Silex DCCs

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A guide for connecting DCCs into Silex

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Steps

1:

Create Silex_ dcc-name rez package directory

2:

Enter the directory and create two new directories

• beta.0.1.0
• prod.0.1.0

These are neccessary for Silex to create the correct environment When Silex opens any dcc, an environment command is run:

Rez Environments	Scene Command
Prod	rez env silex_dcc-prod production_name -- silex launch dcc --task-id ...
Beta	rez env silex_dcc-beta production_name -- silex launch dcc --task-id ...
We will work in the beta directory and use prod as expected

3:

Enter the beta directory Create another three directories

• script
• silex_ dcc-name
• startup

A rez package.py will also be created here The package will list the requirements for the DCC and set the environment paths

Script: Contains a build.py file which is no longer used Silex_ dcc-name: Another three directories inside

• commands
  • python functions using CommandBase that the dcc will use to run actions
• config
  • action
    • yaml configuration files for standard actions
  • conform
    • yaml configuration files for conform actions
  • publish
    • yaml configuration files for publishing actions
• utils
  • Utility files the dcc may require

Startup Startup files for the dcc, these files initialize the tool's shelves More importantly the startup file needs a function call: Context.get().start_services() - this starts the connection between Silex and the DCC.

4:

Locate the directory: ...\silex_rez\packages\dcc
Here we will see all of the currently supported softwares. Create a new directory of the desired dcc

Inside this folder we will create a folder for the software version. In the case of Maya the version we use is 2022.0 however a 2019.3 folder is available for artists working with an older build.

In the version folder we create a rez package file and a platform folder.

• In the platform folder we create a dcc-name + env file : eg. mayaenv.py
• We set the install paths and append the neccessary libraries here

The package.py rez file sets the requirements for the software. Here we can also set the desired tools for each dcc.

5:

Adding the DCC to the Silex App

To begin, clone silex-front to your local machine. Navigate to the location in an open terminal. Make sure yarn is installed.

• If yarn is not installed
• Running npm install -g yarn will install it globally on your machine

In the open terminal run yarn

To add your DCC to the front end: Find and add the DCC's svg logo to the logo folder: \src\assets\images\logos We need to edit two files; TaskModal\FileExplorer.tsx, FileIcon\FileIcon.tsx FileExplorer.tsx

• Locate dccButtonsData [...]
• Add the dcc to the list
• Setting disabled: true will display the DCC on the front but keep users from interacting with it
• By default disabled is set to false

FileIcon.tsx

• Import the logo from the logo directory
• Add it to the dictionary of DCCs

Back in the terminal Run yarn lint:fix to format your changes. This is to prevent Silex from throwing an error

6:

Adding the DCC to the database

Open a new terminal We need to connect to cgwire with gazu

• If gazu is not installed

  • Install it: pip install gazu

• Start python

• import gazu

• gazu.set_host("database_address")

  • In the case for ArtFx we use our silex kitsu address
  • http://kitsu.prod.silex.artfx.fr/api

• gazu.log_in("email@address", "password")

  • The cgwire login needs to be a studio manager to have access

• gazu.files.new_software("SoftwareName", "ShortName", "AppExtension")

  • An example for Blender would be:
    • gazu.files.new_software("Blender", "blender", "blend")
  • You can find a script to automatically add new softwares here:
    • create_softwares.py

• We can check if this worked by calling .{softwares {name}}. in graphQL

7:

Running Silex and Testing the software

In our silex-front terminal we run yarn start We need to move Silex into the dev Python Mode which can be found in the advanced settings of silex on the taskbar