Pantograph Vector Renderer version 0.3 is out

[rocketship]

Happy Holidays!

I finally finished debugging the refactored version of Pantograph. I've been able to squeeze a great deal more speed out of Python, both by removing some error-checking cruft and by re-writing some of the code for a "pipeline" style of execution, allowing Python to optimize things more efficiently. So, faster-leaner-more stable.

Check it out.

[kernond]

This looks very interesting!

On the User's Guide page, the Polygon link is dead. I'm not familiar with that or the python-cairo that's mentioned. How does all of that tie together and will they run on Windows?

Thanks.

[BeBraw]

Nice to see work on proper vector renderer! I will check it out time permitting.

[CubOfJudahsLion]

...........

[rocketship]

@kernond,

I hope the Polygon link is only temporarily down! If this persists, I'll ask them if I can host the files...

People have gotten it working on Windows - I cannot verify this myself, but all of the dependencies are cross-platform. I'll see if I can find a link to Python-cairo and post it in the User's Guide.

RS

EDIT: I found a working download link for Polygon - it should be fine now. If you do have any questions about running it on Windows, ask them on Blender Artists because people seem to have figured out the installation process.

[kernond]

Thank you!

[carbon2]

anyone got it working on mac os x?

[Mats Halldin]

Looks awesome!
I really hope I will get the time to run this. Will we ever see it integrated with Blender? Like an alternative to the Toon shader or something?

/ Mats

[rocketship]

@Mats,

Probably not integrated (I don't think its part of the core Blender mission, really). I am curious to see what the new rendering API looks like, though... at some point, I'd like to translate it into C, but I'd like to hook into the new API...

RS

[Extrudeface]

Looks outstanding... I think deserves full attention, the possibilities in design and media are endless ! 8) 8)

People have gotten it working on Windows

Really? Who? I...couldnt...But anyways, I never deal well with GTK , and certain libraries, on windows, don't know why...probably environment variables or a sum of things... probably as don't get well installed the cairo and other libs...dunno...

One of the reasons I'd like to see it included in Blender, hehe. Anyway, however, amazing work, kudos!

[rocketship]

@Extrudeface,

I think AUTOMATIC-brain had it working on Windows... he mentioned it on the first Pantograph thread, but now that I look, its not clear whether he was able to get output.

I've never dealt with installing GTK, etc on Windows, but it should be possible - can anyone help? If someone can start a quick description of the steps, I'll post it with Pantograph.

RS

EDIT: Ok, I've posted some links to the proper (I think) Win32 downloads to get you started. You should have Python installed (from Blender). Let me know how it goes!

[Atom]

Darn, I can't get it to work on windows either.

Does anyone have a step by step process.
Here are my road blocks.
I don't know how to set the PYTHONPATH in windows.
I don't know how to get the GTK installed and working on windows.
After that, I'm not even sure how to invoke the renderer. Do I simply launch the pantograph python script?

[Extrudeface]

Thanks a zillion!

As I said in some other post, am not now at my flat(family stuff), will try to get deep into that tomorrow. Thanks again!!

[Extrudeface]

@Atom

I don't know how to set the PYTHONPATH in windows.

-click on control panel (settigns) from Start Menu of your windows.
-Once there, double click System.
-The "System Properties" open. Click on "Advanced" tab.
-Click on the button "Evironment Variables"
-You are in "Environment Variables" window. See there are two big fields. Look at "System Variables" one, there scroll to find one called "Path".Double click it or button "edit". Now, you can add at the end of it, after a ";" (the ; key ) you can add a path, whichever it is, like "c:\dos" , but as you will see are the other, separated by ";". Don't put two ;; together.

-click "Ok", "Ok" ,etc. Now restart your system. You should be all fine.

Yet for some reason, I still, and even having downloaded (and installed by installers, or manually adding the libraries in certain folders) , I was unlucky, and blender kept crashing. I usually have full Python 2.5 installed. (I will dig the very exact versions of each thing; am fearing is all related to that, or in how I do the proccess, tomorrow..I "have to" have this wonderful thing working, and most of all, know the preocedure to mount it in my job machine: eager to add it to my design workflows...Blender could get way more used in my pipelines way more than now...)

I tend to have GTK installed, (also latest java for some modeling tools and some secret game projects am involved in) , as I usually like to have latest Gimp windows installer.

I don't know how to get the GTK installed and working on windows.

There's an automatic installer that sets it all pretty well. As I will try to find time to dig this all tomorrow, I will try to help here.

After that, I'm not even sure how to invoke the renderer. Do I simply launch the pantograph python script?

been some time since I tried (to what my memory uses to retain...) , but yes, I remember it was just loading the script in text editor, and hitting there alt+p to execute as usual...prob is I got errors even following specs. I am very sure is something related to how I install the libraires or something.

Thanks a lot Rocketship for helping about it

[Extrudeface]

Once I discover what was happening, of course will explain here how to avoid it and clear the land for other win ppl (I actually handle a bit linux(console or desktop) as well, even worked with it in certain company mounting and configuring a server and scripts, just am less familiar with it, and forget really very fast things not related to graphics...hehe. But I like that OS a lot, too )

[rocketship]

@Extrudeface,

That would be great! I use Windows a bit, but I don't really do anything under the hood, so I'm afraid I'm not much help.

I've been gradually adding more catches in the code so it should tell you if its not loading one of the dependencies properly (or if you have a different version than what's required).

RS

[automatic-BRAIN]

Yes finally, I got it working today...

Here's the quick guide for Python 2.5:

Install the following packages:

Gtk+/Win32 Runtime Environment Installer 2.10.11-1 (.exe, 6.43M)
gtkmm-win32-runtime-2.10.11-1.exe
pygtk-2.10.6-1.win32-py2.5.exe
pygobject-2.12.3-1.win32-py2.5.exe
pycairo-1.2.6-1.win32-py2.5.exe

and
Polygon-1.17.win32-py2.5.exe

The polygon package is compiled by me and I don't know if it's working on other machines...

Hope this helps...

[Extrudeface]

Thanks a lot both!

Downloading...

[rocketship]

@automatic-BRAIN,

Thanks! I'm going to install it on my Windows VM so I can test releases on Windows as well...

...do you mind if I put a link to your Polygon package? I can host it if you prefer...

RS

[automatic-BRAIN]

@rocket:
I would prefer if you host it...
I'm really interested if the package works for you...

Thomas