Newbie Question (real-time communication between apps: audio, 3d, PD, Blender)

[Laurent Pointal]

gregorywieber at gmail.com wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> I'm just beginning my exploration of Python and I have a rather
> general question. If two particular programs have Python scripting
> capabilities, does that mean those two programs can communicate in
> real time through Python?
> 
> I'm running some audio experiments (for artistic purposes) in the
> program Pure Data (PD). I would like to use data that I extract from
> audio files to affect 3-d game simulations in Blender.  I don't know
> specifically what it is I would be manipulating -- this is an artistic
> project, so intend to do a lot of experimenting to see what I come up
> with...
> 
> My question(s): Is this possible, reasonable, plausible?

Plausible, with a recent PC.

I use some Java code + a research TTS engine (C) + Python code + Pure Data +
VirChor (3D renderer+interract, C++) in a TalkingHead project at LIMSI.
All these communicate via UDP, we just tries to keep amount of transmitted
data not too huge (ie. just transmit status, positions, commands...).
For the realtime side capacity, it depend on the process you need in
Python - if Python reveal to be too slow, you may write long computing code
into a separate C module or library (may see ctypes and pyrex). 
Another point, if you build Python multithreading code in same process, the
Global Lock may lead to unefficient use of your computing capacities.

Note. You may take a look at OSC (Open Sound Control), there is a module for
PD and one for Python.

A+

Laurent.