Problems installing 'Gear' add on.. Help!

[ShaderOp]

Did you do that whole song and dance with setting up the PYTHONPATH environment variable?

[Arslan89]

Hey, thanks for your reply.

I did. But now I am thinking maybe THAT is what I am doing wrong? But I don't know how. I have followed everything according to the instructions provided.

I went to my computer's advanced settings and then environment variables. I didn't have any 'PYTHON' variables. So I created 2 variables.

1st one:

Variable Name: PYTHON
Value: C:\Python26\;

2nd one:

Variable Name: PYTHONPATH
Value: C:\gear\modules

I placed the Gear add on inside the C:\gear folder ... in there, I also have the module folder that it comes with. So then in XSI, I just locate the Gear addon inside C:\gear and install it. Seems to install correctly, however, I get that error when I open Synoptic.

Am I doing something wrong here? My XSI is following Python that it was installed with, not the one that was installed on my computer (Python 2.6). I don't know why its not using the one installed on my computer. I even unchecked the box under the field where you pick what script language to use, and it still 'falls back' onto using Python it came with.

Maybe I don't have it set up correctly? So that XSI uses Python from my computer rather than the one it was installed with? Would that matter? One of the steps calls for "update python libraries" ... I don't know how I would go about doing that, I thought installing Python on my computer and making those variables would do that for me..?

[ShaderOp]

I remember that failing to properly set up the module was the reason for nearly all Gear installation problems reported on the forums and mailing list, but you seem to have done it correctly as far as I can tell (though I could be mistaken since it has been a while since I used Gear).

Only thing I can add is to make sure that you're able to run other Python plugins without issues.

Sorry I couldn't be of any more help :blush:

[bottleofram]

Hi Arslan89,

Gear doesnt mind if softimage is using its own python. However, make sure you invoke Reload Modules command from gear menu before you try to open a synoptic.

If it still fails, please go through this couple of steps:

Make sure you have System variables set, not User variables.

System variables need to be:

Variable Name: Path
Value: C:\Python26\;
(no spaces before or after semicolon)

Variable Name: PYTHONPATH
Value: C:\gear\modules
(inside modules dir you need to have "gear" folder)

Open softimage and run this python code:
import sys
print sys.version

import gear
gear.logInfos()
Are you trying to open a synoptic of the rig you got from them? Try building a simple rig (from chicken template for example), instead. If everything goes alright, try opening its synoptic.

EDIT: CODE tags on this forum are weird - adding spaces inline for no reason... so i replaced them.

[Arslan89]

Thanks for all the help and replies, I really appreciate them.

---

Hey, I just fixed this problem. I really don't know how.. but I can tell you exactly what I did. It seems a few people are having this issue and there is just no explanation for it. I even ask Jeremie Passerin regarding this issue (the developer of Gear). For 2 days, I have been uninstalling, re-installing, back in forth and nothing seemed to help.

Anyways, here is what I did:

First off, the thing I did differently this time around was that I turned off my firewall and protection.

Then, I installed Python2.6 and also, pywin32 (64bit) version. Before when it wasn't working, I did not have pywin32 (64bit). I only had Python 2.6. From what I've read, 2.6 version of Python is the one you need for XSi.

Link: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/files/pywin32/Build%20212/ - Download 'pywin32-212.win-amd64-py2.6.exe'

Then, run this command in XSI script editor:

---
import gear
gear.logInfos()
---

Then I installed the first version of Gear 1.0.6 and then right after that install, I overwrote the files in the module folder with the new version of Gear (1.1.0).

I am not sure whether or not to run it before or after you install Gear in XSI, do both, I don't think it would matter. Just as a precaution.

To install, just drag and drop the add-on into the viewer port.

And from there, everything was working just fine. I don't know exactly WHAT step caused it, but it is working and I don't want to go back and temper with it. http://www.xsibase.com/forum/YaBBImages/grin.gif

Now, according to Jeremie, installing the old version of Gear and then installing the new version is stupid and won't matter. However, some people said that it 'just seems to work better that way'. Jeremie, obviously knows better considering he developed the tool and its awesome. But I just did that anyways, to make sure I don't have any issues.

Hope that helps.

[FORGOT TO MENTION]

Also, I forgot to mention, after you install Python on your computer. Change the Env0ironment Variables. What I have is.. a new variable called 'PYTHON' and the value is 'C:\Python26\;' ... then another called 'PYTHONPATH' and the value is 'C:\gear\modules'.

I created that folder myself and placed the correct version of Gear in there. THAT was where I overwrote the older module folder with the new one and also copied the add on in there, as well. Then drag and drop into XSI from that folder.

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