Adding a new script. heres the docstring.

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Render Billboard Script
This can texture a simple billboard mesh from any number of selected objects.

Renders objects in the selection to quad faces on the active mesh.

Usage
* Light your model or enable the shadless flag so it is visible
* Make a low poly mesh out of quads with 90d corners. (this will be you billboard mesh)
* Select the model and any lamps that light it
* Select the billboard mesh so that it is active
* Run this script, Adjust settings such as image size or oversampling.
* Select a place to save the PNG image.
* Once the script has finished running return to the 3d view by pressing Shift+F5
* To see the newly applied textures change the drawtype to 'Textured Solid'

1 files changed, 244 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/release/scripts/image_billboard.py b/release/scripts/image_billboard.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7394528ba1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/scripts/image_billboard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,244 @@
+#!BPY
+"""
+Name: 'Billboard Render on Active'
+Blender: 242
+Group: 'Image'
+Tooltip: 'Selected objects and lamps to rendered faces on the act mesh'
+""" 
+__author__= "Campbell Barton"
+__url__= ["blender", "blenderartist"]
+__version__= "1.0"
+
+__bpydoc__= """\
+Render Billboard Script
+This can texture a simple billboard mesh from any number of selected objects.
+
+Renders objects in the selection to quad faces on the active mesh.
+
+Usage
+* Light your model or enable the shadless flag so it is visible
+* Make a low poly mesh out of quads with 90d corners. (this will be you billboard mesh)
+* Select the model and any lamps that light it
+* Select the billboard mesh so that it is active
+* Run this script, Adjust settings such as image size or oversampling.
+* Select a place to save the PNG image.
+* Once the script has finished running return to the 3d view by pressing Shift+F5
+* To see the newly applied textures change the drawtype to 'Textured Solid'
+"""
+
+
+import Blender as B
+import BPyMathutils
+# reload(BPyMathutils)
+import BPyRender
+# reload(BPyRender)
+import boxpack2d
+# reload(boxpack2d) # for developing.
+from Blender.Scene import Render
+
+import os
+Vector= B.Mathutils.Vector
+
+def alpha_mat(image):
+	# returns a material useable for 
+	mtl= B.Material.New()
+	mtl.mode |= (B.Material.Modes.SHADELESS | B.Material.Modes.ZTRANSP | B.Material.Modes.FULLOSA )
+	mtl.alpha= 0.0 # so image sets the alpha
+	
+	tex= B.Texture.New()
+	tex.type= B.Texture.Types.IMAGE
+	tex.setImageFlags('InterPol', 'UseAlpha', 'Anti')
+	tex.setExtend('Clip')
+	tex.image= image
+	
+	mtl.setTexture(0, tex, B.Texture.TexCo.UV, B.Texture.MapTo.COL | B.Texture.MapTo.ALPHA)
+	
+	return mtl
+
+# PupBlock Settings
+GLOBALS= {}
+PREF_RES= B.Draw.Create(512)
+PREF_TILE_RES= B.Draw.Create(256)
+PREF_AA = B.Draw.Create(1)
+PREF_ALPHA= B.Draw.Create(1)
+PREF_Z_OFFSET = B.Draw.Create(10.0)
+
+
+def save_billboard(PREF_IMAGE_PATH):
+	
+	ob_sel= GLOBALS['ob_sel']
+	me_ob = GLOBALS['me_ob']
+	me_data = GLOBALS['me_data']
+	
+	time= B.sys.time()
+	
+	me_mat= me_ob.matrixWorld
+	
+	# Render images for all faces
+	face_data= [] # Store faces, images etc
+	boxes2Pack= []
+	temp_images= []
+	me_data.faceUV= True
+	for i, f in enumerate(me_data.faces):
+		no= f.no
+		# Offset the plane by the zoffset on the faces normal
+		plane= [v.co * me_mat for v in f]
+		plane.reverse()
+		no= B.Mathutils.QuadNormal(*plane)
+		plane= [v + no*PREF_Z_OFFSET.val for v in plane]
+		
+		cent= (plane[0]+plane[1]+plane[2]+plane[3] ) /4.0
+		camera_matrix= BPyMathutils.plane2mat(plane)
+		tmp_path= '%s.%d' % (PREF_IMAGE_PATH, i)
+		img= BPyRender.imageFromObjectsOrtho(ob_sel, tmp_path, PREF_TILE_RES.val, PREF_TILE_RES.val, PREF_AA.val, PREF_ALPHA.val, camera_matrix)
+		# img.reload()
+		#img.pack() # se we can keep overwriting the path
+		#img.filename= ""
+		temp_images.append(img)
+		
+		face_data.append( (f, img, plane) )
+		w= ((plane[0]-plane[1]).length + (plane[2]-plane[3]).length)/2
+		h= ((plane[1]-plane[2]).length + (plane[3]-plane[0]).length)/2
+		
+		f.mode |= B.Mesh.FaceModes.TEX
+		f.image = img
+		f.uv=Vector(1,1), Vector(1,0), Vector(0,0), Vector(0,1)
+		boxes2Pack.append( (i, w, h) )
+
+	
+	# pack the quads into a square
+	packWidth, packHeight, packedLs = boxpack2d.boxPackIter(boxes2Pack)
+	
+	render_obs= []
+	
+	# Add geometry to the mesh
+	for i, box in enumerate(packedLs):
+		
+		orig_f, img, plane= face_data[i]
+		
+		# New Mesh and Object
+		render_mat= alpha_mat(img)
+		
+		render_me= B.Mesh.New()
+		render_me.verts.extend([Vector(0,0,0)]) # Stupid, dummy vert, preverts errors. when assigning UV's/
+		render_ob= B.Object.New('Mesh')
+		render_me.materials= [render_mat]
+		render_ob.link(render_me)
+		
+		render_obs.append(render_ob)
+		
+		# Add verts clockwise from the bottom left.
+		_x= box[1] / packWidth
+		_y= box[2] / packHeight
+		_w= box[3] / packWidth
+		_h= box[4] / packHeight
+		
+		render_me.verts.extend([\
+		Vector(_x, _y, 0),\
+		Vector(_x, _y +_h, 0),\
+		Vector(_x + _w, _y +_h, 0),\
+		Vector(_x + _w, _y, 0),\
+		])
+		
+		render_me.faces.extend([\
+		render_me.verts[-1],\
+		render_me.verts[-2],\
+		render_me.verts[-3],\
+		render_me.verts[-4],\
+		])
+		render_me.faceUV= True
+		
+		# target_face= render_me.faces[-1]
+		# TEXFACE isnt used because of the renderign engine cant to alpha's for texdface.
+		#target_face.image= img
+		#target_face.mode |= B.Mesh.FaceModes.TEX
+		
+		# Set the UV's, we need to flip them HOZ?
+		orig_f.uv[2].x= orig_f.uv[3].x= _x+_w
+		orig_f.uv[0].x= orig_f.uv[1].x= _x
+		
+		orig_f.uv[1].y= orig_f.uv[2].y= _y+_h
+		orig_f.uv[0].y= orig_f.uv[3].y= _y
+	
+	target_image= BPyRender.imageFromObjectsOrtho(render_obs, PREF_IMAGE_PATH, PREF_RES.val, PREF_RES.val, PREF_AA.val, PREF_ALPHA.val, None)
+	
+	# Set to the 1 image.
+	for f in me_data.faces:
+		f.image= target_image
+		if PREF_ALPHA.val:
+			f.transp |= B.Mesh.FaceTranspModes.ALPHA
+	
+	# Free the images data and remove
+	for img in temp_images:
+		os.remove(img.filename)
+		img.reload()
+	
+	me_data.update()
+	me_ob.makeDisplayList()
+	B.Window.WaitCursor(0)
+	print '%.2f secs taken' % (B.sys.time()-time)
+	
+
+
+
+def main():
+	
+	
+	
+	block = [\
+	'Image Pixel Size',\
+	("Output: ", PREF_RES, 128, 2048, "Pixel width and height to render the billboard to"),\
+	("Tile: ", PREF_TILE_RES, 64, 1024, "Pixel  width and height for each tile to render to"),\
+	'Render Settings',\
+	("Oversampling", PREF_AA , "Higher quality woth extra sampling"),\
+	("Alpha Clipping", PREF_ALPHA , "Render empty areas as transparent"),\
+	("Cam ZOffset: ", PREF_Z_OFFSET, 0.1, 100, "Distance to place the camera away from the quad when rendering")\
+	]
+	
+	if not B.Draw.PupBlock("Billboard Render", block):
+		return
+	
+	B.Window.WaitCursor(1)
+	
+	
+	
+	scn= B.Scene.GetCurrent()
+	ob_sel= list(scn.objects.context)
+	
+	PREF_KEEP_ASPECT= False
+	
+	
+	if len(ob_sel) < 2:
+		B.Draw.PupMenu("Error%t|Select 2 mesh objects")
+		return
+		
+	me_ob= scn.objects.active
+	
+	if not me_ob:
+		B.Draw.PupMenu("Error%t|No active mesh selected.")
+	
+	try:
+		ob_sel.remove(me_ob)
+	except:
+		pass
+	
+	if me_ob.type != 'Mesh':
+		B.Draw.PupMenu("Error%t|Active Object must be a mesh to write billboard images too")
+		return
+	
+	me_data= me_ob.getData(mesh=1)
+	
+	
+	for f in me_data.faces:
+		if len(f) != 4:
+			B.Draw.PupMenu("Error%t|Active mesh must have only quads")
+			return
+	
+	GLOBALS['ob_sel'] = ob_sel
+	GLOBALS['me_ob'] = me_ob
+	GLOBALS['me_data'] = me_data
+	
+	B.Window.FileSelector(save_billboard, 'SAVE BILLBOARD', B.sys.makename(ext='.png'))
+
+if __name__=='__main__':
+	main()