Start with Js , vbs or Python.

[Nightwalker]

Hi, i'm new to scripting, and I have no coding experience whatsoever...

So... where do I start ? I see there are good (so i've read) dvds from 3dtutorial and 3d quakers but none cover Phyton... I understand phyton is new to xsi but it seems to pop up quite alot in the industry lately, plus people tell me its easier to learn.

Any ideias or recomendations ? thanks

[StephenBlair]

This has been discussed many times, here's a couple of links:

XSI Base Forum - Scripting Lang to learn? (www.xsibase.com/forum/index.php?board=14;action=display;threadid=32430)

Scripting for XSI books, any? (http://groups.google.ca/group/xsi_list/browse_thread/thread/c669321c23b82e87/2fccc9304e99d923?hl=en&q=scripting+language+learn&lnk=ol&#)


I would say JScript or Python.
However, if you are new to scripting and programming, the fact that most of the XSI SDK doc examples are in VBScript could be a hurdle (if you choose JScript or Python).

[Chinny]

If you learn one language now you will most likely find it a long road to move to another one later one. So better make a good choice now :)

While VB and JScript are the best documented, Python will only get better. Scripting takes a while to learn especially interpreting the error messages.

So... learn Python. It is also used in other apps and there are examples on the web too.

Chinny

[StephenBlair]

If you learn one language now you will most likely find it a long road to move to another one later one. So better make a good choice now :)


That depends on the person...I say learn semantics over syntax (http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/archive/2004/03/01/syntax-semantics-micronesian-cults-and-novice-programmers.aspx) :-)

[mantom]

Hi, i'm new to scripting, and I have no coding experience whatsoever...

So... where do I start ? I see there are good (so i've read) dvds from 3dtutorial and 3d quakers but none cover Phyton... I understand phyton is new to xsi but it seems to pop up quite alot in the industry lately, plus people tell me its easier to learn.

Any ideias or recomendations ? thanks


It depends on what you want to achieve and how deep you want to get. Personally, I think JScript is the safe choice, but Python is making a case for itself.

JScript is small and concise which makes it easy to learn. It's a consistent language with very few exceptions to it's own rules (unlike VBscript). It's very versatile as it addresses XSI, the command line, and web development. It's also one of the more popular (read: documented) languages should you need additional resources from a friend or bookstore. You can build your own custom objects and work with them in object oriented ways. JScript has similar syntax to C/C++/Java in case you want to minimize your relearning for future endeavors. It also comes out of the box with XSI. Whenever I professionally students in XSI scripting, I teach using JScript for the above reasons. I'm not sure what other people's experiences are, but every major production I've worked on that uses XSI has used JScript as it's language of choice.

VBScript is largely tied to Microsoft products, so if you move to Linux or some other platform, you might have to pick up a different language depending on what your tasks are. VBscript is not a consistent language and it's constructs tend to differ from most other languages. It's more function based than object oriented even though it has both. While many examples in the SDK docs are VBScript, as XSI has matured JScript and Python are becoming more commonly used in examples as it better reflects what users are actually using.

Python - powerful as it comes with many of it's own libraries. People are adapting to it. Not me personally, but I can see why people would use it. Just be aware you have to install Python yourself if you're going to use it with XSI. Like JScript, Python is object oriented and is quite versatile, but it's a little more on the recent side compared to JScript which is more mature.

I'd recommend evaluating languages in this order:

JScript
Python
VBScript

I say JScript first because if you really need something powerful or better performance than what JScript can provide, chances are you're looking at a compiled language such as C/C++, not another scripting language. I have nothing against Python, but it's not as widely used, that's why I place it 2nd. I strongly discourage use of VBscript except when you're painted into a corner with no other option.....even then I might choose death ;) Regardless of what language you choose, majority of the time you'll be working with the XSI object model, not the individual language extensions. The language is mostly important for communicating with other applications, GUI's, and API's outside of XSI.


Matt

[pboucher]

Thanks for the link.
Love it!

[patrick.n]

The instruction you use to get started is important also. I can't speak for python but for jscript, Helge Mathee's 'getting started with scripting' (from 3dTutorial.com) is an excellent intro and will have you doing the business very quickly.
It also depends on what level you are aiming for. Do you just want to automate the odd repetitive task and hack tools together, or do you want to be a Proper Programmer?

Cheers,
Patrick



p.s... start with jscript ;)

[Ces]

Personally, I'm using JScript for the little script work i do. The reason for this is just that i picked up C/C++ a few years ago and it's syntax becomes a lot more readable than Python or VBScript.

[Nightwalker]

Thank's for all the replies and links, patrick.n, no I have no plans to become a proper programer or pipeline td or the sorts, my focus is on animation/rigging .

On a post a xsibase, someone said to be learning scripting in python using 3dtutorial jscript DVDs, would that be a bad Ideia ? I'm still inclined to Python because I use max at my job...

[StephenBlair]

That depends...do you know JScript well enough to convert it into Python, without having to stop and learn enough JScript to understand what the code is doing?

[Nightwalker]

Well... no... I get your point... :(

[thiago]

Hey guys,

In the same topic I wanna ask about C#... what do you guys think about it?
I know Jscript and I've quite good understanding of general programming concepts...
I was starting with python and then I start to look to C#... so I got pretty lost :P

C# sounds good and the syntax looks easier for me... while Python has a bunch more information specially inside XSI.

So which way should I go? Right now I'm not focusing on learn any other languages as I can do pretty much everything I need with Jscript. But I know that I will eventually benefit of use a more "powerful" language, if that's the right word for that.

Thanks.

[thiago]

Just to link to this...

How to Think like a computer scientist, Learning with Python
http://openbookproject.net//thinkCSpy/

this is a very very good book about Python and general programming concepts

[Photon]

Hi

I will propose ...

start with Jscript


Finally use:

|---------> Python <----------|