Abstract
CPython is a C-based implementation of Python. It even contains an API. This allows CPython to be used as an external library and linked with a separate application written in C. Functions defined by an “embedding” program may be called via Python script, running on the embedded interpreter. As such, Blender itself embeds a Python interpreter, providing access to some of its own functions. Python-callable functions must be registered using the Python API. This is done by Blender’s python module.
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Notes
- 1.
At the time of this publication, Python 3.7 is the bundled version with Blender 2.83. The corresponding python.org documentation is https://docs.python.org/3.7/extending/embedding.html.
- 2.
You will see reference counting used in the methods added as part of Blender’s extended Python for Blender. The CPython API functions Py_INCREF() and Py_DECREF() are used for counting PyObject references.
- 3.
Incidentally, there is also a call to BaseMath_WriteCallback() in Vector_normalize(). Each PyObject subtype in mathutils may have a callback function. Callbacks are used by mathutils.Matrix (in MatrixObject) and implemented in functions with the suffix *_cb. The Vector_CreatePyObject_cb() allocation function, from mathutils_Vector.c, allocates a mathutils.Vector instance when the callback is invoked.
- 4.
Class methods of mathutils.Vector, i.e., ones that can be called without an instance of the mathutils.Vector class (known as static member functions in C++), have C_* prepended to their identifiers. Python class methods may update class state, but not object state.
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Hollister, B.E. (2021). Blender’s Embedded Python. In: Core Blender Development. Apress, Berkeley, CA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-6415-7_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-6415-7_5
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