first time user and member with question

Hello. I found out about nodebox some months ago but decided to dl the software along with others like processing, vvvv, fluxus, cinder, and others, so I can expand my knowledge on computer graphics, and now, coding. Earlier this week I was learning nodebox by following a few tuts (of which there are BUT very few on the software) and started talking to a friend about coding and such and she told me to learn python 1st since it's easier to learn than java. Now I'm taking lessons on codecademy.com on how python works (and soon java among others after I get familiar with coding let alone python) but I want to learn nodebox mainly for animation/real-time graphics and such. My question is how much knowledge on coding do I need to know to be able to overstand how to animate and do you need any prior knowledge on coding to use any of this software? I feel as if I should learn this stuff, it's waaaaaay too complicated for me to just dive in anywhere I please, this isn't like learning After Effects or Cinema4D or Apophysis.

Hi,

• For NodeBox 3, you don't need any coding knowledge. The tutorials show you how to do a number of tasks by combining existing nodes together. That said, knowing programming is still useful if you want to be able to create your own nodes.
• NodeBox 1 and NodeBox / OpenGL use Python programming code, so there you will need to be able to program.

Best,

F

Well......yes. I want to learn to code my own stuff, I'm sure people didn't get some of the results with nodebox by playing with the provided nodes. I've followed a few of the tuts and like them but definitely have been learning Python lately just so I can get familiar with coding and I assumed I needed to so I could import source codes into Nodebox, but apparently you're telling me OpenGL for Nodebox is what is needed for that? Cool. When I start mastering how to code with Python I'll figure out how to use OpenGL.

OpenGL won't work on Windows will it? If so I can forget using this software, it's a waste of my time.

NodeBox OpenGL and NodeBox 3 are cross platform: they work on Mac, Windows
and Linux.

To learn NodeBox OpenGL, you don't actually have to learn OpenGL: the
system does all the hard work for you so you can focus on the graphics for
your specific project. The OpenGL code I'd still available if you need it,
though.

To learn Python, I can also suggest "learn Python the hard way" by Zed
Shaw: http://learnpythonthehardway.org

Best,

Oh yeah I'm familiar with that site along with nettuts (yeah I know, I know, but they have cool tuts and links) and codecademy (site's a wee too buggy for me but a nice stepping stone nonetheless) among a few others.

The OpenGL code--how can you access it and is it the latest file from the cityinabottle website? If so I already dl'ed the zip file and opened it, I just don't know how to access the file to make it work or I'd be playing around with some motion graphics on there and such.

Your best bet is to follow the tutorial on the NodeBox / OpenGL homepage:

http://www.cityinabottle.org/nodebox/

To get started, read the first few chapters, especially the one on
installation.

The NodeBox/OpenGL project is also on GitHub of course:

https://github.com/nodebox/nodebox-opengl

Best,

Frederik

Ok I dl'ed the file from github. I'm kinda confused about github due to those smaller files under the main dl bar with the zip file and mirror links--exactly what are those files? are they contained in the zip file or extras not contained that I need to dl as well? If moreso the latter then I got to go back and dl ALOT more files, and I'm not just talking about this either.

NOW for another question...........

seeing that you're the one of the co-creators/writers/contributors/coders of OpenGL for Nodebox I've seen copies of OpenGL 4.0, which I assume is the latest copy. I'm using Nodebox 3 since I have Windows 7 and that's more compatible than previous versions. Will the latest version of OpenGL work with Nodebox or will I have to stick with earlier versions? Sorry for all the questions, I really want to learn this as well as other software. Thanks for all the advice and help, it's most appreciated.

Oh and I should add that I have both Python 2.7 and 3.3--what version of pyglet should I have for that--1.4? I would like to add that I had issues trying to run/open pyglet on my x64 and it wouldn't budge--any Windows 7/Microsoft alternatives for that? I'm afraid that it might not work if I work on it.

I've run Pyglet on Windows 7 64-bit. I think I've used 1.1.4.