[Bf-committers] Question about external Blender interface

[Toni Alatalo]

i did this kind of thing a hundred years ago with py in the 2.25 game
engine or so. i think it will work in current normal blender ui
because i think there is now a way to hook a python function to be
called periodically.

in a periodically updated py func you can poll your socket for
incoming data in an async/non-blocking way. that way you can handle
input from external sources but still not block the main ui.

python 3 seems to have a nice looking revised lib for that,
https://docs.python.org/3.4/library/asyncio.html#module-asyncio . back
in the ancient bge experiment i think i used just the basic socket
api's select(). otherwise when doing this recently in a different app
i used the Circuits Python library but I bet that asyncio is simple
and nice with py 3 now.

so given that you can hook blender to call your network-reader
periodically it should be straightforward - i can try to help if there
are trouble with the async socket reading. i wouldn't go via any DB
system for things similar to mouse dragging & button clicks.

~Toni

On Sat, Apr 5, 2014 at 2:57 AM, <pablo /> <pablojmuratore at gmail.com> wrote:
> My original idea (crazy as it might be) was to develop an app in Android
> that could be used to control Blender.
> Imaging like dragging two fingers on the screen to rotate the screen, 3
> fingers to rotate the element, buttons to do specific functions and the
> like.
> Mainly the screen and objects rotation would require high bandwidth which
> I'm not sure using SQLite would cover, that's why I was asking if it could
> be done using with a python add-on.
> I really don't know if that's possible but wanted to know about it and
> think it's a very interesting project.
> If a blender add-on could start socket with python then I will start
> digging into add-on development and find out the way.
> Another advantage is that if Blender can expose a socket then users will
> not need to install anything else on their computers to make the connection
> with the devices.
> This will allow a tablet/phone or whatever connect to the computer:socket
> directly.
>
> Well that's my ideal, from there all I have to know what's possible (or
> could be developed to make it possible) and what isn't.
>
> Cheers,
> Pablo
>
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 6:00 PM, W. Nelson <indigitalspace at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> In #blenderpython on freenode.net a couple other coders and I have talked
>> about similar ideas a few times recently.  When I get a chance to post my
>> notes I will share them.
>>
>> We recently talked about PyQT as module and SQLite.  Using SQLite for a
>> messaging system instead of using sockets.  Sockets are probably the best
>> way to go though.
>>
>> The hardest part we decided was the messaging system and the timing of
>> it.  Also keeping any C code additions to Blender to a minimum.  Hopefully
>> it can all be done it Python.  That was the hope using SQLite transactions
>> as a messaging system.
>>
>> I will add more when I have more time.  This is an interesting topic to me
>> also.
>>
>> JTa
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>  From: "<pablo />" <pablojmuratore at gmail.com>
>> To: bf-blender developers <bf-committers at blender.org>
>> Sent: Friday, April 4, 2014 10:16 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Bf-committers] Question about external Blender interface
>>
>>
>> Thanks for answering!
>> I don´t know anything (yet) about python dev inside Blender, could it be
>> possible to implement it as a plugin?
>> I´m interested and could dedicate some time in this topic and think doing
>> it would help the project.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Pablo
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 1:16 PM, Dalai Felinto <dfelinto at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi Pablo,
>> >
>> > This can be implemented via Python, but you will need to handle all
>> > the socket connectivity part.
>> >
>> > It would be nice to have this built-in in Blender (maybe as new
>> > bpy.app.handlers). But I don't think anyone is working on this it at
>> > the moment.
>> >
>> > Dalai
>> > --
>> > blendernetwork.org/dalai-felinto
>> > www.dalaifelinto.com
>> >
>> >
>> > 2014-04-04 13:05 GMT-03:00 <pablo /> <pablojmuratore at gmail.com>:
>> > > Hi,
>> > >
>> > > * My background:
>> > >
>> > > I started using Blender a couple of months ago, I´ve been always a fan
>> of
>> > > 3D and Blender in general since I think it´s an excellent product.
>> > > I work as a Web and Android developer
>> > >
>> > > * The object of the email:
>> > >
>> > > Ultimately when using Blender, I thought about using all 5 mouse
>> buttons
>> > > then it came to me that I have a Joystick with 3d movement and lots of
>> > > buttons would be interesting using it with blender.
>> > > Finally I came to the idea of developing an Android application to
>> > replace
>> > > the main use of the keyboard.
>> > >
>> > > What I don´t know is if Blender allows any kind of connectivity out of
>> > the
>> > > app.
>> > > For example, it could use a port or something to which apps could
>> connect
>> > > and send in commands, or something else you guys might think of.
>> > > The possibilities are really big since virtually anything could be used
>> > to
>> > > control blender.
>> > >
>> > > I would like to know if this is possible and if there are already
>> efforts
>> > > towards it, I couldn´t find any info on the Web.
>> > >
>> > > If this is not the right place to post please let me know.
>> > >
>> > > Thanks!
>> > > Pablo
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > Bf-committers mailing list
>> > > Bf-committers at blender.org
>> > > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
>>
>> > _______________________________________________
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