[Bf-committers] Python API Flaw

Campbell Barton cbarton at metavr.com
Tue Oct 10 08:19:40 CEST 2006


theres a flaw in the current python API with Object's

At the moment the python  type increases the ID's user count when 
allocated and removes the user when decreffed

The problem with this is that we cant know if the object is used in any 
scenes, so you can for instance.
set a parent object that is not in a scene.
The other problem is blender its self cant know if an objects user count 
reflects how many scenes use it (Im assuming only scenes should be 
object users, is this right???)
objects that have a python user are displayed with a blue point to 
signify usage in multiple scenes.

This is needed for objects and only because objects are unlinked when 
they have no users unlike other datatypes, so removing an object would 
otherwise remove the python objects data.

Im not sure this solution is ideal but heres one possibility.

What if we add a short to the Object struct to store python users? 
theres a few padding values that could be used without growing the 
struct. - pad3 for eg.
That way, if an objects py_user > 0, its not removed on user deletion.

Another alternative is to change blenders functionality not to remove OB 
Datablocks on deleation with zero users, but Id prefer not to change this.
- Cam


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