Summer of Code Python Editor Project

Published by Bart on August 8th, 2008 in Development, G.S.O.C. 2008

(Submitted by Chris Want) This summer the Blender text editor is getting some love, thanks to the 2008 Google Summer of Code program. Student Ian Thompson (aka quorn) is working on a project to improve Blender's python editing capabilities, which is based on a system of 'text plugins'.

This system adds popular functions like code completion and automatic access to documentation — features that are common in most modern integrated development environments. To check out these features (and more) check out Ian's project page.

Related posts are selected automatically based on their content.

46 Responses to “Summer of Code Python Editor Project”

Feed for this Entry Trackback Address

1 mike pan Aug 8th, 2008 at 8:19 am

This is amazing! Exactly what I need. You don't know how much time this project will save us.
2 Irowebot Aug 8th, 2008 at 8:22 am

This is pretty cool! I've been itching to learn python for a while now but I just haven't had the time. This will help us non coders a great deal!
3 Maarc Aug 8th, 2008 at 9:01 am

That sounds great !
Coul'd be one reason to me to start learning python in Blender.
4 Artisten Aug 8th, 2008 at 9:13 am

Nice! I love to see work and improvements on the text editor.

Will there be possible to import other modules than "Blender" too?

Like "import random" or something?
5 Sanne Aug 8th, 2008 at 9:21 am

Looks very very good, thanks for those videos. Usually I use an external Python editor with Blender, but this project looks as I won't have to anymore soon. :)
6 AntonG Aug 8th, 2008 at 9:22 am

This is just great! Want to try it :)

Great job Ian!

-AntonG
7 zapman Aug 8th, 2008 at 9:25 am

that is possible already ;)
8 bharling Aug 8th, 2008 at 10:11 am

That has to be the best python code completion I've ever seen!

Could I request you integrate this into Eclipse, SPE or even IDLE? That would be Ace.

Or maybe I'll just write all my normal python stuff in blender instead from now on :)
9 ccherrett Aug 8th, 2008 at 10:21 am

very impressive!
10 Nathan Letwory Aug 8th, 2008 at 10:29 am

Man, this looks GREAT! I can see great refactoring features as well. The mark and replace gets already remarkably close!

/Nathan
11 kernond Aug 8th, 2008 at 11:23 am

Now that's an editor that people can use. Thank You!
12 TX_RX Aug 8th, 2008 at 11:25 am

Looks most interesting!

Also the freestyle GSOC project seems to have completed it's integration phase, off to look for a build on graphicall now :)

http://maximecurioni.com/gsoc2008/
13 rednelb Aug 8th, 2008 at 11:31 am

oh wow! incredible!
14 MrNoodle Aug 8th, 2008 at 11:41 am

Now that 's a usable editor.
15 gauravanim Aug 8th, 2008 at 12:02 pm

ahan great man.. Great efforts love that n like that
16 panzi Aug 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Very very nice indeed! :)
17 Tim Aug 8th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

Amazing, such a great work :D
This is really what i would like to see… thanks! :)
18 aws357 Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:07 pm

I've seriously wet myself :D
19 cesio Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

WTFF!!! jojjo very nice.
20 mikahl Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Right on! It'll even show what's in what library.
21 shul Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:28 pm

Wow.

Now do C :-)

and then C++ :))

P.S: Bart - figures you will post something like this :-D
22 ArtIsLight Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:35 pm

nice
23 Big Fan Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:59 pm

very impressive! and a worthy SOC project
thanks for your good work
24 claas Aug 8th, 2008 at 3:04 pm

wow this is great!

I assume this will be very handy when coding ;)
25 igvalor Aug 8th, 2008 at 3:05 pm

Will ever blender text editor support internationalization? Say it would be nice to edit text in UTF-8
26 Satish 'ILuvBlender' Goda Aug 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm

Amazing work!!!!
27 paul Aug 8th, 2008 at 4:57 pm

Holy crap, give this guy a medal! O_o
28 Dalai Felinto Aug 8th, 2008 at 5:46 pm

Wow, this is awesome !!!

I'm completely wordless …

Two questions?
1) Is it working with Game Engine modules?
2) There is any plans to support regex in the find/replace funtions?

Thanks a lot for this …
29 samran Aug 8th, 2008 at 11:56 pm

wow love to see it in trunk
30 Aristocrata Aug 9th, 2008 at 12:57 am

I was waiting for this feature during many time! Very good work Ian!
31 endi Aug 9th, 2008 at 1:13 am

Ahh, this is what I need to learn Python! Great!
32 Bmud Aug 9th, 2008 at 2:48 am

I LOVE YOU
33 Gold Guy Aug 9th, 2008 at 2:55 am

Will it have color coded syntax? I love programming editors that color code key words in the syntax!
34 Skwerm Aug 9th, 2008 at 3:34 am

Artisten:
Blender's Python integration already allows import of Python modules, both standard package and anything else you (or someone else) wrote.

Dalai Felinto:
Regular expressions already work and have, afaik, all along. Just 'import re' and you're off to the races. You may need a full install of Python on your system, though.

Gold Guy:
Syntax highlighting (coloring) is already featured in Blender's text editor and has been, afaik, all along. Click the 'AB' button in the editor. The video above shows it is in this new revised text editor as well.

I'll still stick to UltraEdit for my Python coding that's not Blender-centric, but it looks like I will be abandoning SPE for my Blender stuff. This update to the internal editor is nothing short of brilliant! Fantastic work!
35 RH2 Aug 9th, 2008 at 5:09 am

good job!

you guys know how to make me happy… :)
36 Spidercow Aug 9th, 2008 at 6:06 am

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! no that's not a list of my STD outbreaks, that's a standing ovation! BRAVO!
37 BlenderLovingSquirrel Aug 9th, 2008 at 8:34 am

Great! Hope to see those Game Engine modules in dere!
38 Dread Knight Aug 9th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

I'm very sure this will come useful at some point even if i'm personally not into coding.

*Clap Clap!*
39 DiThi Aug 9th, 2008 at 1:40 pm

It's SOOOO AMAZING, that I'll use it even for non-blender code. The only thing I would miss is the regexp search&replace, but I'll code a search&replace gui that uses kregexpeditor as kate/kwrite/kdevelop/quanta do.

It's the python editor I've always wanted to have. Now that python GUIs don't dissapear with undos, I may even make a default .blend with editing stuff and kdialog or pyqt4 for open/save dialogs and such…
40 panzi Aug 9th, 2008 at 1:41 pm

@Skwerm
He meant regular expressions in the search and replace dialog.
41 panzi Aug 9th, 2008 at 1:46 pm

I don't think C/C++ support is needed, but GLSL support would be very handy for game developers. At least syntax highlighting.
42 Alex Aug 9th, 2008 at 2:02 pm

Wow, amazing stuff. This will help learning python a lot easier. Thanks!
43 Micra Aug 9th, 2008 at 6:22 pm

Thats nice if I want to lurn python!
44 tmr232 Aug 9th, 2008 at 11:55 pm

This is just amazing!
Now there's now need to code Python scripts in IDLE before running them in Blender!
Actually, this seems even better than IDLE.
45 ysvry Aug 10th, 2008 at 5:36 am

great , i always found the text editor a little on the simplistic side, so im pleased to see it updated.
46 myselfhimself Aug 21st, 2008 at 2:09 am

thank you very much for your work.
This was so annoying to have to have a documentation side by side.
The refactoring tool is nice also.