VFXWindow

Qt Window class for designing tools to be compatible between multiple VFX programs.

The main purpose of the class is to integrate into the program UI, but it also contains helpful features such as safely dealing with callbacks and automatically saving the window position.

The intended usage is to make your window class inherit VFXWindow - which is an instance of QMainWindow. By calling cls.show(), it will launch the correct window type based on what program is loaded, and what settings were previously saved.

This is perfectly stable, but there is still plenty that needs improvement. Any help with extending existing application support or adding new applications is very much appreciated.

Installation

pip install vfxwindow

Basic Example:

from Qt import QtWidgets
from vfxwindow import VFXWindow

class MyWindow(VFXWindow):
    """Test window to show off some features."""

    WindowID = 'vfx.window.test'
    WindowName = 'My Window'
    WindowDockable = True

    def __init__(self, parent=None, **kwargs):
        super(MyWindow, self).__init__(parent, **kwargs)
        # Setup widgets/build UI here as you normally would
        self.setCentralWidget(QtWidgets.QWidget())

        # Setup callbacks
        self.callbacks.add('file.new', self.afterSceneChange)
        self.callbacks.add('file.load', self.afterSceneChange)
        if self.application == 'Maya':  # Maya supports before/after callbacks
            self.callbacks.add('file.new.before', self.beforeSceneChange)
            self.callbacks.add('file.load.before', self.beforeSceneChange)
        elif self.application in ('Nuke', 'Substance'):  # Nuke and Painter/Designer support close
            self.callbacks.add('file.close', self.beforeSceneChange)

        # Wait until the program is ready before triggering the new scene method
        self.deferred(self.afterSceneChange)

    def afterSceneChange(self, *args):
        """Create the scene specific callbacks.
        These are being created in a callback "group".
        Subgroups are also supported.

        Even though the callback is the same, the signatures can differ.
        See '/vfxwindow/<app>/callbacks.py' for the relevant signatures.
        """
        if self.application == 'Maya':
            self.callbacks['scene'].add('node.add', self.mayaNodeAdded, nodeType='dependNode')
        if self.application == 'Nuke':
            self.callbacks['scene'].add('node.add', self.nukeNodeAdded)

    def beforeSceneChange(self, *args):
        """Delete the scene specific callbacks."""
        self.callbacks['scene'].delete()

    def mayaNodeAdded(self, node, clientData):
        """Print out the node that was added in Maya."""
        import maya.api.OpenMaya as om2
        print('Node was added: {}'.format(om2.MFnDependencyNode(node).name()))

    def nukeNodeAdded(self):
        """Print out the node that was added in Nuke."""
        import nuke
        node = nuke.thisNode()
        print('Node was added: {}'.format(node.name() or 'Root'))

    def checkForChanges(self):
        """Update the UI if it is has been in a "paused" state.

        This is needed for Nuke and Substance Designer/Painter, because
        there's no way to detect if the window is closed or just hidden.
        For safety all callbacks will get paused, and upon unpausing,
        this method will be run to allow the window to correctly update.
        """
        self.beforeSceneChange()
        self.afterSceneChange()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    MyWindow.show()

Support / Compatibility

✔️ Working / ❔ Untested / ❌ Not Working

	Standard Window	Docked Window	Callbacks	Tested Versions	Linux	Windows	MacOs
Maya	✔️	✔️	✔️	2011-2016, 2017+	✔️	✔️	❔
Maya (Standalone)	✔️		✔️		❔	✔️	❔
Nuke	✔️	✔️	✔️	9-14	❔	✔️	❔
Nuke (Terminal)	✔️		✔️		❔	✔️	❔
Houdini	✔️	❌	❌	16-19	✔️	✔️	❔
Unreal Engine	✔️	❌	❌	4.19-4.23, 5.0-5.3	❌	✔️	❔
Blender	✔️	❌	✔️	2.8-4.2	❔	✔️	❔
Blender (Background)	✔️		❔	3.1-4.2	❔	✔️	❔
Katana	✔️	❌	❌	7	❔	✔️	❔
3ds Max	✔️	❌	❌	2018-2020	❔	✔️	❔
Substance Painter	✔️	✔️	✔️	8.3	✔️	✔️	❔
Substance Designer	✔️	✔️	✔️	2019.3, 7.1, 12.3	✔️	✔️	❔
Blackmagic Fusion	✔️	❌	❌	9	❔	✔️	❔
CryEngine Sandbox	✔️	❌	❌	5.7	❔	✔️	❔
Standalone Python	✔️			2.7 (Qt4), 3.7-3.9 (Qt5)	❔	✔️	❔
Natron	✔️	❌	❌	2.5	❔	✔️	❔
RenderDoc	✔️	❌	❌	1.33	❔	✔️	❔

_{* Hover over underlined fields to see any extra details/issues.}

Features

• Automatically save/restore window position
• Automatically dock window to application (if supported)
• Move window to screen if out of bounds (Windows only)
• Register application specific callbacks to be cleaned up on window close
• Keep track of signals to remove groups if required
• Set palette to that of another program
• Auto close if opening a duplicate window
• Close down all windows at once

Running with Non-Python Applications

Certain Windows applications have dispatch based COM interface, which will allow a link between Python and the application. See photoshop-scripting-python for an example on how to connect to an application.

Currently there is no way of launching VFXWindow from inside these applications.

Requirements

• Qt.py

Special Thanks

• Blue Zoo - I've been building this up while working there
• Lior Ben Horin: Simple_MayaDockingClass.py - Used for Maya docking code
• Fredrik Averpil: pyvfx-boilerplate - Used to help with palettes, Nuke, and pre-2017 Maya
• And a shoutout to anyone who has helped contribute to the module.