Author: Lisa

Buzzards on the Roof

The buzzards used to hang out in this old, dead tree across the street; and, after the rain, they would spread their wings and dry out. The tree fell a while ago; but, now that our roof is stable … we’ve got buzzards airing out their wings on the roof.

Blender API: List All Items in a Collection

Instead of iterating through all objects, you can iterate through the items in a specific collection:

import bpy

# Name of the collection to inspect
collection_name = "TestCollection"

collection = bpy.data.collections.get(collection_name)

if collection is None:
    print(f"Collection '{collection_name}' not found.")
else:
    print(f"Objects in collection '{collection_name}':")
    for obj in collection.objects:
        print(f"- {obj.name}")

Printing to the console:

For this sample workspace that contains a torus and sphere with the default names

Blender API: Finding The Orange Dot

A quick script to get each object and the location of the “orange dot” … the origin of the object

# Get location of orange dot for each object in Blender
import bpy

scene = bpy.context.scene
us = scene.unit_settings

unit_system = getattr(us, "system", "NONE")  # 'NONE', 'METRIC', 'IMPERIAL'

meters_per_bu = us.scale_length if unit_system != 'NONE' else 1.0
mm_per_bu = meters_per_bu * 1000.0

for obj in bpy.data.objects:
    if obj.type != 'MESH':
        continue

    origin_world = obj.matrix_world.translation          # in BU
    origin_world_mm = origin_world * mm_per_bu           # in mm

    print(f"Object: {obj.name}")
    print(f"  origin_world (BU): {origin_world.x:.6f}, {origin_world.y:.6f}, {origin_world.z:.6f}")
    print(f"  origin_world (mm): {origin_world_mm.x:.3f}, {origin_world_mm.y:.3f}, {origin_world_mm.z:.3f}")
    print("-" * 30)

Blender API: Bending a 2D Rectangle

Another attempt to create a t-post bracket using a script. This creates a 2D rectangle, bends it, and then solidifies it into a 3d object.

import bpy
import bmesh
import math
from mathutils import Vector, Matrix

# -----------------------------
# Reset / clear scene
# -----------------------------
for obj in list(bpy.data.objects):
    bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)

# -----------------------------
# Scene units: mm (1 BU = 1 mm)
# -----------------------------
scene = bpy.context.scene
scene.unit_settings.system = 'METRIC'
scene.unit_settings.scale_length = 0.001

INCH_TO_MM = 25.4
def inch(x):  # returns mm (Blender units)
    return x * INCH_TO_MM

# -----------------------------
# Parameters
# -----------------------------
size_x_in = 3.0
size_y_in = 7.0
thickness_in = 0.25  # SOLIDIFY thickness

fold1_offset_in = 0.5   # from MIN-Y end
fold2_offset_in = 2.0   # from MIN-Y end

fold1_rad = math.radians(-80.0)
fold2_rad = math.radians(80.0)

subdivide_cuts = 60
EPS_Y = 1e-5  # mm tolerance for "on the fold line"

# -----------------------------
# Create flat sheet (plane)
# -----------------------------
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_plane_add(size=1.0, location=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0))
obj = bpy.context.active_object
obj.name = "Bracket"
obj.dimensions = (inch(size_x_in), inch(size_y_in), 0.0)
bpy.ops.object.transform_apply(location=False, rotation=False, scale=True)

# Subdivide for clean fold lines
bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='EDIT')
bpy.ops.mesh.select_all(action='SELECT')
bpy.ops.mesh.subdivide(number_cuts=subdivide_cuts)
bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='OBJECT')

# Compute fold Y positions
half_y = inch(size_y_in) / 2.0
min_y = -half_y
y_fold1 = min_y + inch(fold1_offset_in)
y_fold2 = min_y + inch(fold2_offset_in)

# Add both fold lines
bm = bmesh.new()
bm.from_mesh(obj.data)

for y_fold in (y_fold1, y_fold2):
    geom = bm.verts[:] + bm.edges[:] + bm.faces[:]
    bmesh.ops.bisect_plane(
        bm,
        geom=geom,
        plane_co=Vector((0.0, y_fold, 0.0)),
        plane_no=Vector((0.0, 1.0, 0.0)),
        clear_inner=False,
        clear_outer=False
    )

bm.normal_update()
bm.to_mesh(obj.data)
bm.free()

# -----------------------------
# Re-open bmesh, store ORIGINAL Y per vertex
# -----------------------------
bm = bmesh.new()
bm.from_mesh(obj.data)
bm.verts.ensure_lookup_table()

orig_y_layer = bm.verts.layers.float.new("orig_y")
for v in bm.verts:
    v[orig_y_layer] = v.co.y

# ============================================================
# FOLD 1
# ============================================================
hinge_verts_1 = [v for v in bm.verts if abs(v[orig_y_layer] - y_fold1) < EPS_Y]
if not hinge_verts_1:
    raise RuntimeError("No hinge vertices found for fold 1. Increase subdivide_cuts or EPS_Y.")

hinge_point_1 = Vector((0.0, 0.0, 0.0))
for v in hinge_verts_1:
    hinge_point_1 += v.co
hinge_point_1 /= len(hinge_verts_1)

verts_to_rotate_1 = [v for v in bm.verts if v[orig_y_layer] > (y_fold1 + EPS_Y)]
rot1 = Matrix.Rotation(fold1_rad, 4, 'X')
bmesh.ops.rotate(bm, verts=verts_to_rotate_1, cent=hinge_point_1, matrix=rot1)

# ============================================================
# FOLD 2
# ============================================================
hinge_verts_2 = [v for v in bm.verts if abs(v[orig_y_layer] - y_fold2) < EPS_Y]
if not hinge_verts_2:
    raise RuntimeError("No hinge vertices found for fold 2. Increase subdivide_cuts or EPS_Y.")

hinge_point_2 = Vector((0.0, 0.0, 0.0))
for v in hinge_verts_2:
    hinge_point_2 += v.co
hinge_point_2 /= len(hinge_verts_2)

verts_to_rotate_2 = [v for v in bm.verts if v[orig_y_layer] > (y_fold2 + EPS_Y)]
rot2 = Matrix.Rotation(fold2_rad, 4, 'X')
bmesh.ops.rotate(bm, verts=verts_to_rotate_2, cent=hinge_point_2, matrix=rot2)

# Write back mesh
bm.normal_update()
bm.to_mesh(obj.data)
bm.free()

# -----------------------------
# Solidify AFTER folding
# -----------------------------
solid = obj.modifiers.new(name="Solidify_0p5in", type='SOLIDIFY')
solid.thickness = inch(thickness_in)  # 0.5"
solid.offset = 0.0                    # centered thickness (equal on both sides)
solid.use_even_offset = True
solid.use_rim = True

# Optional: keep object active
bpy.ops.object.select_all(action='DESELECT')
obj.select_set(True)
bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = obj

Blender API: Playing with Cylinders

This script was mostly made to play around with rotation on cylinders.

import bpy
import math

# Delete all existing objects
for obj in list(bpy.data.objects):
    bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)

for i in range(4):
    bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cylinder_add(
        radius=0.5,
        depth=10.0,
        location=(0, 0.0, 0.0),
        rotation=((i * 5.5), 0.0, 0.0)
    )

    cyl = bpy.context.active_object
    cyl.name = f"DemoCylinderX{i}"

for i in range(4):
    bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cylinder_add(
        radius=0.5,
        depth=10.0,
        location=(0, 0.0, 0.0),
        rotation=(0.0, (i * 5.5), 0.0)
    )

    cyl = bpy.context.active_object
    cyl.name = f"DemoCylinderY{i}"

# cyl.rotation_euler = (15.0,13.0,12.0)

# Or single-axis rotation
# Rotate 45 degrees about X axis
#cyl.rotation_euler[0] = math.radians(45.0)


Querying the RPC Endpoint Mapper

A lot of RPC services start out on a standard port (TCP port 135) and then move over to a dynamically allocated port. Fortunately, there’s a way to ask the RPC endpoint mapper what services are available and what port(s) have been assigned to that service. It uses the portqry command:

C:\PortQryV2>portqry -n host2043.servers.example.com -e 135 -p tcp -v

Note: the -v option only displays extra data in local mode

Querying target system called:

 host2043.servers.example.com

Attempting to resolve name to IP address...


Name resolved to 10.237.73.103

querying...

TCP port 135 (epmap service): LISTENING

Using ephemeral source port
Querying Endpoint Mapper Database...
Server's response:

UUID: 04eeb297-cbf4-466b-8a2a-bfd6a2f10bba EFSK RPC Interface
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\efsrpc]

UUID: 367abb81-9844-35f1-ad32-98f038001003
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50007]

UUID: 91ae6020-9e3c-11cf-8d7c-00aa00c091be
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\cert]

UUID: 91ae6020-9e3c-11cf-8d7c-00aa00c091be
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50006]

UUID: 29770a8f-829b-4158-90a2-78cd488501f7
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\SessEnvPublicRpc]

UUID: 29770a8f-829b-4158-90a2-78cd488501f7
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50004]

UUID: 7f1343fe-50a9-4927-a778-0c5859517bac DfsDs service
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\wkssvc]

UUID: f6beaff7-1e19-4fbb-9f8f-b89e2018337c Windows Event Log
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\eventlog]

UUID: f6beaff7-1e19-4fbb-9f8f-b89e2018337c Windows Event Log
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50002]

UUID: 1ff70682-0a51-30e8-076d-740be8cee98b
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\atsvc]

UUID: 378e52b0-c0a9-11cf-822d-00aa0051e40f
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\atsvc]

UUID: 33d84484-3626-47ee-8c6f-e7e98b113be1
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\atsvc]

UUID: 86d35949-83c9-4044-b424-db363231fd0c
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\atsvc]

UUID: 86d35949-83c9-4044-b424-db363231fd0c
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50003]

UUID: 3a9ef155-691d-4449-8d05-09ad57031823
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\atsvc]

UUID: 3a9ef155-691d-4449-8d05-09ad57031823
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50003]

UUID: c9ac6db5-82b7-4e55-ae8a-e464ed7b4277 Impl friendly name
ncacn_hvsocket:host2043.servers.example.com[F58797F6-C9F3-4D63-9BD4-E52AC020E586]

UUID: 76f226c3-ec14-4325-8a99-6a46348418af
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\InitShutdown]

UUID: d95afe70-a6d5-4259-822e-2c84da1ddb0d
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\PIPE\\InitShutdown]

UUID: d95afe70-a6d5-4259-822e-2c84da1ddb0d
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50001]

UUID: 12345778-1234-abcd-ef00-0123456789ac
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\lsass]

UUID: 12345778-1234-abcd-ef00-0123456789ac
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50000]

UUID: 0b1c2170-5732-4e0e-8cd3-d9b16f3b84d7 RemoteAccessCheck
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\lsass]

UUID: 0b1c2170-5732-4e0e-8cd3-d9b16f3b84d7 RemoteAccessCheck
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50000]

UUID: 0b1c2170-5732-4e0e-8cd3-d9b16f3b84d7 RemoteAccessCheck
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50005]

UUID: 0b1c2170-5732-4e0e-8cd3-d9b16f3b84d7 RemoteAccessCheck
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\lsass]

UUID: 0b1c2170-5732-4e0e-8cd3-d9b16f3b84d7 RemoteAccessCheck
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50000]

UUID: 0b1c2170-5732-4e0e-8cd3-d9b16f3b84d7 RemoteAccessCheck
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50005]

UUID: b25a52bf-e5dd-4f4a-aea6-8ca7272a0e86 KeyIso
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\lsass]

UUID: b25a52bf-e5dd-4f4a-aea6-8ca7272a0e86 KeyIso
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50000]

UUID: b25a52bf-e5dd-4f4a-aea6-8ca7272a0e86 KeyIso
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50005]

UUID: 8fb74744-b2ff-4c00-be0d-9ef9a191fe1b Ngc Pop Key Service
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\lsass]

UUID: 8fb74744-b2ff-4c00-be0d-9ef9a191fe1b Ngc Pop Key Service
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50000]

UUID: 8fb74744-b2ff-4c00-be0d-9ef9a191fe1b Ngc Pop Key Service
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50005]

UUID: 51a227ae-825b-41f2-b4a9-1ac9557a1018 Ngc Pop Key Service
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\lsass]

UUID: 51a227ae-825b-41f2-b4a9-1ac9557a1018 Ngc Pop Key Service
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50000]

UUID: 51a227ae-825b-41f2-b4a9-1ac9557a1018 Ngc Pop Key Service
ncacn_ip_tcp:host2043.servers.example.com[50005]

UUID: df1941c5-fe89-4e79-bf10-463657acf44d EFS RPC Interface
ncacn_np:host2043.servers.example.com[\\pipe\\efsrpc]

Total endpoints found: 38



==== End of RPC Endpoint Mapper query response ====




Blender Scripting Lesson of the Week: Beveling

We were playing around with bevels this week – it’s pretty straight forward, the API lets you set the parameters you set through the GUI in a bevel modifier.

import bpy

# Clear all existing objects
for obj in list(bpy.data.objects):
    bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)

# Set Units
scene = bpy.context.scene
scene.unit_settings.system = 'METRIC'
scene.unit_settings.scale_length = 0.001  # 1 BU = 1 mm

# Create rectangular cube
bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cube_add(location=(0, 0, 0))
block = bpy.context.active_object
block.name = "Block"

# cube default size is 2x2x2, so set absolute dimensions
block.dimensions = (2.0, 20.0, 0.25)
bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = block
block.select_set(True)

# Apply scale so booleans/bevel behave predictably
bpy.ops.object.transform_apply(location=False, rotation=False, scale=True)

# Create cylinder cutter
hole_diameter = 1.0
hole_radius = hole_diameter / 2.0

# Make it longer than the block thickness so it fully cuts through
cutter_depth = 5.0

bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cylinder_add(
    vertices=64,
    radius=hole_radius,
    depth=cutter_depth,
    location=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0),   # center of the block
    rotation=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
)
cutter = bpy.context.active_object
cutter.name = "HoleCutter"

bpy.ops.object.transform_apply(location=False, rotation=False, scale=True)

# Boolean: cut hole
bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = block
bool_mod = block.modifiers.new(name="Hole", type='BOOLEAN')
bool_mod.operation = 'DIFFERENCE'
bool_mod.solver = 'EXACT'
bool_mod.object = cutter

# Apply boolean
bpy.ops.object.modifier_apply(modifier=bool_mod.name)

# Hide cutter in viewport + renders
cutter.hide_set(True)
cutter.hide_render = True

# Bevel the block
bevel_width = 0.08 
bevel_segments = 5

bevel_mod = block.modifiers.new(name="Bevel", type='BEVEL')
bevel_mod.width = bevel_width
bevel_mod.segments = bevel_segments
bevel_mod.limit_method = 'ANGLE'
bevel_mod.angle_limit = 0.523599  # 30 degrees in radians

# Apply bevel
bpy.ops.object.modifier_apply(modifier=bevel_mod.name)

Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten free flour (King Arthur Flour’s “Measure-for-measure”)
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermillk powder + 2 cups water (or 2 cups of buttermilk!)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp psyllium husk fiber (finely ground powder)

Method:

Combine all dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients. Allow batter to sit for about ten minutes and add more water as needed – the gluten free flour absorbs a LOT of water. Then cook pancakes.