Running python script in Blender

Question

I installed Blender 2.6 and I'm trying to run a script called drawcar.py (Which uses PyOpenGL)

I looked around the documentation for importing a script and could only access Blender's python console.

How do I run drawcar.py from the Linux terminal with Blender?

_For sake of completeness_ (since this SO page is high on Googles results) -- there is a comprehensive and canonical introduction page in the official documentation. Just as usual, it is somewhat hidden :-D [Python API Overview¶](https://docs.blender.org/api/blender_python_api_current/info_overview.html) This page describes how Python is integrated and lists all the ways to start python scripts or integrate as extension. — Ichthyo, Feb 09 '19 at 02:34

score 39 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 02 '12 at 00:54

39

You can also execute the following code in the python console to execute an external script without opening it up in the text editor:

filename = "/full/path/to/myscript.py"
exec(compile(open(filename).read(), filename, 'exec'))

The above code comes from the following link:

Blender - Tips and Tricks

answered Oct 02 '12 at 00:54

Raunaq

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Waaay easier than the accepted answer and doesn't require constant re-load when making changes – JeffThompson Nov 02 '18 at 10:49
But whenever I try to run the script, it reruns the entire script and doesn't delete the last one and mixing both scripts. – Heisenberg Sep 19 '20 at 17:58

score 35 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 06 '21 at 15:36

35

Open a Text Editor view in Blender.
Press Alt + O, or go to Text>Open Text Block and open the .py file
Then simply press Run script :D

P.s. Instead of opening a file in step 2, you can also hit the "+ New" button and create a new script instead.

Note : In newer versions the Run Script button label has been replaced with a Play icon :

edited Jan 06 '21 at 15:36

Gorgious

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answered Jul 22 '12 at 22:44

Ertyui

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Thanks, I just figured this out but I don't see a way to see the output of running the script. I checked Blender's console--nothing! – CyberShot Jul 22 '12 at 23:00
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It's not in the console of blender, unfortunately. It's in the terminal window of Blender. For linux/osx, you'll have to run blender from the terminal. And I think for windows there previously was a commandline window opened up alongside of blender. You can still turn this on in the help menu, as stated by this article: http://www.blender.org/documentation/blender_python_api_2_59_2/info_tips_and_tricks.html It could also be in the File menu though. – Ertyui Jul 22 '12 at 23:17
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Hi, I have press the run script button but unfortunately it gives me error "Python script fails. look in the console for now" And in console there is nothing. So how can i guess what error with script? Tried to run this with python console using this filename = "/Users/sandeepsingh/Desktop/objc.py" exec(compile(open(filename).read(), filename, 'exec')) Traceback (most recent call last): File "", line 1, in File "/Users/sandeepsingh/Desktop/objc.py", line 9, in import Blender ImportError: No module named 'Blender' but here shows me error too ? – Sandeep Singh Jan 16 '13 at 11:44
Any help will be appreciated..Blender version is 2.65a. – Sandeep Singh Jan 16 '13 at 11:46
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In windows you can show the Blender system console by going to the menu Window -> Toggle System Console – Mr Bell Oct 06 '13 at 16:50
even though the original question is not asking for it, I would edit the answer to add in step 2 : "or click on "+" to create a new text and paste your text", since this stackexchange page comes first in a google search for "run python script in blender". – ChameleonScales Aug 13 '17 at 22:20
I've added a P.s. Adding it to step 2 would make the sentence too long ;) – Ertyui Aug 15 '17 at 07:57

score 17 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 18 '19 at 18:18

17

this answer is too late, but to help anyone with the same problem

via the terminal:

blender yourblendfilenameorpath --python drawcar.py

from the man pages

       -P or --python <filename>
              Run the given Python script file.

edited Sep 18 '19 at 18:18

Nick Brady

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answered Apr 19 '17 at 16:46

enas

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Is it possible to pass arguments to the python script? – Nagabhushan S N May 19 '22 at 12:44

score 16 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 31 '15 at 14:42

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To run a script by another script or from console:

import bpy

script = bpy.data.texts["script_name.py"]
exec(script.as_string())

answered Mar 31 '15 at 14:42

Jerryno

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 05 '12 at 18:42

It is likely that drawcar.py is trying to perform pyOpenGL commands inside Blender, and that won't work without modification. I suspect you are getting some import errors too (if you look at the command console). Blender has it's own internal python wrapper for opengl called bgl, which does include a lot of the opengl standards, but all prefixed by bgl.

If you have a link to drawcar.py I can have a look at it and tell you what's going on.

Running python script in Blender

5 Answers5