Advanced usage

This section is aimed at Python dabblers and hackers who want to get into the more involved features of Shoebot.

Using Shoebot as a Python module

Shoebot can be easily loaded as a module inside a Python script.

import shoebot

# set up a canvas
bot = shoebot.create_bot(outputfile="output.svg")

# size() needs to be called first
bot.size(400,400)

# now we can draw!
bot.rect(10,10,100,100)

# finish() should be called after all drawing commands
bot.finish()

Take a snapshot of the current state:

bot.snapshot("snap.png")

Run a Shoebot/Nodebox script:

bot.run("example.bot")

Command-line usage

Enter sbot -h to see all the available options:

usage: usage: sbot [options] inputfile.bot [args] [-h] [-o FILE] [-s]
                                                  [-p SERVERPORT] [-v VARS]
                                                  [-ns NAMESPACE] [-l]
                                                  [-a SCRIPT_ARGS] [-r REPEAT]
                                                  [-g GRAMMAR] [-w] [-f]
                                                  [-t TITLE] [-c] [-dv] [-dt]
                                                  [-V]
                                                  script [script_args]

positional arguments:
  script                Shoebot / Nodebox script to run (filename or code)

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit

Input / Output:

-o FILE, --outputfile FILE
                      run script and output to image file (accepts .png .svg
                      .pdf and .ps extensions)
-s, --socketserver    run a socket server for external control (will run the
                      script in windowed mode)
-p SERVERPORT, --serverport SERVERPORT
                      set socketserver port to listen for connections
                      (default is 7777)
-v VARS, --vars VARS  Initial variables, in JSON (Note: Single quotes
                      OUTSIDE, double INSIDE) --vars='{"variable1": 1}'
-ns NAMESPACE, --namespace NAMESPACE
                      Initial namespace, in JSON (Note: Single quotes
                      OUTSIDE, double INSIDE) --namespace='{"variable1": 1}'
-l, --l               Simple shell - for IDE interaction
-a SCRIPT_ARGS, --args SCRIPT_ARGS
                      Pass to the bot
script_args

Bot Lifecycle:

-r REPEAT, --repeat REPEAT
                      set number of iteration, multiple images will be
                      produced
-g GRAMMAR, --grammar GRAMMAR
                      Select the bot grammar 'nodebox' (default) or
                      'drawbot' languages

Window Management:

-w, --window          run script in a GTK window
-f, --fullscreen      run in fullscreen mode
-t TITLE, --title TITLE
                      Set window title
-c, --close           Close window after running bot (use with -r for
                      benchmarking)
-dv, --disable-vars   disable the variables pane when in windowed mode.

Debugging / Dev flags:

-dt, --disable-background-thread
                      disable running bot code in background thread.
-V, --verbose         Show internal shoebot error information in traceback

Working directly with Cairo

TODO