VSG Python Bindings

[rainergericke]

Are there plans for Python bindings to VSG?

[robertosfield]

I don't have any personal plans. I don't have C++/Python expertise so can't comment on how difficult this would be to add.

I also don't know of work in the community related to Python support, but the nature of open source doesn't mean that folks aren't tinkering away.

Do you know of other C++ projects that have been able to create and maintain Python bindings? What tools are available to assist this?

[rainergericke]

Yes the chrono::project is a C++ project and has also Python bindings. There is also a Python binding to Qt. Since we plan to replace Irrlicht3d with VSG, it would be great to have also a Python binding. I am not a Python expert, but it is quite popular in Universities.
There are a couple of tools for generation of wrapper codes. In chrono::project we use SWIG, but there are e few problems with the generated code. An other tool is pybind11. It looks more sophisticated at c++ class support.

[AnyOldName3]

I'm not sure the VSG lends itself to having Python bindings as you're still in charge of a lot of the kinds of things that people use Python to avoid.

If it were to go ahead anyway, based on my experience of using several different Python/C++ interop systems, I think it would be silly to use anything other than pybind11.

[robertosfield]

In @rainergericke's project they already mix C++ Python so will be living the limitations/awkwardness with mixing the two.

Are you familiar with projects using pybind11?

[AnyOldName3]

pybind11 is basically boost::python but with all the Boost stuff stripped out as everything it depended on was incorporated into the STL by C++11, so it builds in a fraction of the time. Back in 2018 I did a big revamp of Mod Organizer 2's Python plugin interface https://github.com/ModOrganizer2/modorganizer-plugin_python, which used boost::python for most classes and functions, but also SIP for Qt stuff. It's since been ported to pybind11.

[rainergericke]

Thanks for the hints. It helps us to get into the correct direction. As our libraries are growing bigger and bigger over the years, I have a question about tools that can generate binding code automatically (AutoWIG, robotpy-build, litgen). Can you give a recommendation from your experience?

[AnyOldName3]

I've never used anything completely automatic. I'd be unsurprised if pybind11 gains an automatic mode once C++26 is mainstream and reflection is finally available, though.

[robertosfield]

Another approach that I have wondered about is whether we can generated some level of 3rd party language integration via the read/write mechanism built into the VSG.

The VSG doesn't have the method calls reflected in this interface, but if it's sufficient to just read members and then write members then sync in one "write" operation then some basic level of being able to interrogate and then set the scene should be possible.