Python scripting with Paint Shop Pro 8.0

[Greg Brunet]

Hi Marc:

"Marc Wilson" <marc at cleopatra.co.uk> wrote in message
news:kl3lhvgh5iillo5g9jvff92qkc8i2022nm at 4ax.com...
> I've just got Paint Shop Pro 8.0, and the functionality of the old
> ImageRobot add-on has been replaced with the new Python Scripting.

Thanks for mentioning PSP 8's support of Python.  I have an older copy
that I haven't updated for a while, and this scripting capability is an
update worthwhile making!

> What I'm trying to determine is: can I run these scripts from a
command-line
> invocation?  I want to use the scripts to automatically convert files
as
> they arrive, uploaded onto a website, not interactively.

I just DL'd an eval copy also, and a couple of thoughts.
1) Duncan's already pointed out the file association, so it looks like
that's an easy way to ensure that the Python script is handled properly
by PSP.

2) Python was installed there for me.  You should see "python22.dll" in
your [C:\Program Files\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 8] (or
appropriate) directory.  There shold also be a [\Python Libraries]
subdirectory with other required files.

3) Interestingly, I can't find any sign of a JascApp.* file anywhere.  I
would expect to see a PYC or PYD given the Import command, but being a
relative newbie myself, don't have a good understanding of how this
could be.  But, hey - it seems to work, so I won't complain.

4) I would expect that for btach processing you would also pass the file
to process at the command shell, but they do seem to offer some extra
help for batch processing (the "Processing all the files in a directory"
section on  page 26 of the script.pdf manual (available at their website
if you've only got all the HTML documentation from the CD)  I agree that
the Docs could be a bit more helpful!

5) Of course the messages showing off PIL have opened my eyes to how
easy it is to use that - and Python is LOTS easier than Perl IMHO.

-- 
Greg