I just updated to blender 4.1 I (been a while since I tried getting my head around blender) was going to ask what I could do about this message that appears in the Dos type window:

Using Python 2.4

'import site' failed; use -v for traceback

That's what it said - should I be doing anything about it?

Second question: I see that version 4.2 is out already, will updating to that solve the 'import site' failed; thing?

No need to worry about that message.

The site module is part of a full Python installation.

I'm awfully sorry, but I don't understand your answer, for instance: - what's a "site module"?

What's a full python installation?  Do I have one?  Do I need one?  Where can I get one?

I know that python is something that works in the background of Blender but I don't know what it does or how essential it is, so I'm kinda lost here.  Sorry.

If you need a full Python installation, a script will say so and you'll need to get one, otherwise not having one won't have any affect.
You can download one from -> http://www.python.org/download/
Currently version 2.4 is the one you need.
The site module is documented -> http://docs.python.org/lib/module-site.html

That just lets you know that Blender is looking for python, but it can't find it.  You probably don't have it installed.  The message isn't an error, blender itself and all the scripts that come with it will work just fine, but some (a very few) python scripts that you can download off the internet may not work.

4.2 would have the same import site failed message, I believe, but either way you don't need to worry about it.

Right, right.  I'll get 4.2 then and just go back to playing.  (especially as I haven't downloaded any scripts)

Thanks, nruddock and haloedrain.

Well I can't play, been spending all day trying to find out how to move the perspective camera around.

I just can't do it.  I guess it's static, fixed, it's certainly unmoveable for me.  But that's ridiculous! every other 3D prog lets you move the perspective about, so that you can see your model from different angles, so there must be a way to do it with this program too... Only I've spent all day hunting through the (extremely slow to load) online manual, with no luck apart from a brief hint on page...  Can't even find that now.

Something about "Perspective and Orthographic projection"  but no instructions as to how to do it.

:cursing: :mad: :glare: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :bored:

(feeling grumpy)

The camera can be be moved like any other object, just select it and then drag or rotate ("G" or "R" or use the manipulator widget) .
If you want to see how the view is changing, split the window and make one view through the camera ("Numpad 0").
Even if the view is through camera, you can still drag to change the view (the camera must be the selected object).

Well you can switch the view in and out of perspective by pressing 5 on the number pad, but you can't render from that.

To view what the camera will show when you render, press 0 on the number pad.  This will take you to the default camera, or if you have several, to the last one you used.  To use a different one, select it and hit Alt-0.

You can move the camera from any view, just select it and hit g, like any other object.  I've found it easiest to move the camera while looking through it.

1. Put the 3d cursor (y'know that thingy with the circle and crosshairs) in the center of the scene by viewing from the top (numpad 7) and sides (numpad 1 and 3)
2. Change the pivot point to be the 3d cursor (it's in the second box to the right of the drop box that probably says "object mode" in it)
3. Select the camera and hit 0
4. Hit 'g' to pan, or g+middle mouse button to zoom in and out
       Hit 'r' to rotate around the center of the image, r+middle mouse button to rotate around the scene

Edit: Woops, cross-post with nruddock!

Interesting side note:
You can also use lights as cameras.  Just select the light and hit alt-0.  This can help you aim your lights, since you can move them the same way as you do the camera when your looking through the camera.

I was following you right up to this point:
"2. Change the pivot point to be the 3d cursor (it's in the second box to the right of the drop box that probably says "object mode" in it)"

How?  What "drop box", where?

And it's definitely the one where you move the camera while looking through it - that I want.

Edit: man, these look awful the way they've resized them....

I'm not having a lot ot luck with this,  I'm trying to get to the stage where I have a sphere in the view rather than the default cube - (I'm planning on doing a tutorial, if after 3 or 4 days of trying to move around in blender I can even remember what the tutorial was)

But I get as far as changing the cube to a sphere, checking the position of the... round thing, oh yes, "3D cursor" but when I try to "select the camera" this mucks up the position of the 3D cursor and I have to close Blender and start all over again with deleting the cube... grrrrr!

So... How do I "select" the camera without blender moving the 3D cursor onto it?

Because I'm finding it hard to believe that you have to go through all that business of setting up the 3D cursor on the sphere, to then ruin all that by clicking on the camera... oh please help?

I've been trying to start this &%$&!! tutorial for 4 days. 

I mean, I even did a castle tutorial with ysvry practially taking me through it step by step, and I managed to move around in blender back then... okay it was many, many months ago... maybe even a year, but surely I can't have forgotten that much since then?

Or has blender changed that much?  I am using the latest release now...

Nope it's probably just me... and that's very depressing.   :m_hide:

Hi fran

In 2.41 I usually ignore all the cameras and just move/zoom/rotate as necessary  then I hit the space bar to get the drop down menu, click 'view', click 'align view' and then 'align active camera to view'

thats - ctrl alt numpad 0

To select something in blender you use the right mouse button.  The left mouse button moves the cursor.  It can be a little awkward and hard to remember, so don't worry.

  Prikshatk

Thanks for that little tip. It's very helpful. I too have been finding moving the camera a chore.

I'm also wondering if anyone knows if there is an easy  way, after you have moved cameras, to restore all views to their original places?

Fran, sorry, not trying to hijack your post, just trying to expand it a bit. :)

Tried the right mouse button, I still can't select the camera... now just to be sure....

I've circled what I think is the blender perspective camera, and that's what I'm right clicking on - but nothing happens - am I at least clicking on the correct thing?

Oh, and don't worry DawnStar, every bit of information that adds to my knowledge helps... so long as I eventually figure out how to more this dratted camera.**
**

Fran, your in edit mode. I think you have to be in object mode to right click.

Oh right... object mode... um... object mode....

Aha, got it.  Tries clicking on camera... Hey, it worked!

Thanks.

Now... what was I trying to do???? (blank expression)

Okay now I can move the camera around... what's that strange idealized lollypop doing in the view?

Yes, you have to be in Object mode to move the camera or lights.

Also, you can select the camera by clicking on select>select by type>camera

Quote - Now... what was I trying to do???? (blank expression)

you were just about to send me a 100 quid, remember? :biggrin:

So you can't move the camera while you're modeling? - hmmm seems a bit awkward.

I mean "Edit mode" does mean you're modelling, right?

Quote - > Quote - Now... what was I trying to do???? (blank expression)

you were just about to send me a 100 quid, remember? :biggrin:

Nope, no, don't remember that at all.  It was probably the other way around. (evil grin)  :m_wink:

Quote - Hi fran

In 2.41 I usually ignore all the cameras and just move/zoom/rotate as necessary  then I hit the space bar to get the drop down menu, click 'view', click 'align view' and then 'align active camera to view'

thats - ctrl alt numpad 0

Frankly I don't really care if I use a camera or not, so long as I can move around in this 3D space - easily! while modeling.  If I ever get to modelling

All I really want to do is to be able to move, zoom and rotate - while in perspective view, so how do you do that without the camera?

You are aware that you can look at the model from different directions using the numeric pad, right? also holding the numbers down will move the object.

Also, the widget allows for moving the model by rotation, scaling or just moving from one place to another. You find the widget by clicking the hand to the left of "Global".

I don't want different directions, I just want a perspective view, I usually do most of my modelling in perspective view - only rarely using top, or side... or stuff like that.

What the heck's a "widget?

zero on the numeric pad is a perspective view. Or am I confused?

A widget is a software device used to make manipulating a model easier. Poser has one too.

I found the quickest way was the wheel on your mouse.

Hold it down and you can rotate freely around the 3Dcursor (wherever you left that)

Rotate the wheel backward and forward and you can zoom in and out.

(This behaviour is unchanged in edit mode)

If you click on the hand beside "global"  and click on the donut, you will see the rotational widget.

Lol this is a fun thread :) 0 on the numpad is camera view. 5 on the numpad will toggle in and out of perspective view. FranontheEdge dont give up! This is the hardest part about Blender, those first steps.

But... isn't the camera view a perspective view???  I understand abvout the #5 toggle but I still think of the camera view as a perspective view. Am I wrong? Just curious. :)

Going back to your original question.

I've installed python in the default c:python24 but I still get that same message.

How do I tell blender where to look?

Attached Link: http://mediawiki.blender.org/index.php/Manual/PartXV/Python_Scripting

See the section called "Setting the PYTHONPATH environment variable".
Although with 2.4 you shouldn't actually need to do this, so which Python installer (from where) did you use ?

Hi DawnStar,

You're right the camera is a perspective view. Numpad 5 actually changes between a perspective view and orthogonal view (like drawing on isometric paper. all verticals stay parallel).

The numpad 5 is actually being used here as a way off dropping out of the camera view but its not necessary. You have a completely free floating view thats not attached to any camera just click and drag the mouse wheel and you'll see the camera being left behind. I think thats what Fran is trying to access.

Thanks nruddock, I set the variable (w2000) the error message is gone.

Quote - zero on the numeric pad is a perspective view. Or am I confused?

A widget is a software device used to make manipulating a model easier. Poser has one too.

No no, zero works fine.

No idea about this 'ere "widget" thingie....

A widget is a gimbal, obviously! :laugh:

Quote - I found the quickest way was the wheel on your mouse.

Hold it down and you can rotate freely around the 3Dcursor (wherever you left that)

Rotate the wheel backward and forward and you can zoom in and out.

(This behaviour is unchanged in edit mode)

Oh yeah, that's not bad, works quite well, thanks.

Quote - If you click on the hand beside "global"  and click on the donut, you will see the rotational widget.

I don't see any widget all that happens is that the 3D cursor becomes surrounded by a (normal) rotational sphere thingie that (usually) means that object (- in this case the 3D Cursor???) can now be rotated.

But here in Blender it doesn't seem to do that, it seems to just move one of the points on my (now badly mangled) sphere, in an odd way, not rotating anything, just moving a point/vert.

I don't feel as if I'm getting anywhere with this.

Confused! (voice echoing from bottom of deep, dark oubliette)  :m_thoughtful:

Quote - Lol this is a fun thread :) 0 on the numpad is camera view. 5 on the numpad will toggle in and out of perspective view. FranontheEdge dont give up! This is the hardest part about Blender, those first steps.

Coo! You ain't kiddin'!

But I guess it's the same with most software.

Quote - But... isn't the camera view a perspective view???  I understand abvout the #5 toggle but I still think of the camera view as a perspective view. Am I wrong? Just curious. :)

Yeah, very good question - it's nice to get puzzling things cleared up... I'd like to know that too.

Quote - Hi DawnStar,

You're right the camera is a perspective view. Numpad 5 actually changes between a perspective view and orthogonal view (like drawing on isometric paper. all verticals stay parallel).

The numpad 5 is actually being used here as a way off dropping out of the camera view but its not necessary. You have a completely free floating view thats not attached to any camera just click and drag the mouse wheel and you'll see the camera being left behind. I think thats what Fran is trying to access.

Oh yes, I did notice a box disappearing off somewhere while I was trying to move about.

:m_wave:  Waves goodbye to the camera.

Well unless it's also a lollypop thing - I don't have one.

And of course now... you can see how mangled the sphere has become as I've tried moving about and only ended up moving bits of sphere... sometime I wanted to distort the sphere, but sometimes I just wanted to move - it's not easy trying to figure out how to do both...

First make sure your whole model is selected.

If you click on the hand  (1.) next to the word Global (2.) you will see three icons. If you click on the donut icon (3.) a wigit wll appear over your model. (4.) The wiget is colored red blue and green. Clicking on one of those circular lines and draging will rotate your model.

Your lolipop on  a stick is  your light which can be edited by selecting it but only in object mode.

Oh I didn't realise you were calling the rotational ability itself a "Widget" - yes, I'm familiar with it, it turns up in Daz and Cinema4D and Hexagon.  But not in Wings3D or Bryce.

Ah so lollypop equals light eh?  Right.  Thanks.

Attached Link: http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=72647

His monitor got nudged out of position and he spent a few seconds trying to straighten it with the middle mouse button.

ROFL!  I haven't done that yet, but dozing in my armchair, half asleep, I have caught myself thinking it.

Is blender looking for the python scripts or the full python install I havr my full python instal at g:python24 and my blender scripts at g:bleder/blend/scripts. When I try to import or export ,obj files into Vue neither seems to work because I have a file with 0 bytes. I also get the python error check console...

Fran,

If you haven't already, take a look at this thread

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2658298

There's lots of links on where to find good tutorials and info on the interface. In particular, I found this link to a PDF Blender course most useful.

http://www.cdschools.org/54223045235521/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=55205

I could print it out and then use the programme. Doesn't show how to model, but how to use blender to model.

Quote - Fran, If you haven't already, take a look at this thread

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2658298

There's lots of links on where to find good tutorials and info on the interface. In particular, I found this link to a PDF Blender course most useful.

http://www.cdschools.org/54223045235521/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=55205

I could print it out and then use the programme. Doesn't show how to model, but how to use blender to model.

Thanks, I hadn't found all of those, some I had, but not all.

I start blender lessons in a couple of days.