SHUVOFX

03. If-Else Conditions in Python

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Welcome back to the Nuke Python series! Today we’ll dive deep into the world of conditional statements, specifically focusing on the if, elif, and else constructs in Python. Understanding these is crucial as they form the backbone of decision-making in your scripts.

What are Conditional Statements?

Conditional statements allow your program to execute certain pieces of code based on specific conditions. This is similar to making decisions in real life. For example, if it’s raining, you take an umbrella; otherwise, you don’t.

The if Statement

The if statement evaluates a condition (an expression that returns True or False). If the condition is True, the block of code inside the if  statement is executed.

Syntax:

if condition:
    # code block to execute if condition is true

FlowChart:

 

Example:

				
					x = 10

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")

In this example, the condition x > 5 is True, so the message “x is greater than 5” is printed.

The else Statement

The else statement comes after an if statement and is executed if the if condition is False.

Syntax:

				
					if condition:
    # code block to execute if condition is true
else:
    # code block to execute if condition is false

Example:

				
					x = 3

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")
else:
    print("x is not greater than 5")

Here, x > 5 is False, so the message “x is not greater than 5” is printed.

The elif Statement

The elif (short for “else if”) statement allows you to check multiple conditions. It must follow an if statement and precede an else statement (if used).

Syntax:

				
					if condition1:
    # code block to execute if condition1 is true
elif condition2:
    # code block to execute if condition2 is true
else:
    # code block to execute if all conditions are false

Example:

				
					x = 5

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")
elif x == 5:
    print("x is exactly 5")
else:
    print("x is less than 5")

In this example, x == 5 is True, so the message “x is exactly 5” is printed.

Combining Conditions

You can combine multiple conditions using logical operators like and, or, and not.

Example:

				
					x = 7
y = 10

if x > 5 and y < 15:
    print("Both conditions are true")

Here, both x > 5 and y < 15 are True, so the message “Both conditions are true” is printed.

Practical Nuke Example

In this example, we’ll explore how to interact with users in Nuke using Python. We’ll cover the nuke.getInput function to take input from the user and the nuke.message function to display messages. By the end of this example, you’ll be able to create a script that asks the user for their favorite software and responds accordingly.

				
					# Prompt the user to input their favorite software
tools = nuke.getInput('What is your favorite software?')

# Check if the input is 'Nuke'
if tools == 'Nuke':
    # Display a thank you message
    nuke.message('Thank you for loving Foundry Nuke')

# Check if the input is not 'Nuke' and not empty
elif tools != 'Nuke' and tools != '':
    # Display the user's favorite software
    nuke.message('Your favorite software is ' + tools)

# If the input is empty
else:
    # Display a message indicating no choice was made
    nuke.message("You don't have any choice yet")

Nuke Output:

User for Input:

This line displays a dialog box asking the user to input their favorite software and stores the response in the variable tools.

				
					tools = nuke.getInput('What is your favorite software?')

Checking the User’s Input:

If the user inputs “Nuke”, a message thanking them for loving Nuke is displayed.

				
					if tools == 'Nuke':
    nuke.message('Thank you for loving Foundry Nuke')

Handling Other Inputs:

If the user inputs something other than “Nuke” and the input is not empty, a message displaying their favorite software is shown.

				
					elif tools != 'Nuke' and tools != '':
    nuke.message('Your favorite software is ' + tools)

Handling Empty Input:

If the user does not input anything (leaves the input blank), a message indicating that no choice was made is displayed.

				
					else:
    nuke.message("You don't have any choice yet")

By using nuke.getInput and nuke.message, you can create interactive scripts in Nuke that respond to user input. This simple script demonstrates how to prompt the user for information and display different messages based on their response. You can expand upon this foundation to create more complex and interactive tools within Nuke.

Nuke Example 2

In this example, we are going to create a Grade node in our node graph. We will use different values for the gain knob, and this code will display whether the value is bright, not bright, or negative.

				
					node = nuke.selectedNode()

gain_val = node.knob('white').getValue()

if gain_val == 1:
    nuke.message('This is default value')
elif gain_val > 1 and gain_val <= 5:
    nuke.message('Image Brightness is High')
elif gain_val < 1:
    nuke.message('There is some negative value, please use Clamp')
else:
    nuke.message('Super Bright, please use Clamp')

Let’s break down the script step-by-step:

  1. Select the Node

    node = nuke.selectedNode()

    This line selects the currently active node in Nuke. The nuke.selectedNode() function returns the node that is currently selected in the Node Graph

  2. Retrieve the Knob Value

    gain_val = node.knob('white').getValue()

    Here, we access the white knob of the selected node and retrieve its value. The knob('white') method accesses the knob named white, and the getValue() method retrieves the current value of this knob.

    1. Conditional Statements

      if gain_val == 1:
      nuke.message('This is default value') elif gain_val > 1 and gain_val <= 5:
      nuke.message('Image Brightness is High')
      elif gain_val < 1:
      nuke.message('There is some negative value, please use Clamp') else:
      nuke.message('Super Bright, please use Clamp')

      In this part of the script, we use a series of if-elif-else statements to evaluate the value of gain_val and display different messages based on its value.

    2. First Condition

      if gain_val == 1: nuke.message('This is default value')

      If gain_val is exactly 1, Nuke displays a message indicating that this is the default value.

    3. Second Condition

      elif gain_val > 1 and gain_val <= 5: nuke.message('Image Brightness is High')

      If gain_val is greater than 1 but less than or equal to 5, Nuke displays a message indicating that the image brightness is high.

    4. Third Condition

      elif gain_val < 1: nuke.message('There is some negative value, please use Clamp')

      If gain_val is less than 1, Nuke displays a message warning that there is a negative value and suggesting the use of a Clamp node.

    5. Final Condition

      else: nuke.message('Super Bright, please use Clamp')

      If none of the above conditions are met, Nuke displays a message indicating that the value is super bright and suggesting the use of a Clamp node.

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