[Bf-committers] Python status

[Michel Selten]

Hi,

In this mail I want to create a summary of the status of the current
Python API. With this I hope to get a feeling if it's possible to have
the new implementation ready for Blender 2.28. Any updates are welcome
If there's somebody working on a point, I've written his name behind it
between this-> (...) :)

Critical:
---------
The points below are needed for the Python API. These were either in the
old API, or are just critical :)

* Implement the main Blender module                                 done
* Implement the BGL module                                          done
* Implement the Camera module                                       done
* Implement the Draw module                                         done
* Implement the Image module                                        done
* Implement the IPO module                                      open
* Implement the Lamp module                                         done
* Implement the Material module                                 open
* Implement the Mesh module                         (IanWill)   open
* Implement the NMesh module                        (IanWill)   open
* Implement the Object module                       (Michel)    open
* Implement the Scene module                                    open
* Implement the Text module                                         done
* Implement the Window module                                       done
* Find a resolution for the security issues.                    open
  For a summary, see the end of this mail.

High Priority:
--------------
The points below are not critical for a 2.28 release, but should have
been fixed before it.

* Update the comments for each module.                          open
  In the header comment I wrote "This is a new part of blender".
  This should be replaced by a short description of the module.
* Write some standard test scripts for testing the   (IanWill)  open
  API
  ---> IanWill could use some help on this though.
* Write a Blender Python API description             (IanWill)  open
  ---> IanWill could use some help on this though.
* Write a tutorial on how to implement a new Python   (Michel)  open
  module.
  IanWill already has written a nice short description that
  covers a small part of this tutorial. He'll add it to cvs
  someday :)
* Create a seperate script for VRML import/export               open
  This can be distributed with blender then. The script
  could function like the Yafray import/export script
* Remove the freeze stuff and source/blender/bpython from       open
  the build process. This needs to be done _after_ the
  critical points are resolved.

Low Priority:
-------------
The points below are not critical for a 2.28 release. These should be an
addition to the current (2.27) API.

* Add FileSelector to the Windows module                            done
* Add ImageSelector to the Windows module                           done
* Create new Armature module                  (Jordi)           open
* Create new Bone module                      (Jordi)           open
* Create new Curve module                                           done
* Create new World module                                       open
* Write some tutorials on how to use the Python API             open
  (Including the new stuff)

Security issues:
----------------
Python is a full fledged script language that provides all the tools to
delete files from your drive, format it, send mails, ...
In other words it has the features to implement a nice virus :/
Now, blender can execute a script when a .blend file is opened. So when
a new tutorial guide becomes available, it's very easy for the writers
to put some malicious .blend file in there.
Also, when somebody reports a bug report, and provides a .blend file, he
could have written a script that deletes your files.
Currently, discussion is going on about that issue, but feel free to
join in :)

This summary has been sent to the Blender-Python mailing list first, but
now after some updates I feel everybody should know about it :)

With regards,
	Michel