/me *cries*

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Indeed : you have to install python, then pywin32 and wxPython, and just trying to find the correct compatible versions on the web is a hassle.

So I decided to have a look on py2exe and other tools to “build” python scripts.

This post will deal with all my researches, and will be often updated.

It doesn’t intend to be a tutorial at all.

1. Start point
2. msvcr90, msvcp90
3. the r6034 error and the manifest

Start point

Good urls to start with :

• http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/Tutorial
• http://www.blog.pythonlibrary.org/2010/07/31/a-py2exe-tutorial-build-a-binary-series/

In the simple sample provided with py2exe, the test_wx.py is using the obsolete writing of wxPython.
The one in the singlefile sample is good though.

The magic words are :

python.exe setup.py py2exe

The DLL msvcp90 and msvcr90

Those files are required when you want to create a build of a tool using wxPython.

There’s a question of rights to share those files. I frankly don’t know  if I have them  (actually I doubt it) , the solution is to make the user download them via vcredist_x86.exe .

Apparently, you should not download the SP1 version. I don’t really know why.

 The R6034 error

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1153643/how-do-i-debug-a-py2exe-application-failed-to-initialize-properly-error

msvcr90.dll Manifest (publicKeyToken, version)

Edit the manifest part in setup.py and put the correct values (given in Microsoft.VC90.CRT.manifest)

MemoryLoadLibrary

ImportError: MemoryLoadLibrary failed loading win32api.pyd

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1979486/py2exe-win32api-pyc-importerror-dll-load-failed

So the setup.py should look like :

setup(
     options = {"py2exe": {"compressed": 1,
                 "optimize": 2,
                 "ascii": 1,
                 "bundle_files": 1,
                 "dll_excludes": [ "mswsock.dll", "powrprof.dll" ]}},
     zipfile = None,
     windows = [CameraMixer]
)

Still questions

In setup.py, what does RT_MANIFEST = 24 mean ?

It will act as a notepad where I’ll be sharing informations and research about the different projects I’m working on, whether it is 3D setup or scripting.

The last project I worked on contained 8 cameras (for 8 plans), it was a layout single maxfile that was given to me, I had to create the final animations.

But then I started thinking about the layout creation itself.

The workflow is this one :

• Use camera name patterns :  CameraName startFrame – endFrame (“Plan01 0 – 150″, “Plan02 0 – 50″)
• Create previews as jpg sequence, one for each camera
• Import and Edit the sequences with Premiere/After FX/Whatever
• Compile and Check the result

Issues :

• Each time the animation is corrected (cameras or actors), the user has to regenerate the preview of modified sequences, reload them in After/Premiere, and compile the whole project to see the result.
• Each time a camera frame range is modified, you have to correctly rename it to maintain the project homogenous

This is annoying. That’s why I started developing  Camera Mixer for 3dsmax.

It’s kind of a track mixing tool : it has an independant timeline (the equivalent of the film editing software one), in which you can set the sequence of the different cameras of the scene.

The features will be as follow  :

• Editing of the camera sequences
• Real time playing
• File sequence preview for not realtime playable scenes
• Load/Save of mix files
• Export a composition for After FX

The tool is developed using python, wxWidgets, and maxscript. Stay tuned.

The Indigenes post-production team was composed of six gfx artists.

I worked there as a Tech-Animator.

I was principaly in charge of rigging, animation, and the development of pipeline tools for crowd management, particles effects, tracking and rendering.

You can find the first one, the Wide Ratio Camera Tool in the brand new development section.

The projects will be released under the BSD License. For more informations :
- BSD Licenses on wikipedia
- BSD Licenses on Open Source Initiative

It will be first part of a technical demoreel, but will make part of a whole serie !

I’ve also written a scenario for a short movie last month. We’re working on it with talentuous friends of mine, I’ll tell more about this project soon.

If I have enough time, I’ll create a blog for those projects.