Python – Adding paths to external modules

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
Python 3.9.2

To import an external Python module,
Add its folder path to the sys.path list,
Then import the wanted code.

In this example, there is a Python file:
C:\Oded\GoogleDrive\CGL_Studio\CGL_Python\py\cgl_pixel_utils.py
Containing a function:
cgl_fill_int_range

The following Python code checks the path isn’t already found in sys.path, and if so adds the module path to sys.path,
Imports the cgl_fill_int_range function for the cgl_pixel_utils module,
And calls the cgl_fill_int_range function: 

import sys

modulepath = r"C:\Oded\GoogleDrive\CGL_Studio\CGL_Python\py"

if modulepath not in sys.path:
    sys.path.append(modulepath)

from cgl_pixel_utils import cgl_fill_int_range

print(cgl_fill_int_range(-3, 3))

To force reloading of an external module,
Use the reload function from the built-in imp module.
Note that this works with importing full modules and not just specific functions:

import sys
import imp

modulepath = r"C:\Oded\GoogleDrive\CGL_Studio\CGL_Python\py"

if modulepath not in sys.path:
    sys.path.append(modulepath)

import cgl_pixel_utils

# Force reload of cgl_pixel_utils:
imp.reload(cgl_pixel_utils)

print(cgl_pixel_utils.cgl_fill_int_range(-3, 3))

Blender – Split curve

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
Blender 2.92

To split part of a curve to a separate curve:

  1. Select the split end points, press V and select Free.
    > This keeps the new curve ends at original direction, if their handle type was Automatic.
  2. In Edit mode, select a sequence of control-points.
  3. Press P and select Separate.

UE4 – Loading shaders from within the project folder

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
Unreal Engine 4.25
*Also tested on Unreal Engine 5.0.1

Disclaimer:
I’m probably the 10th guy that’s documenting these steps on the web,
I didn’t come up with this solution myself, I learned it from the sources listed below.
The reason I’m documenting this (again) myself is to have a clear source I can come back to for this issue because I’m absolutely incapable of remembering subjects like this…… :-\
If you find inaccuracies in the steps I’m detailing or my explanation, I’ll be very grateful if you share a comment.

  1. https://forums.unrealengine.com/development-discussion/rendering/1562454-virtual-shader-source-path-link-custom-shaders-shadertoy-demo-download
  2. https://dinwy.github.io/study/2019/july/customShaderInUE4/
  3. https://forums.unrealengine.com/community/community-content-tools-and-tutorials/1710373-using-external-shader-files-ush-usf-and-getting-the-most-of-the-custom-node

In short:
AFAIK since version 4.21 UE doesn’t load custom node shader code from your project/Shaders folder by default anymore, but only from the shaders folder in the engine installation, which makes it less practical for developing shaders for specific projects.

Steps for setting the UE project to load shaders from the project folder in UE 4.22:

> The examples here are for a project named: “Tech_Lab”

A. The project must be a C++ project:

So either create a new project, define as such or just create a new C++ class and compile the project with it to convert it to a C++ project.
Notes:
a. You may need to right click the .uproject file icon and and Generate Visual Studio Project Files for the project to load correctly into Visual Studio and compile.
b. You can delete the unneeded C++ class you added after the new settings took place.

B. Create a folder for the shader files:

Typically, it will be called “Shaders” and will be placed in the project root folder.

C. Add the RenderCore module to the project:

This is done by adding string “RenderCore” to array of public dependency modules in the <project>.build.cs file:

PublicDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string[] { "RenderCore", "Core", "CoreUObject", "Engine", "InputCore" });
(see image)

Notes:
a. In UE 4.21 it should be ShaderCore.
b. This addition is needed in-order to compile a new primary project module (next step).

D. Define a custom primary module for your project:

In <project_name>.h file add a new module named F<project_name>Module, with a StartupModule function overrides.
Notes:
a. We have add an include statement for “Modules/ModuleManager”.
b. The <project_name>.h file is located in the /Source/<project_name> folder.
c. Some sources state that you also have to override the ShutdownModule function, with an empty override, it works for me without this (maybe its just a mistake..)

E. Implement the function override,
and set the custom module as the project primary module:

In <project_name>.cpp file, add the StartupModule override,
With the definition of the added shaders path:
FString ShaderDirectory = FPaths::Combine(FPaths::ProjectDir(), TEXT("Shaders"));

and mapping this new path as “/Project” for conveniently including it:
AddShaderSourceDirectoryMapping("/Project", ShaderDirectory);

Last thing to do is to replace “FDefaultGameModuleImpl” with our custom module name in the IMPLEMENT_PRIMARY_GAME_MODULE macro:
IMPLEMENT_PRIMARY_GAME_MODULE(FTech_LabModule, Tech_Lab, "Tech_Lab" );

Notes:
a. We must include “Misc/Paths”
b. Note that the addition of this folder mapping is restricted to versions 4.22 and higher via a compiler directive condition. for version 4.21, you should state “ENGINE_MINOR_VERSION >= 21:

Note for UE5:
Unreal Engine 5 supports this from the get go so this compiler directive condition should be deleted for this to work.

F. Wrapping up:

After taking these steps and compiling the project.
You should be able to include .ush and .usf files stored in <your_ue_project>/Shaders with the “Project” path mapping:
include "/Project/test.usf"

That’s it! 🙂

I hope you found this helpful,
And if you encountered errors, or inaccuracies,
I’ll be grateful if you’ll take the time to comment.

Related:

  1. UE4 – Cyber enhancement shader
  2. UE4 – Fog post process effect

Deadline – Setting plugin paths to the executables

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
Deadline Monitor 10.0

When installing a render/processing software in a different path than default, you may have to configure its Deadline Plugin executable path to Deadline will be able to find it.

To setup the executable path for a Deadline Plugin:

  1. Make sure you are using the Deadline Monitor in Super User Mode:
    image
  2. Go to Tools > Configure Plugins:
    image (1)
  3. In the plugin list on the left, select the plugin you want to configure,
    And in the Plugin Executable text box (in this case Blender), type in a new path, or click the browse button to set the path.
    * Multiple alternative paths can be set separated by lines.image (2)

 

 

 

Python – Listing the files in a directory

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Language:
Python 2.7

The following example uses functions from the os library to list the files in a given directory:

from os import listdir
from os.path import isfile, join
dir = "D:\\"
files = [f for f in listdir(dir) if isfile(join(dir, f))]
for f in files:
	print join(dir, f)

In the next example the script has been modified to list only files with the name extension ‘jpg’:

from os import listdir
from os.path import isfile, join
dir = "D:\\"
files = [f for f in listdir(dir) if isfile(join(dir, f)) and f[-3:]=='jpg']
for f in files:
	print join(dir, f)

 

* note that when copying and pasting a script from this example, the indentation may not be pasted correctly.