AnimationFreeCAD
AnimationFreeCAD copied to clipboard
QuentinTournier40
A FreeCAD fork for PyFlow (since original project is abandoned)
Maybe it's worth thinking about a fork for PyFlow since it has been abandoned by the original devs https://github.com/wonderworks-software/PyFlow/issues/106 ?
Yes, we agree, we had created our project based on the original PyFlow because the Microelly Node Editor has bugs. This seems to be a good idea, especially since we could add packages like modules to PyFlow.
It should also be noted that PyFlow is not finished and some features do not work so the software can sometimes bug without reason.
Indeed.
It would be good to research if there are active forks of PyFlow as well. Did y'all check for that?
I know, it is a pain to switch frameworks, but I wonder if you have had a look at Ryven, which is actively maintained and has a very responsive developer?
We agree with you. But we haven't tested your module yet and we couldn't see how to create buttons and packages under your module. If these two options are fulfilled then we can do it.
First I would like to point out, that Ryven is not my module. You have to kudos to the original author.
You certainly can produce packages: https://ryven.org/guide#/?id=programming-nodes
It is also possible to add any Qt widget to the graphical representation of a node: https://ryven.org/guide#/?id=custom-widgets
There is a node with a button included:
- https://github.com/leon-thomm/Ryven/blob/4d8af8025c88c96dcee6248e38658e3f8a112795/ryven/example_nodes/std/special_nodes.py#L183
- https://github.com/leon-thomm/Ryven/blob/4d8af8025c88c96dcee6248e38658e3f8a112795/ryven/example_nodes/std/widgets.py#L10
And there is a clock node included, which has a start/stop button:
- https://github.com/leon-thomm/Ryven/blob/4d8af8025c88c96dcee6248e38658e3f8a112795/ryven/example_nodes/std/special_nodes.py#L275
- https://github.com/leon-thomm/Ryven/blob/4d8af8025c88c96dcee6248e38658e3f8a112795/ryven/example_nodes/std/widgets.py#L19
Does that suffice or would you need anything else?
Please notice the integrated PyFlow is now FreeCAD-tuned with PySide2 dependency instead of Qt.py.
Good point. I am neither the developer of Ryven, nor a Qt developer. I only know, that I had to install PySide2 to get it working …
This weekend we are going to test Ryven and see if it could be suitable for FreeCAD.
@SHaiZen25, I do not know, how you embed the flow editor into AnimatinFreeCAD, but you might want to use PR https://github.com/leon-thomm/Ryven/pull/96 (that's my involvement with Ryven), because it makes this process configurable. You can also always contact Ryven's author with any question – or me regarding the PR mentioned above.
Good luck!
We have tested your module and for the moment we find it difficult to project ourselves in it, so we prefer to stay with PyFlow
No problem. As I already said, it is not my module. I just thought, it might help.
Out of curiosity, may I ask, what the difficulties were you encountered?
As we said, we would like to have this package window containing all the blocks in categories, subcategories, etc. The arrangement of the blocks in the lower left window does not satisfy us. Also there are no buttons available. We also did not understand how to type (e.g. int, string, etc.) a variable. We find that the buttons of the nodes are not very pretty. But your strong point is that the pin values are visible directly and not on a property block. It is much more visible. Concerning getvar, setvar it's a pity not to have a dropdown list with all the variables on the right instead of having to write it. Finally we are less fan of the aesthetics of your module. You should mix PyFlow and Ryven.
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Again I want to point out, that I am not the author of this library/module, so it cannot be called my module. I became only involved, because I desperately wanted command line arguments …
I find your insight very interesting:
As we said, we would like to have this package window containing all the blocks in categories, subcategories, etc. The arrangement of the blocks in the lower left window does not satisfy us.
That is exactly how I see it. It would be great, if it would be able to have at least categories. On the other hand, the tag system is really handy to just display a certain category.
Also there are no buttons available.
What do you mean, that there are no buttons available? I was always of the impression, that you could include a button in a node.
Or do you mean toolbar buttons? – That is also something, I am missing.
We also did not understand how to type (e.g. int, string, etc.) a variable.
You can use dtypes …
We find that the buttons of the nodes are not very pretty.
You are absolutely right. But how I understand it, you can write your own stylesheet and make everything in the flow window looking like you want it.
I also always use the plain windows style, which is not yet in the main branch, because I do not like the styled windows at all.
Concerning getvar, setvar it's a pity not to have a dropdown list with all the variables on the right instead of having to write it.
Can you please explain that in a bit more detail?
Finally we are less fan of the aesthetics of your module.
You are absolutely right here!! PyFlow looks really pretty. As said previously, I always use the plain window style (coming hopefully in the next release) and one of the nicer flow themes. I believe both can be changed to your liking with stylesheets, which you can adapt yourself.
You should mix PyFlow and Ryven.
Absolutely!
Myself, I was looking for a flow based ‘programming’ interface and first found VisTrail. When that stopped to be supported, I found PyFlow. Unfortunately this was also not maintained anymore, so I switched to Ryven. It would be really great, if those two packages could be merged!
Hello, excuse me for responding so long after the fact. I meant a toolbar for buttons.
Regarding types, I don't know if we are talking about the same thing but basically allowing the user to use types. For example in freecad, there is the object type. This will reduce the error cases to be made in the code. In addition, it would help the user to understand what he can assign to this variable
When using a setVar or getVar block we must provide it with a variable name to be written in string. If we offer the user only the variables he has created he cannot make mistakes in the get or set var
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Thanks for taking your time!
Regarding types, I don't know if we are talking about the same thing but basically allowing the user to use types. For example in freecad, there is the object type. This will reduce the error cases to be made in the code. In addition, it would help the user to understand what he can assign to this variable
If I understand your correctly, you want to restrict the connection to the input of a node to a certain type, e.g. the user cannot connect a float output to a FreeCAD object type input?
Well, I can see the point here. On the other hand this is controversy to Python's ducktyping philosophy. Honestly, I do not know, which approach is better! (Which makes it a classical candidate for a configuration option.)
When using a setVar or getVar block we must provide it with a variable name to be written in string. If we offer the user only the variables he has created he cannot make mistakes in the get or set var
I think, that is a valid point and an issue should be opened!
@j8sr0230 are you planning on consolidating your changes to AnimationWB and PyFlow?
@luzpaz I would be happy to contribute. So far, I have only fixed a few bugs that I noticed while using PyFlow. In parallel, I am working on FreeCAD nodes for modeling (cf. Grasshopper or Sverchok). I'm not sure if it makes sense to revive the PyFlow repository (my pull request apparently fizzled out), or if it's time for a higher-level community-driven FreeCAD node repository with a FreeCAD version of PyFlow. What are your thoughts on this? By the way, many thanks to the excellent preliminary work from the developers of the AnimationFreeCAD-WB and microelly2!
May I jump in here again: As you know, I had big hopes for Ryven, mainly because it looked to be actively maintained. So I made some pull requests, but in the end the original author went quiet for a long time and unfortunately some copyright issues are still not resolved. So I had a fresh look at PyFlow despite being unmaintained. Nevertheless I implemented some changes, such as:
- command line parameters + killing PyFlow with Ctrl+C
- high DPI scaling (this one is a PR already)
- plain theme + splitting of UI and graph themes
- better (I hope so) templating for stylesheets
- reworked configuration system
- bug fix to watch pin
- tooltips added
- proper temporary files
- improved wizard to create packages
- and all PRs from main repository and selected changes from some forks
I am currently working on the ability to enter a pin's value directly in the node instead of opening the Properties toolbox and editing the value there. (I plan to include @luzpaz PR after I have finished this.)
These changes are not published yet, because I am not yet sure how to proceed:
- Make PR's to the main repository? (Will they ever be merged?)
- Starting my own repository? (Will I have the time to properly maintain it, because of PyFlow's complexity?)
- Joining forces to make a community maintained repository? (That would actually be my preferred solution)
If AnimationFreeCAD relies on the PyFlow framework, it might be a good idea to set up a common repository (I would suggest codeberg.org, which I use for some other projects – I could do the administrative work). What do you think?
This is great..looks like things are coalescing around PyFlow for FreeCAD. Thank you to all the devs that have contributed their time.
If AnimationFreeCAD relies on the PyFlow framework, it might be a good idea to set up a common repository (I would suggest codeberg.org, which I use for some other projects – I could do the administrative work). What do you think?
@sphh can we have a mirror on github as well that accepts PRs ? Issues + PRs can also be managed on codeberg simultaneously?
I believe it's possible to mirror repositories between github/gitlab/codeberg/… I myself prefer codeberg, because of privacy issues with the other servers.
Do we want to start with the original PyFlow or with the AnimationFreeCADWB?
Good point! Both have quite a lot of commits, so I would expect quite some manual merging :confounded:
What are the main changes/addition of the AnimationFreeCADWB compared to the original PyFlow?
As far as I can see, the AnimationFreeCAD WB uses the original PyFlow, at least I find the same errors e.g. regarding the Drop On Wire functionality. All additional nodes and functions belong to the animation package. In my opinion we could use the original PyFlow as a starting point.
In my opinion we could use the original PyFlow as a starting point.
This makes sense to me
Ah, if the only commits are related to the animation package, then it should be easy: Starting with the original PyFlow both of us could commit our changes without interfering! That would be easy.
So I continued my work in my fork of the original PyFlow, so I can shoot everything upstream when we have a collaborative repo?
Yes, that is the idea!
It is also always possible to mirror it to this repository.