Adds string checking to `orbit.sim.utils` function calls (#429)

# Description

Adds string checking to the functions which accept path-types, casting
them to a `str` if they are not already. Closing #421 in favor of this
fix, see discussion for initial rationale. This solution is superior
because this addresses all of the changes, not just the one causing a
test to fail.

Fixes #420 

## Type of change

- Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)

## Checklist

- [x] I have run the [`pre-commit` checks](https://pre-commit.com/) with
`./orbit.sh --format`
- [ ] I have made corresponding changes to the documentation
- [ ] My changes generate no new warnings
- [ ] I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my
feature works
- [x] I have run all the tests with `./orbit.sh --test` and they pass
- [x] I have updated the changelog and the corresponding version in the
extension's `config/extension.toml` file
- [x] I have added my name to the `CONTRIBUTORS.md` or my name already
exists there

---------
Signed-off-by: AutonomousHansen <50837800+AutonomousHansen@users.noreply.github.com>

source/extensions/omni.isaac.orbit/config/extension.toml

 [package]
 
 # Note: Semantic Versioning is used: https://semver.org/
-version = "0.10.24"
+version = "0.10.25"
 
 # Description
 title = "ORBIT framework for Robot Learning"

source/extensions/omni.isaac.orbit/docs/CHANGELOG.rst

 Changelog
 ---------
 
+0.10.25 (2024-02-26)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Fixed
+^^^^^
+
+* Ensures that all path arguments in :mod:`omni.isaac.orbit.sim.utils` are cast to ``str``. Previously we had handled path types as strings without casting.
+
+
 0.10.24 (2024-02-26)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

source/extensions/omni.isaac.orbit/omni/isaac/orbit/sim/utils.py

@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ def apply_nested(func: Callable) -> Callable:
     """
 
     @functools.wraps(func)
-    def wrapper(prim_path: str, *args, **kwargs):
+    def wrapper(prim_path: str | Sdf.Path, *args, **kwargs):
         # map args and kwargs to function signature so we can get the stage
         # note: we do this to check if stage is given in arg or kwarg
         sig = inspect.signature(func)
@@ -216,7 +216,9 @@ def clone(func: Callable) -> Callable:
     """
 
     @functools.wraps(func)
-    def wrapper(prim_path: str, cfg: SpawnerCfg, *args, **kwargs):
+    def wrapper(prim_path: str | Sdf.Path, cfg: SpawnerCfg, *args, **kwargs):
+        # cast prim_path to str type in case its an Sdf.Path
+        prim_path = str(prim_path)
         # check prim path is global
         if not prim_path.startswith("/"):
             raise ValueError(f"Prim path '{prim_path}' is not global. It must start with '/'.")
@@ -291,7 +293,10 @@ Material bindings.
 
 @apply_nested
 def bind_visual_material(
-    prim_path: str, material_path: str, stage: Usd.Stage | None = None, stronger_than_descendants: bool = True
+    prim_path: str | Sdf.Path,
+    material_path: str | Sdf.Path,
+    stage: Usd.Stage | None = None,
+    stronger_than_descendants: bool = True,
 ):
     """Bind a visual material to a prim.
 
@@ -343,7 +348,10 @@ def bind_visual_material(
 
 @apply_nested
 def bind_physics_material(
-    prim_path: str, material_path: str, stage: Usd.Stage | None = None, stronger_than_descendants: bool = True
+    prim_path: str | Sdf.Path,
+    material_path: str | Sdf.Path,
+    stage: Usd.Stage | None = None,
+    stronger_than_descendants: bool = True,
 ):
     """Bind a physics material to a prim.
 
@@ -413,7 +421,12 @@ Exporting.
 """
 
 
-def export_prim_to_file(path: str, source_prim_path: str, target_prim_path: str = None, stage: Usd.Stage | None = None):
+def export_prim_to_file(
+    path: str | Sdf.Path,
+    source_prim_path: str | Sdf.Path,
+    target_prim_path: str | Sdf.Path | None = None,
+    stage: Usd.Stage | None = None,
+):
     """Exports a prim from a given stage to a USD file.
 
     The function creates a new layer at the provided path and copies the prim to the layer.
@@ -431,7 +444,13 @@ def export_prim_to_file(path: str, source_prim_path: str, target_prim_path: str
     Raises:
         ValueError: If the prim paths are not global (i.e: do not start with '/').
     """
-    # check prim path is global
+    # automatically casting to str in case args
+    # are path types
+    path = str(path)
+    source_prim_path = str(source_prim_path)
+    if target_prim_path is not None:
+        target_prim_path = str(target_prim_path)
+
     if not source_prim_path.startswith("/"):
         raise ValueError(f"Source prim path '{source_prim_path}' is not global. It must start with '/'.")
     if target_prim_path is not None and not target_prim_path.startswith("/"):
@@ -474,7 +493,7 @@ USD Prim properties.
 """
 
 
-def make_uninstanceable(prim_path: str, stage: Usd.Stage | None = None):
+def make_uninstanceable(prim_path: str | Sdf.Path, stage: Usd.Stage | None = None):
     """Check if a prim and its descendants are instanced and make them uninstanceable.
 
     This function checks if the prim at the specified prim path and its descendants are instanced.
@@ -490,6 +509,8 @@ def make_uninstanceable(prim_path: str, stage: Usd.Stage | None = None):
     Raises:
         ValueError: If the prim path is not global (i.e: does not start with '/').
     """
+    # make paths str type if they aren't already
+    prim_path = str(prim_path)
     # check if prim path is global
     if not prim_path.startswith("/"):
         raise ValueError(f"Prim path '{prim_path}' is not global. It must start with '/'.")
@@ -520,7 +541,7 @@ USD Stage traversal.
 
 
 def get_first_matching_child_prim(
-    prim_path: str, predicate: Callable[[Usd.Prim], bool], stage: Usd.Stage | None = None
+    prim_path: str | Sdf.Path, predicate: Callable[[Usd.Prim], bool], stage: Usd.Stage | None = None
 ) -> Usd.Prim | None:
     """Recursively get the first USD Prim at the path string that passes the predicate function
 
@@ -535,6 +556,8 @@ def get_first_matching_child_prim(
     Raises:
         ValueError: If the prim path is not global (i.e: does not start with '/').
     """
+    # make paths str type if they aren't already
+    prim_path = str(prim_path)
     # check if prim path is global
     if not prim_path.startswith("/"):
         raise ValueError(f"Prim path '{prim_path}' is not global. It must start with '/'.")
@@ -560,7 +583,7 @@ def get_first_matching_child_prim(
 
 
 def get_all_matching_child_prims(
-    prim_path: str,
+    prim_path: str | Sdf.Path,
     predicate: Callable[[Usd.Prim], bool] = lambda _: True,
     depth: int | None = None,
     stage: Usd.Stage | None = None,
@@ -581,6 +604,8 @@ def get_all_matching_child_prims(
     Raises:
         ValueError: If the prim path is not global (i.e: does not start with '/').
     """
+    # make paths str type if they aren't already
+    prim_path = str(prim_path)
     # check if prim path is global
     if not prim_path.startswith("/"):
         raise ValueError(f"Prim path '{prim_path}' is not global. It must start with '/'.")