Any Python IDE that works similar to Maya's script editor?

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Panupat Chongstitwattana

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Jun 4, 2015, 11:51:00 PM6/4/15
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I really enjoy how the scripting in Maya is like 1 continuous session. Meaning I can import something once and keep on running its method over and over. Also enjoy how I can high light parts of my code and execute only that without losing the code.

Any IDE out there that offers similar functionality?

Joe Weidenbach

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Jun 5, 2015, 1:09:41 AM6/5/15
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I personally use WingIDE, which can be configured to send commands to maya (basically replacing the script editor).  Also, it includes a built-in Python shell that lets you test concepts in real-time, line by line.

I'm currently learning SublimeText, which is WAAAY easier to set up with maya--you just have to install Justin's Maya Plugin and set up a commandPort in Maya, and it works.  I'm brand new to Sublime (as in just started playing with it tonight), but I'm absolutely loving working with it.  I still like Wing for it's Python integration and Step-Through debugging, but it's beyond possible that can be set up in Sublime as well from what I'm seeing.  I'm sure a Sublime user can step in and say more though.

On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 8:51 PM, Panupat Chongstitwattana <panu...@gmail.com> wrote:
I really enjoy how the scripting in Maya is like 1 continuous session. Meaning I can import something once and keep on running its method over and over. Also enjoy how I can high light parts of my code and execute only that without losing the code.

Any IDE out there that offers similar functionality?

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chri...@gmail.com

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Jun 5, 2015, 4:02:48 AM6/5/15
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I really love SublimeText; been using it since I discovered it.

As Joe said, you can send code to maya and it works just the way you want it to (you can high light parts of your code and execute only that)

It communicates through sockets and what I've done is to open those whenever I start maya. So I can always just start maya & sublime and start coding without the need of configuring it again (or opening the ports again).

Here are some useful thinks if you're interested.

http://fredrik.averpil.com/post/55507118045

https://github.com/justinfx/MayaSublime

https://github.com/srusskih/SublimeJEDI

Marcus Ottosson

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Jun 5, 2015, 4:14:47 AM6/5/15
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I'm not sure this answers the Panupat's question.

The way I understood it, he wanted to know if there was an editor *except* Maya's internal script editor that also keeps the session alive between runs. And though I'm sure there are (there must be?) the only one I can think of is either the Python interpreter itself, or IPython which is more or less the same thing.

The real benefit of the Maya Script Editor over either of those however is that can run multiple lines at once, while at the same time also letting you run any line independently, like Panupat said. I haven't seen any editor do that, but now that I think of it, that would be very useful.

The closest thing I can think of, speaking of Sublime, would be SublimeREPL.


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Alan Fregtman

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Jun 5, 2015, 1:33:57 PM6/5/15
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SublimeMaya (and similar plugins) sends commands to Maya via its "commandport" so I don't see why it would not keep the session any differently than running code from Maya's script editor would.

I'm pretty sure Maya doesn't make a distinction between commandport code vs script editor code as far as the evaluation environment is concerned.


Robert White

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Jun 5, 2015, 2:47:38 PM6/5/15
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Sounds like you're looking for more of a live coding environment than an IDE.
The thing to keep in mind with Maya is that you're sort of dealing with a constantly running interpreter, not a development environment.

Happily though there are some python tools that do work similarly.
I use iPython a lot, it has an enhanced interpreter mode, a Qt based console mode (which is an extra pretty interpreter + toys), and then the notebook web interface mode. That one is rather awesome to work with as you can rerun cells at any time, much like the "hightlight + run" option you get inside maya.

Another enhanced interpreter you can try out is dreampie, the interface looks more like Maya's with the split between a space for entering code, and a space for results. It can be a bit finicky about comments and docstrings when doing huge copy / pastes, and I can't remember if you can do partial execution (its been a few years since the last time I used it).

And of course there is also the option of doing work in a IDE / editor, and using Maya's commandport to send code over. Justin's MayaSublime package is pretty awesome for this, and I know someone has made a similar set of tools for both PyCharm and Eclipse.

Justin Israel

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Jun 5, 2015, 5:06:29 PM6/5/15
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On Sat, Jun 6, 2015 at 6:47 AM Robert White <robert....@gmail.com> wrote:
Sounds like you're looking for more of a live coding environment than an IDE.
The thing to keep in mind with Maya is that you're sort of dealing with a constantly running interpreter, not a development environment.

That's really the key distinction here.  The script editor is an auxiliary interface to send commands to an embedded interpreter. So it makes a lot more sense to be able to execute arbitrary snippets from a body of code, since it is more like sending control statements. But a proper development environment is meant for developing valid units of code, so it would take plugins (as Marcus mentioned for REPL support) or specific dev environments geared for toying with snippets (like ipython notebook). 


Happily though there are some python tools that do work similarly.
I use iPython a lot, it has an enhanced interpreter mode, a Qt based console mode (which is an extra pretty interpreter + toys), and then the notebook web interface mode. That one is rather awesome to work with as you can rerun cells at any time, much like the "hightlight + run" option you get inside maya.

Another enhanced interpreter you can try out is dreampie, the interface looks more like Maya's with the split between a space for entering code, and a space for results. It can be a bit finicky about comments and docstrings when doing huge copy / pastes, and I can't remember if you can do partial execution (its been a few years since the last time I used it).

And of course there is also the option of doing work in a IDE / editor, and using Maya's commandport to send code over. Justin's MayaSublime package is pretty awesome for this, and I know someone has made a similar set of tools for both PyCharm and Eclipse.



On Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 10:51:00 PM UTC-5, Panupat Chongstitwattana wrote:
I really enjoy how the scripting in Maya is like 1 continuous session. Meaning I can import something once and keep on running its method over and over. Also enjoy how I can high light parts of my code and execute only that without losing the code.

Any IDE out there that offers similar functionality?

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Marcus Ottosson

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Jun 7, 2015, 4:38:06 PM6/7/15
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Here we go: http://www.paulwinex.ru/multi-script-editor-v2-0/

In standalone mode, looks exactly like what the OP is asking for.


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Panupat Chongstitwattana

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Jun 7, 2015, 11:00:17 PM6/7/15
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@Marcus that is a very interesting looking script. I'm going to give it a try together with Dreampie. Thanks guys :)

I'm taking a few Python courses on Coursera and as strange as it sound I'm using Maya script editor as my main IDE haha... I've also been using PyCharm when I'm scripting a complete stand-alone apps and although it's not quite a live environment, it works great and I enjoy it a lot. Still trying to learn more about debugging.




On Monday, June 8, 2015 at 3:38:06 AM UTC+7, Marcus Ottosson wrote:
Here we go: http://www.paulwinex.ru/multi-script-editor-v2-0/

In standalone mode, looks exactly like what the OP is asking for.
On 5 June 2015 at 22:06, Justin Israel <justin...@gmail.com> wrote:


On Sat, Jun 6, 2015 at 6:47 AM Robert White <robert....@gmail.com> wrote:
Sounds like you're looking for more of a live coding environment than an IDE.
The thing to keep in mind with Maya is that you're sort of dealing with a constantly running interpreter, not a development environment.

That's really the key distinction here.  The script editor is an auxiliary interface to send commands to an embedded interpreter. So it makes a lot more sense to be able to execute arbitrary snippets from a body of code, since it is more like sending control statements. But a proper development environment is meant for developing valid units of code, so it would take plugins (as Marcus mentioned for REPL support) or specific dev environments geared for toying with snippets (like ipython notebook). 


Happily though there are some python tools that do work similarly.
I use iPython a lot, it has an enhanced interpreter mode, a Qt based console mode (which is an extra pretty interpreter + toys), and then the notebook web interface mode. That one is rather awesome to work with as you can rerun cells at any time, much like the "hightlight + run" option you get inside maya.

Another enhanced interpreter you can try out is dreampie, the interface looks more like Maya's with the split between a space for entering code, and a space for results. It can be a bit finicky about comments and docstrings when doing huge copy / pastes, and I can't remember if you can do partial execution (its been a few years since the last time I used it).

And of course there is also the option of doing work in a IDE / editor, and using Maya's commandport to send code over. Justin's MayaSublime package is pretty awesome for this, and I know someone has made a similar set of tools for both PyCharm and Eclipse.



On Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 10:51:00 PM UTC-5, Panupat Chongstitwattana wrote:
I really enjoy how the scripting in Maya is like 1 continuous session. Meaning I can import something once and keep on running its method over and over. Also enjoy how I can high light parts of my code and execute only that without losing the code.

Any IDE out there that offers similar functionality?

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AK Eric

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Jun 10, 2015, 9:08:26 PM6/10/15
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I use Wing, like Joe mentioned above.  I have a # of examples showing how you can use it as a Script Editor replacement:  Highlight code in it, it executes in Maya, just like the Script Editor, either mel or Python.  A 'very live' coding environment.  Same functionality as the SE, + soooo much more:

Joe Weidenbach

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Jun 11, 2015, 1:28:53 PM6/11/15
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I endorse this. In fact, Eric's site is where I figured out how to hook everything up :)  Shameless plug, one of the best "How to accomplish Random Task X in Maya" sites out there, one of my favorite places to refer people :)

On Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 1:08 AM, AK Eric <war...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
I use Wing, like Joe mentioned above.  I have a # of examples showing how you can use it as a Script Editor replacement:  Highlight code in it, it executes in Maya, just like the Script Editor, either mel or Python.  A 'very live' coding environment.  Same functionality as the SE, + soooo much more:

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Marcus Ottosson

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Jun 11, 2015, 4:21:58 PM6/11/15
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But the question wasn't about how to communicate with Maya, it was about finding an editor that works like Maya.​
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