Book Image

Python Scripting in Blender

By : Paolo Acampora
5 (1)
Book Image

Python Scripting in Blender

5 (1)
By: Paolo Acampora

Overview of this book

Blender, a powerful open source 3D software, can be extended and powered up using the Python programming language. This book teaches you how to automate laborious operations using scripts, and expand the set of available commands, graphic interfaces, tools, and event responses, which will enable you to add custom features to meet your needs and bring your creative ideas to life. The book begins by covering essential Python concepts and showing you how to create a basic add-on. You’ll then gain a solid understanding of the entities that affect the look of Blender’s objects such as modifiers, constraints, and materials. As you advance, you’ll get to grips with the animation system in Blender and learn how to set up its behavior using Python. The examples, tools, patterns, and best practices present throughout the book will familiarize you with the Python API and build your knowledge base, along with enabling you to produce valuable code that empowers the users and is ready for publishing or production. By the end of this book, you’ll be able to successfully design add-ons that integrate seamlessly with the software and its ecosystem.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
1
Part 1: Introduction to Python
7
Part 2: Interactive Tools and Animation
13
Part 3: Delivering Output

Writing the Latte Express add-on

The Latte Express add-on creates a new lattice around the active object and sets up the modifier.

It’s useful for creating basic rigs for cartoon deformation, or stylized objects. The add-on consists of an operator class and a menu entry.

Setting the environment

We create a Python script for our add-on:

  1. Create a PythonScriptingBlender/ch11/addons folder. We can use the file manager or the file tab of our programmer editor, for example, VS Code.
  2. Create a new file in that folder and name it lattice_express.py. We can do that using the file manager or the New File button in an IDE.
  3. Open the file in your editor of choice.
  4. Set the Scripts path to PythonScriptingBlender/ch11 in the Blender File Paths preferences and restart Blender.

Now we can write the add-on and load it in Blender.

Writing the Latte Express information

Like other add-ons, Latte Express starts with a blank line, followed by the bl_info dictionary...