PyNodes opens up the node system in Blender to scripters and adds a number of UI-level improvements.
=== Dynamic node type registration ===
Node types can now be added at runtime, using the RNA registration mechanism from python. This enables addons such as render engines to create a complete user interface with nodes.
Examples of how such nodes can be defined can be found in my personal wiki docs atm [1] and as a script template in release/scripts/templates_py/custom_nodes.py [2].
=== Node group improvements ===
Each node editor now has a tree history of edited node groups, which allows opening and editing nested node groups. The node editor also supports pinning now, so that different spaces can be used to edit different node groups simultaneously. For more ramblings and rationale see (really old) blog post on code.blender.org [3].
The interface of node groups has been overhauled. Sockets of a node group are no longer displayed in columns on either side, but instead special input/output nodes are used to mirror group sockets inside a node tree. This solves the problem of long node lines in groups and allows more adaptable node layout. Internal sockets can be exposed from a group by either connecting to the extension sockets in input/output nodes (shown as empty circle) or by adding sockets from the node property bar in the "Interface" panel. Further details such as the socket name can also be changed there.
[1] http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Phonybone/Python_Nodes
[2] http://projects.blender.org/scm/viewvc.php/trunk/blender/release/scripts/templates_py/custom_nodes.py?view=markup&root=bf-blender
[3] http://code.blender.org/index.php/2012/01/improving-node-group-interface-editing/
Issue was caused by couple of circumstances:
- Normal Map node requires tesselated faces to compute tangent space
- All temporary meshes needed for Cycles export were adding to G.main
- Undo pushes would temporary set meshes tessfaces to NULL
- Moving node will cause undo push and tree re-evaluate fr preview
All this leads to threading conflict between preview render and undo
system.
Solved it in way that all temporary meshes are adding to that exact
Main which was passed to Cycles via BlendData. This required couple
of mechanic changes like adding extra parameter to *_add() functions
and adding some *_ex() functions to make it possible RNA adds objects
to Main passed to new() RNA function.
This was tricky to pass Main to RNA function and IMO that's not so
nice to pass main to function, so ended up with such decision:
- Object.to_mesh() will add temp mesh to G.main
- Added Main.meshes.new_from_object() which does the same as to_mesh,
but adds temporary mesh to specified Main.
So now all temporary meshes needed for preview render would be added
to preview_main which does not conflict with undo pushes.
Viewport render shall not be an issue because object sync happens from
main thread in this case.
It could be some issues with final render, but that's not so much
likely to happen, so shall be fine.
Thanks to Brecht for review!
It is not a well-supported feature of the primary node systems (shader, compositor, texture) in Blender. If anybody wants to create a node system that has actual use for loops, they can do so much more elegantly with Python nodes, but it does not have to be a core node type in Blender. Removing this should ease node code maintenance a bit.
Note: While renaming DNA properties is usually dangerous and can break files, in this case it is possible because the mx/my values are only used at runtime.
The 'Add' menu in the node editor now has an option 'Search' at the top, which opens a separate popup for searching node types by name.
The operator for this is implemented completely in Python (this could also be done for the regular menu-based Add options in the future). There are a few necessary extensions to the RNA as well:
* The View2D struct in regions is now exposed. Currently only contains converter functions for coordinates from the region to the view (i.e. scrolled and zoomed view space). Used for converting mouse location to node space.
* The SpaceNode exposes the existing 'cursor_location' for operators to store mouse position beyond invoke calls. Not used for anything else (transforms) so far.
* The edit_tree in SpaceNode is also exposed, this is needed for operators to work correctly inside node groups.
*Add menu is now translated.
*Nodes' title is now translated.
*Nodes' sockets' labels are now translated.
However, about the last point, and unless I’m mistaking, we’ll have to add the "i18n tag" N_() to all sockets' names, in the input/ouput templates declaration, in all nodes' files, as those sockets are collections created at runtime, I think po-generating script has no way to access that from bpy.types... Quite a piece of (borring) work. :/
Unlike the existing file output node this node has an arbitrary number of
possible input slots. It has a base path string that can be set to a general
base folder. Every input socket then uses its name as an extension of the base
path for file organization. This can include further subfolders on top of the
base path. Example:
Base path: '/home/user/myproject'
Input 1: 'Compo'
Input 2: 'Diffuse/'
Input 3: 'details/Normals'
would create output files
in /home/user/myproject: Compo0001.png, Compo0002.png, ...
in /home/user/myproject/Diffuse: 0001.png, 0002.png, ... (no filename base
given)
in /home/user/myproject/details: Normals0001.png, Normals0002.png, ...
Most settings for the node can be found in the sidebar (NKEY). New input sockets
can be added with the "Add Input" button. There is a list of input sockets and
below that the details for each socket can be changed, including the sub-path
and filename. Sockets can be removed here as well. By default each socket uses
the render settings file output format, but each can use its own format if
necessary.
To my knowledge this is the first node making use of such dynamic sockets in
trunk. So this is also a design test, other nodes might use this in the future.
Adding operator buttons on top of a node is a bit unwieldy atm, because all node
operators generally work on selected and/or active node(s). The operator button
would therefore either have to make sure the node is activated before the
operator is called (block callback maybe?) OR it has to store the node name
(risky, weak reference). For now it is only used in the sidebar, where only the
active node's buttons are displayed.
Also adds a new struct_type value to bNodeSocket, in order to distinguish
different socket types with the same data type (file inputs are SOCK_RGBA color
sockets). Would be nicer to use data type only for actual data evaluation, but
used in too many places, this works ok for now.
* Scene.use_shading_nodes property to check if RenderEngine is using new shading
nodes system, and RenderEngine.bl_use_shading_nodes to set this.
* Add mechanism for tagging nodes as being compatible with the old/new system.
Previous state:
Right now, there are "memories" of the "old" (less than a month!) translation way:
* A few remaining calls to BLF_gettext() (only UI_translate_do_iface and UI_translate_do_tooltip should be used).
* The _() macro still also calls BLF_gettext()!
New state:
Here are the changes made by the patch:
* Removing the no more needed _() macro.
* Removing most N_() and _() calls, only keeping the few needed ones (i.e. strings that are in no other way findable by xgettext and/or update_msg script).
* Defining in UI_interface.h IFACE_() and TIP_() macros (resp. for UI_translate_do_iface and UI_translate_do_tooltip).
* Replacing all calls to BLF_gettext by relevant IFACE_ or TIP_ one.
* Replacing all calls to UI_translate_do_iface by IFACE_.
* Replacing all calls to UI_translate_do_tooltip by TIP_.
All this somewhat clarifies and simplifies the code.
On the bf-translations scripts side, this only implies adding IFACE_ and TIP_ as detection markers for xgettext.
It also allows to reduce POTFILES.in quite notably (only 20 files remaining in it).
Please also have a look at those pages:
* Coder POV: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:2.5/Source/Interface/Internationalization
* Translator POV: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:2.5/Doc/How_to/Translate_Blender
- Make gettext stuff draw-time. so switching between languages
can happens without restart now.
- Added option to translate visible interface (menus, buttons, labels)
and tooltips. Now it's possible to have english UI and localized tooltips.
- Clean-up sources, do not use gettext stuff for things which can be
collected with RNA.
- Fix issues with windows 64bit and ru_RU locale on my desktop
(it was codepage issue).
- Added operator "Get Messages" which generates new text block with
with all strings collected from RNA.
- Changed script for updating blender.pot so now it appends
messages collected from rna to automatically gathered messages.
To update .pot you have to re-generate messages.txt using "Get Messages"
operator and then run update_pot script.
- Clean up old translation stuff which wasn't used and most probably
wouldn't be used.
- Return back "International Fonts" option, so if it's disabled, no
gettext lookups happens on draw.
- Merged read_homefile function back. No need in splitting it.
TODO:
- Custom fonts and font size.
Current font isn't nice at least for russian locale, it's
difficult to read it.
- Put references to messages.txt so gettext can merge translation when
name/description of some property changes.
This branch adds mostly organizational improvements to the node system by renaming the node folders and files. A couple of internal features have been added too.
Detailed information can be found on the wiki page:
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/User:Phonybone/Particles2010
- New Node editor now opens with larger view, the default
was like zoomed in factor 2.
- Add node via menu now shows new node more visible
- Click on (material) node now doesn't re-render the entire
tree anymore, much nicer.
- Duplicate node creates preview image immediate
caused auto connect to not work in some cases, because that now orders nodes
and only connects if the new node is to the right of the old node.
I doubted between always connecting to the new node as output or keeping this
ordering trick also when adding nodes. Decided on the latter because then you
can also add a node between two others and have it auto connect to both.
Only source/blender/editors/ dir, should not give errors on different platforms
Only removing: UI_*.h, ED_*.h, WM_*.h, DNA_*.h, IMB_*.h, RNA_*.h, PIL_*.h
Now it automatically decides how to connect the nodes up, based on the node positions. This lets you do fun stuff like in this video: http://www.vimeo.com/8548698
