Adam PletcherTechnical Art Director, Volition, Inc. /

THQadam@volition-inc.com

www.volition-inc.com

pythonTM

for technical artists

Background• Myself• Python @ Volition• MaxScript• Tech Art Council• Programming Classes• Future Engine Toolset

Key FeaturesDynamic Typing

>>> spam = 32.38>>> print spam32.38

>>> spam = "Three, sir.">>> print spamThree, sir.

Key FeaturesClear Syntax

for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++){ avgColor += colorArray[i];}

for c in colorArray: avgColor += c

C#:

Python: No braces?!

Key FeaturesIntrospection>>> val = 32.38>>> help(val)Help on float object:class float(object) | float(x) -> floating point number | | Convert a string or number to a | floating point number, if possible. | | Methods defined here:

etc…

Key FeaturesReal Exception/Error-Handling System

try: myList.append(val)except AttributeError: print 'Oops, "myList" needs to be list type!' print 'It was type', type(myList), 'instead.' except: raise

Key FeaturesClasses, Inheritance• No more structs-as-classes (MaxScript)

Extendable• Add functionality with C, C++, Python packages

Embeddable• Python scripting in your application

Key FeaturesGinormous Standard Library• Manipulate text, binary, XML, HTML, ZIP files• Send & receive email• Dates & times• GUI toolkit• Data Persistence/Serialization• Internet access, networking• Multi-threading • Unit testing framework (two, actually)

Key FeaturesThird-Party Extensions• Windows win32 API• COM, app. automation (MS Excel, etc.)• Image manipulation• More GUI toolkits, RAD designers• Source control• Databases• Reports & graph generation

Key FeaturesPython is FUN• Feel more productive• Fits your brain• Huge community

DemonstrationsScripts for Tech Artists• Data mining• Screen scraping • Data persistence (serialization)• Using GUIs• Texture validation, comparison• Databases• COM integration with 3ds Max

Official Python Site – www.python.org (try the tutorials)Dive Into Python – www.diveintopython.org

ActiveState Cookbook –http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/

Guide to Python Introspection –http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-pyint.html

Large collection of Python Tutorials –http://python.objectis.net/

Web

Python Resources

Books

Python Resources

Learning Python, 3rd Ed., Mark LutzPython Programming for the Absolute Beginner, Michael Dawson Python Programming in Win32, Mark Hammond, Andy RobinsonProgramming Python, 3rd Ed., Mark LutzBeginning Python: From Novice to Professional, Magnus Lie Hetland

Python ResourcesUseful ExtensionswxPython - http://www.wxpython.org/Python Win32 - https://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/Python Imaging Library - http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/MySQLdb - http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-pythonPyExcelerator - http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyexceleratorPygame - http://www.pygame.org/Py2exe - http://www.py2exe.org/Pyro (Python Remote Objects) - http://pyro.sourceforge.net/

www.volition-inc.com/gdc• All code examples• Powerpoint slides• Extra goodies

Questions?adam@volition-

inc.com