User guide

Script Mode

Script mode allows you to execute Python scripts in Katana's Python environment. Script mode requires the --script

flag, followed by a single argument specifying the script you want to run. This launch mode is most usefule for

testing. You can import most Katana modules, and perform tasks such as loading Katana scenes, changing some

parameters, and rendering.

For example, to start Katana in Script mode using a script named yourScript.py:

1. Open a terminal.

2. Navigate to the directory where you installed Katana.

3. Enter:

./katana --script /yourDirectory/yourScript.py

To open a scene and start rendering from the scene's Render node, open the following Python script in Script mode:

import NodegraphAPI

from Katana import KatanaFile

from Katana import RenderManager

def messageHandler( sequenceID, message ):

print message

yourKatanaScene = "/yourDirectory/yourFile.katana"

KatanaFile.Load( yourKatanaScene ) # Loading scene /yourDirectory/yourFile.katana

RenderNode = NodegraphAPI.GetNode('Render') # Getting Render node

RenderManager.StartRender(

node=RenderNode, # Starting render

hotRender=True,

frame = 1,

asynch = False,

interactive = False,

asynch_renderMessageCB = messageHandler

)

Shell Mode

Shell mode exposes Katana's Python interpreter in the terminal shell. Shell mode requires the --shell flag, and no

arguments. All of the modules available in the Python tab in Katana are available in Shell mode.

To start Katana in Shell mode:

1. Open a terminal.

6 KATANA LAUNCH MODES |