Max + Python (the second coming)

r_fletch_r

After a long downtime, Blur have re uploaded their Python plugin for Max/XSI.
http://code.google.com/p/blur-dev/

This is awesome as not only can you access the whole maxscript API from python but the reverse is also available.

Say you want to do some work with regular expressions in mxs

re = python.import "re"

or perhaps you want to make some nice UI's (PANTS EXPLOSION!)

qt = python.import "PyQt4"

(granted if your using QT you might aswell use python)

That's pretty neat but what's most awesome is python integration in max.
Not only can you run python code but you also get a IDE for developing within max called BlurIDE.

Heres to praying that this becomes a standard component of Max like PyMel has in maya.

Funky Bunnies

woohoo, i was so sad when they took it down a while back.

now I have no excuse to avoid learning python

Kwramm

sweet. especially that the reverse is possible.

We hacked our own solution together where we can send events to max from python and vice versa, using named pipes. But this is much more elegant

edit: .....except it uses Python 2.4 for x86 and 2.6 for x64?!? There better be away around this. I'd really like to have the same version for both

r_fletch_r

QT is bloody awesome. I just worked out how to create Dockable UI elements
the HBox and VBox layout widgets are also pretty epic.

Kwramm

I love Qt. It's especially neat since it's cross platform. And once you figure out how to use it in Python, it's really easy to jump to QCreator and write C++ apps because it's pretty similar to writing Qt apps in Python. (Plus they use about 30 megs less of ram)

Kwramm

just installed it. I didn't use Blur's Python but the one I had already installed (2.6.1 x64). I was even able to import PIL from maxscript and load an image. Now that is pretty darn sweet

edit: for running the blur IDE I had to install 2.6.6 though and had to uninstall 2.6.1.
Still trying to figure out how to juggle multiple Qt and Python installs on the machine for maya, standalone and now max.

r_fletch_r

Kwramm wrote: »

I love Qt. It's especially neat since it's cross platform. And once you figure out how to use it in Python, it's really easy to jump to QCreator and write C++ apps because it's pretty similar to writing Qt apps in Python. (Plus they use about 30 megs less of ram)

Its a shame the Max Cpp API isnt so intuitive

cw

Oh my. I will have to dig into this tomorrow - sounds exciting!