Dwarf Fortress 0.47.05\\hack\\scripts\\dorf_names.txt")


-- renames all dorfs that don't have a nickname yet from a list of names
function renameAllUnits(names)
    for uid,unit in ipairs(df.global.world.units.all) do
        --ensures that the unit is a dorf, a citizen, alive, and doesn't currently have a nickname.
        if dfhack.units.isCitizen(unit) and (df.isnull(dfhack.units.getVisibleName(unit).nickname) or dfhack.units.getVisibleName(unit).nickname == "") then
            -- iterates through list of names, setting the nickname of the dorf to whatever the current one in the list is.
            for i , n in ipairs(names) do
                print(n)
                dfhack.units.setNickname(unit,n)
                -- if nickname was successfully set, then name is removed from list.
                if dfhack.units.getVisibleName(unit).nickname == n then
                    table.remove(names, i)
                end
            end
        end
    end
end

-- TODO: Randomize names somehow, allow csv, line separated text, or even just arguments? Allow the filenames to be specified as arguments.
renameAllUnits(csv)