Getting Started with PyOutline and PyCuerun

Set up your environment to build and submit render jobs using PyOutline and pycuerun.

Note: PyOutline is the Python library for building job definitions. PyCuerun is the command-line tool that launches PyOutline scripts to the render farm. Installing PyOutline also installs pycuerun. See Getting Started with PyCuerun for CLI-focused setup.

Before you begin

You need:

Step 1: Install PyOutline

From PyPI 

pip install opencue-pycue opencue-pyoutline

From source 

cd OpenCue
pip install pycue/
pip install pyoutline/

Step 2: Configure the environment

Set the Cuebot server address:

export CUEBOT_HOSTS="your-cuebot-hostname"

Optionally set show and shot defaults:

export SHOW="myshow"
export SHOT="myshot"

Step 3: Verify the installation 

python -c "import outline; print('PyOutline installed successfully')"

Verify pycuerun is available:

pycuerun --help

Step 4: Configure PyOutline (optional)

PyOutline reads configuration from the following locations in priority order:

  1. Path specified by the OUTLINE_CONFIG_FILE environment variable
  2. Path specified by the OL_CONFIG environment variable (deprecated)
  3. ~/.config/opencue/outline.cfg (user profile)
  4. Built-in defaults

Create a custom configuration file if needed:

[outline]
backend = cue
facility = local
maxretries = 2

[plugin:local]
module = outline.plugins.local
enable = 1

Step 5: Submit your first job

Create first_job.py:

import outline
import outline.modules.shell

ol = outline.Outline("first-job", show="testing", shot="test")

layer = outline.modules.shell.Shell(
    "hello",
    command=["echo", "Hello from frame #IFRAME#"],
    range="1-5"
)
ol.add_layer(layer)

outline.cuerun.launch(ol, use_pycuerun=False)

Run it:

python first_job.py

Or use pycuerun with an outline script:

# Create first_job.outline
cat > first_job.outline << 'EOF'
import outline.modules.shell
outline.modules.shell.Shell("hello", command=["echo", "Frame #IFRAME#"], range="1-5")
EOF

pycuerun first_job.outline

Step 6: Monitor your job

Use CueGUI or PyCue to monitor the submitted job:

import opencue
for job in opencue.api.getJobs(show=["testing"]):
    print(f"{job.name()} - {job.state()}")

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