PyQtForSoftimage is a plugin for hosting PyQt applications inside Softimage's interface.

The PyQtForSoftimage plugin source code contains work contributed by other open source projects, specifically the work done by Jo Benayoun which is released under GPLv3. The CMake system and the python events plugin are released under the "New BSD" license. The FindSoftimage CMake module was contributed by Alan Jones and released under AGPL. The copyright notices can be found in files named LICENSE in the respective source directories.

This is for users who are just installing the provided addon. These instructions describe how to use the plugin with system installed version of Python. All requirements needed to use system Python inside Softimage must be met first. These instructions are listed below...

1. Install Python. This plugin was tested with version 2.7 but can work with older versions.
2. Install pywin32 217.
3. Install PyQt.
4. In Softimage, uncheck "Use Python Installed with Softimage (Windows Only)" from Preferences/Scripting.
5. Install PyQtForSoftimage addon.
6. Run example scripts...

If you want to use native Python installed with Softimage, you must install PyQt4 into a location which Softimage can import from. Either you install PyQt4 directly into Softimage's Python install "Softimage Version\Application\python\Lib\site-packages" or make sure you put the PyQt4 installation directory on the module search path.

These instructions are not complete yet!

This section is only for users wishing to customize PyQtForSoftimage.

PyQtForSoftimage has been developed under Windows, support for Linux is untested.

PyQtForSoftimage has been built and tested with the following dependencies...

• CMake 2.8.5 http://cmake.org/cmake/resources/software.html
• Qt 4.7.2 http://qt.nokia.com/downloads
• PyQt 4.8.5 http://www.riverbankcomputing.co.uk/software/pyqt/download
• Python 2.7.2 http://www.python.org/download/

Compling Qt from source can be quite an involved process, its advised to obtain the precompiled binaries. Nokia provides them on their site but they are only for 32-bit, instead you can find precompiled 64-bit libraries here...

http://code.google.com/p/qt-msvc-installer/

Once you have installed all the dependencies get the source code either by downloading the source archive directly from github or obtaining a distributed version control system like git or mecurial (with hg-git plugin). Information on setting up git is available from http://help.github.com/.

Now you can run CMake on the source directory and it will generate the necessary project files for compiling.

At this time you will need to move the plugin files to a plugin/addon directory by hand. Copy QtSoftimage.dll, qtevents.py, sisignals.py, pyqt_example.py and the Qt module directory to a plugins directory and Restart Softimage.

incomplete support for PySide is available now. The Qt module which is now in the source tree handles the switch between PyQt or PySide. You should call Qt.initialize() at the top of your files... it currently favors PySide over PyQt so if you have both installed but want to use one or the other you can pass in "PySide" or "PyQt4".

   # favors PySide
   import Qt
   Qt.initialize()

   # forces PyQt4
   import Qt
   Qt.initialize("PyQt4")