Scripting with conda + blender (bpy) + verge3D

I do have scripts successfully running by that method, but that’s actually the reverse of what I’d like to do! With this approach, you always need to run scripts via the ‘blender’ command, which in turn checks for a built-in python. You also can remove the built-in python from blender, and the ‘blender -P’ command will fall back to the system’s default python. That’s a step in the right direction, but it’s not useful for when you want to add bpy functionality to your existing scripts without being forced to use the ‘blender -P’ command instead of ‘py’.

In my case, I have a conda enviornment with a bunch of high-level modules (django, scipy, plotly, pymatgen, etc.), where I’d add bpy to the server’s functionality — rather than change to running every app/script with the command ‘blender’ instead of ‘py’. If this is possible, then the bpy module becomes much much more accessible to those that have complex environments already built – particularly those that run a django server and those in data science research (like me!).

The two links that I sent in my original post make the stand-alone python module for blender — I’d like to replicate that with blender 2.80 + Verge3D. So far I’m struggling to do this, but I have since found instructions on building Blender (without Verge3D): https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Building_Blender/Other/BlenderAsPyModule

I’m close, but I need help building the module with Verge3D incorporated. Alternatively, we can make a bpy module via the method in the link above and then make a separate Verge3D module that uses bpy as a dependency. I’m not sure which route would be easiest.

-Jack

I’ll give this a go! If I get a working build, I’ll upload to anaconda for others to use as well. Thank you!

-Jack

Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have any examples. As far I as I know, I’m the only one trying to script with this method. I have everything working (Verge3D + Blender + Django -> all in python), but I can’t publish it yet as much of the code includes my progress towards a research publication (I’m a chemist). I will say that this full python approach isn’t ideal for non-scientists. In 99% of cases, it’s best to go with javascript, which is probably why I’m the only one doing it.

You can get Verge3d + Blender working in python using the steps I describe above (#20753) – note that if the bpy module doesn’t work, then you have to build it yourself. The tricky part is throwing Django in the mix, which I don’t describe here.

Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, maybe I could give some guidance…? Otherwise, I can’t point you to a github example until I publish my research. Sorry!

-Jack

How are you setting up your anaconda environment? My guess is that’s the issue. I named my environment ‘blender_env’ which is why that’s in the folder path above. If you named it something different, then the path won’t be the same. Here’s how you would setup your environment:

conda create -n blender_env python=3.7
conda install -n blender_env -c kitsune.one python-blender
conda activate blender_env

Also make sure you have the correct environment active when you’re running python — the ‘conda activate’ step above does this if you’re launching python from the terminal.

Last thing of note is that kitsune’s bpy module isn’t great. A while back, I kept running into issues with it, so I just build my bpy module from source. This is a lot more work but depending on your application it might be worth it.