# Python vtk: vtkImageImport method SetDataDirection() is not available in python vtk 8.2.0

**URL:** https://discourse.vtk.org/t/python-vtk-vtkimageimport-method-setdatadirection-is-not-available-in-python-vtk-8-2-0/1837
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 27, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/python-vtk-vtkimageimport-method-setdatadirection-is-not-available-in-python-vtk-8-2-0/1837 "2019-09-27T18:25:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![vipulraikar](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/vipulraikar/32/929_2.png) [@vipulraikar](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/vipulraikar)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/python-vtk-vtkimageimport-method-setdatadirection-is-not-available-in-python-vtk-8-2-0/1837/1 "2019-09-27T18:25:52Z")

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Hi Team,

I have been trying to set the data direction for some volumes in vtkImageImport in python. The issue I am facing is that it’s not possible to access the method Set/GetDataDirection for the object of the type vtkImageImport.

Alternatively, I tried image\_import.GetOutput().SetDataMatrix(dir\_matrix) to do the same. This also isnt captured in the python API. When trying dir(image\_import) i.e. to see the attributes and methods of the object in python, these methods were not listed.

Am I missing something here? How do I go about this? (didn’t know if this was a bug, or the python API had limited coverage)

Environment: Windows 10  
vtk: 8.2.0  
Python: 3.6 Anaconda (conda package manager)

Thanks! 🙂

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### Author: ![Dave\_DeMarle](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/dave_demarle/32/6_2.png) [@Dave\_DeMarle](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/Dave_DeMarle)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/python-vtk-vtkimageimport-method-setdatadirection-is-not-available-in-python-vtk-8-2-0/1837/2 "2019-10-03T13:44:52Z")

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Hi Vipul,

Alexis [developed this feature](https://gitlab.kitware.com/vtk/vtk/commit/66fba2c432d9b378e57aedc99eb05a6283711b6a) after VTK 8.2. Thus until VTK 9.0.0 comes out it is only available in the master branch.

hth

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### Author: ![vipulraikar](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/vipulraikar/32/929_2.png) [@vipulraikar](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/vipulraikar)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/python-vtk-vtkimageimport-method-setdatadirection-is-not-available-in-python-vtk-8-2-0/1837/3 "2019-11-10T23:58:37Z")

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Hi Dave,

Thank you for the response. I will keep an eye on further developments.

Vipul