2. Adam Pletcher Technical Art Director, Volition, Inc. / THQ adam@volition-inc.com www.volition-inc.com python TM for technical artists

3. Background Myself Python @ Volition MaxScript Tech Art Council Programming Classes Next-Gen Engine Toolset

4. Key Features Dynamic Data Types >>> spam = 32.38 >>> print spam 32.38 >>> spam = "Three, sir." >>> print spam Three, sir.

5. Key Features Introspection >>> import keyword >>> dir(keyword) ['__all__', '__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'iskeyword', 'kwlist', 'main'] Everything is an object

6. Key Features Introspection >>> val = 32.38 >>> help(val) Help on float object: class float(object) | float(x) -> floating point number | | Convert a string or number to a | floating point number, if possible. | | Methods defined here: etc…

7. Key Features Clear Syntax for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) { avgColor += colorArray[i]; } for c in colorArray: avgColor += c C#: Python: No braces?!

8. Key Features Batteries Included Philosophy >>> val = "A Larch" >>> val.upper() 'A LARCH' >>> val.isupper() False >>> val.upper().isupper() True >>> " A Larch w/whitespace ".strip() 'A Larch w/whitespace'

9. Key Features Ginormous Standard Library Manipulate text, binary, XML, HTML, ZIP files Send & receive email Dates & times GUI toolkit Data Persistence/Serialization Internet access, networking Unit testing framework (two, actually) Multi-threading

10. Key Features Third-Party Extensions Windows win32 API COM, app. automation (MS Excel, etc.) Image manipulation More GUI toolkits, RAD designers Source control Databases Reports & graph generation

11. Key Features Real Exception System try: listA.append(val) except AttributeError: print 'Oops, "listA" needs to be list type!' print 'It was type', type(listA), 'instead.' except: raise

12. Key Features Classes, Inheritance No more structs-as-classes (MaxScript) Custom classes to fit your needs

13. Key Features Extendable Add functionality with C, C++, Python packages Embeddable Python scripting in your application

14. Key Features Python is FUN Feel more productive Fits your brain Huge community

15. Demonstrations Scripts for Tech Artists Data mining Data persistence (serialization) Using GUIs Texture validation, comparison Screen scraping Databases COM integration with 3ds Max

16. Official Python Site – www.python.org (try the tutorials)www.python.org Dive Into Python – www.diveintopython.orgwww.diveintopython.org ActiveState Cookbook – http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/ Guide to Python Introspection – http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-pyint.html Large collection of Python Tutorials – http://python.objectis.net/ Web Python Resources

17. Books Python Resources Learning Python, 3rd Ed., Mark Lutz Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner, Michael Dawson Python Programming in Win32, Mark Hammond, Andy Robinson Programming Python, 3 rd Ed., Mark Lutz Beginning Python: From Novice to Professional, Magnus Lie Hetland

18. Python Resources Useful Extensions wxPython - http://www.wxpython.org/http://www.wxpython.org/ Python Win32 - https://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/https://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/ Python Imaging Library - http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/ MySQLdb - http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-pythonhttp://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python PyExcelerator - http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyexceleratorhttp://sourceforge.net/projects/pyexcelerator Pygame - http://www.pygame.org/http://www.pygame.org/ Py 2 exe - http://www.py2exe.org/http://www.py2exe.org/ Pyro (Python Remote Objects) - http://pyro.sourceforge.net/http://pyro.sourceforge.net/

19. www.volition-inc.com/gdc All code examples Powerpoint slides Extra goodies Questions? adam@volition-inc.com