SECTION 1 - Introduction & Setup

Getting Ready

• Re-watch promo if not seen recently
• You’ll need to be familiar with Blender’s interface, Python or programming, the console / terminal
• An overview of the course
• How to ask good questions.

Blender Python Console

• Install Blender 2.78 or above
• Add a Python Console editor and explore
• Expand your Info editor to see UI logs
• Hover to discover Python commands
• Tab and Shift-Tab to indent or un-indent

PC - Replacing Bundled Python

• Windows does not come bundled with Python
• Blender 2.78 for PC is bundled with Python 3.5.1
• We are replacing bundled version to…
• Understand how Blender uses Python on PC
• Get a copy of PIP so we can install Pillow later.

Mac - Replacing Bundled Python

• MacOS 10 is bundled with Python 2.6 & 2.7
• Blender 2.78 for Mac bundled with Python 3.5.1
• We are replacing bundled version to…
• Understand how Blender uses Python on Mac
• Get a copy of PIP so we can install Pillow later.

Pillow - Python Image Library

• Pillow is a Python Image Library (PIL) fork
• Pillow will allow us to render text to an image
• On PC use: pip install pillow
• On Mac use: sudo pip3 install pillow
• Check that Blender has access to Pillow.

External Text Editor (Atom)

• Choose and setup a Python editor
• We choose Atom, stick with what you know
• Install the autocomplete-python add-on
• Check syntax highlighting is working
• Write our first script outside Blender, and run it.

Running Python Code in Blender

• Using sys.path.append to get access to code
• Using importlib to make module reloading easy
• Where to find your console output
• Quick “Hello World” test
• Manipulating our first Blender object.

How To Reload Python Code

• By default your code won’t update
• We can use importlib to fix this
• Test full-circle rapid development of Python.

Section 1 Wrap-Up

• You’ve learnt a lot
• Incidental complexity, but really important
• Share your setup ideas with the community
• Dive STRAIGHT into next section while fresh.