Launching scripts

Answers

• jeremydouglass

  October 2016

  Could you provide more information on what you are trying to accomplish?

  By scripts, do you mean Processing sketches? (Or are you just asking about bash or python shell scripts?)

  For example, are you trying to run a gallery / display that cycles through a series of different sketches? If so, will they all be Processing, or will you be mixing processing with other things (video, still images, other software)?

  If I'm guessing right, there are some forum posts on using AppleScript and/or Automator to run sketches (example) -- you could use scripting to launch and close a list.

  There is also a long history of discussion on different approaches to combining multiple sketches using a master sketch. But with a long list of very different sketches this can sometimes be a lot of work and a real pain.

  • https://forum.processing.org/one/topic/combine-multiple-sketches.html
  • http://jtoprocessing.tumblr.com/post/38867546415/a-way-to-switch-among-multiple-processing-sketches
  • http://www.makingthenoise.com/2013/08/17/one-sketch-to-rule-them-all-part-2/
• grumo

  October 2016

  Hi! I just have a few sketches that I need to run in sequence in a loop. (Some minutes one sketch, then another other few minutes, then the other --repeat)

  Every sketch is image/video intensive (and have big chunks of bad formatted, messy, code) so the idea to run them from another sketch is counter-productive. I can even create apps from them and just run them as normal apps, but I can't find a way --Can I put a timer for each app in Automator? I just see a schedule (like in a calendar) feature but no looping a simple playlist of apps.

  I know this should be easy but I can't find the way. Any hint would be greatly appreciated!
• jeremydouglass

  October 2016 edited July 2017 Answer ✓

  If what you want is a short script that launches a list of Processing sketches in order, there are many ways to do that in many different scripting languages (bash shell script, AppleScript, Automator, python, etc.). The master script can also either be calling exported Processing apps or it can be using processing-java to run the sketch directly. You can also have the sketches / apps exit themselves, or you can try to shut them down from your script.

  Here is one really simple way:

  • Add a self-exit timer to each app
  • Export each app to a directory
  • Run a python script which calls each in turn

  So, step by step:

  1. Make your Processing sketches self-timing by adding a simple exit() timer to each sketch, e.g.

     if(millis() > 60 * 1000){ // exit after 60 seconds
       exit();
     }
     

  2. Export each sketch as an app into a directory:

     • SceneA.app
     • SceneB.app
     • SceneC.app

  3. Write a python script sketchlist.py in that directory which will use subprocess to launch each app using mac open -W

     #!/usr/bin/env python
     # sketchlist.py v1 2016-10-05
     import os
     import subprocess
     subprocess.call(['open', '-W', 'SceneA.app'])
     subprocess.call(['open', '-W', 'SceneB.app'])
     subprocess.call(['open', '-W', 'SceneC.app'])
     

  4. Make the script executable:

     chmod +x sketchlist.py
     

  5. Run the script:

     ./sketchlist.py
     

  That's it. Then, if you want a fancier script, just add features -- for example, one that automatically runs any apps it finds in the directory, and keeps it looping through them forever until you quit the script with CTRL-C:

  #!/usr/bin/env python
  # sketchlist.py v2 2016-10-05
  import os
  import subprocess
  import glob
  cwd = os.getcwd()
  print "Running all apps in " + cwd
  while True:
      for name in glob.glob('*.app'):
          print name
          subprocess.call(['open', '-W', name])
  

  You can also call scripts from scripts -- for example, you can launch this python script from Automator, or make it a double-clickable executable.

  The one downside of loading individual sketches of course is load times....

  ---

  Edit: I should also mention that, while I did the above example in python, I believe you can instead make a launcher-sketch in Processing which opens new sketches using launch(). Note that I believe the same design approach applies -- your sketches need to close themselves. Also, because launch is not blocking (because Processing will not wait for each sketch to close, or even know when that happens) you will need to add timing to both your sketches and the master sketch, which could get a bit tricky. I haven't actually tried to do this.

  ---

  See also: http://happycoding.io/examples/java/processing-in-java/processing-showcase