Desktop application launcher for AYON pipeline. You need AYON launcher to be able to interact with any of the integrated applications. It acts as the main entry point into the pipeline for all artists publishing and loading data with AYON. Even though AYON launcher is a standalone desktop application, it doesn't do anything until it's connected to an AYON server instance.
The main purpose of application is to distribute updates based on current server state and to start main logic of core addon. At this moment core addon is openpype (this will change in near future).
To get all the information about the project, go to AYON.io
We aim to closely follow VFX Reference Platform
AYON is written in Python 3 with specific elements still running in Python2 until all DCCs are fully updated. To see the list of those, that are not quite there yet, go to VFX Python3 tracker
CX_Freeze is used to freeze the Python code and all of its dependencies, and Poetry for virtual environment management.
We provide comprehensive build steps:
Output of the build process is installer with metadata file that can be distributed to workstations.
Create installer information from json file on server and upload the installer file to be downloaded by users.
Run ./tools/manage.ps1 upload --server <your server> --api-key <your api key>
Or, run ./tools/manage.ps1 upload --server <your server> --username <your admin username> --password <your pasword>
Run ./tools/make.sh upload --server <your server> --api-key <your api key>
Or, run ./tools/make.sh upload --server <your server> --username <your admin username> --password <your pasword>
Upload command has more options, use --help to investigate them. For example, it is possible to use username & password instead of api key.
AYON can be executed either from live sources (this repository) or from "frozen code" - executables that can be build using steps described above.
You need to create env and install dependencies first.
Ideally, this step should be re-run with each new version.
./tools/manage.ps1 create-env
./tools/manage.ps1 install-runtime-dependencies
./tools/make.sh create-env
./tools/make.sh install-runtime-dependencies
AYON can be run directly from sources by activating virtual environment:
./tools/manage.ps1 run
./tools/make.sh run
You need to build AYON first. This will produce executable - ayon.exe and ayon_console.exe on Windows, ayon on Linux and AYON {version}.app for macOS.
Executable ayon_console.exe creates console with output - useful for debugging, ayon.exe does not create console, but does not have any stdout or stderr output.
Once AYON launcher is installed and launched there are few ways how to affect what will happen. Default behavior will ask for login to server, if user did not log in yet, then starts distribution of updates, and last step is to start the main logic.
Main logic is now using command line handling from openpype addon. If path to python script is passed it will start the python script as main logic instead.
There are reserver global arguments that cannot be used in any cli handling:
--bundle <BUNDLE NAME>- Force AYON to use specific bundle instead of the one that is set in the config file. This is useful for testing new bundles before they are released.--verbose <LOG LEVEL>- Change logging level to one of the following: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, CRITICAL.--debug- Simplified way how to change verbose to DEBUG. Also setsAYON_DEBUGenvironment variable to1.--skip-headers- Skip headers in the console output.--use-dev- Use dev bundle and settings, if bundle is not explicitly defined.--use-staging- Use staging settings, and use staging bundle, if bundle is not explicitly defined. Cannot be combined with staging.--headless- Tell AYON to run in headless mode. No UIs are shown during bootstrap. AffectsAYON_HEADLESS_MODEenvironment variable. Custom logic must handle headless mode on own.--ayon-login- Show login dialog on startup.--skip-bootstrap- Skip bootstrap process. Used for inner logic of distribution.
Environment variables that are set during startup:
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AYON_VERSION - Version of AYON launcher.
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AYON_BUNDLE_NAME - Name of bundle that is used.
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AYON_LOG_LEVEL - Log level that is used.
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AYON_DEBUG - Debug flag enabled when set to '1'.
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AYON_USE_STAGING - Use staging settings when set to '1'.
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AYON_USE_DEV - Use dev mode settings when set to '1'.
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AYON_HEADLESS_MODE - Headless mode flag enabled when set to '1'.
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AYON_EXECUTABLE - Path to executable that is used to run AYON.
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AYON_ROOT - Root to AYON launcher content.
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AYON_MENU_LABEL - Label for AYON menu -> TODO move to openpype addon.
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PYBLISH_GUI - Default pyblish UI that should be used in pyblish -> TODO move to openpype addon.
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USE_AYON_SERVER - Flag for openpype addon.
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SSL_CERT_FILE - Use certificates from 'certifi' if 'SSL_CERT_FILE' is not set.
Environment variables that are set for backwards compatibility with openpype addon:
- OPENPYPE_LOG_LEVEL - Alias to AYON_LOG_LEVEL.
- OPENPYPE_DEBUG - Alias to AYON_DEBUG.
- OPENPYPE_USE_STAGING - Alias to AYON_USE_STAGING.
- OPENPYPE_HEADLESS_MODE - Alias to AYON_HEADLESS_MODE.
- OPENPYPE_EXECUTABLE - Alias to AYON_EXECUTABLE.
- OPENPYPE_ROOT - Alias to AYON_ROOT.
- OPENPYPE_REPOS_ROOT - Alias to AYON_ROOT.
- AVALON_LABEL - Alias to AYON_MENU_LABEL.
Developer mode enables to skip standard distribution process and use local sources of addon code. This is useful for development of addon. Developer mode must be enabled and configured on AYON server. To use it in AYON launcher create dev bundle and use --use-dev argument, or define bundle name --bundle <dev bundle name> in cli arguments.