Blender print to console in Linux

When working with Blender on Linux, scripting in Python can supercharge your workflow—especially for debugging or logging. One common need is printing custom messages to Blender’s built-in console, which isn’t as straightforward as Python’s print(). This script, originally sourced from StackOverflow and duplicated here for quick reference, provides a reliable way to write text to Blender’s console window. Whether you’re testing scripts or tracking variables, this method is a lifesaver.

The script leverages Blender’s Python API (bpy) to locate and interact with the console. It consists of two key functions: console_get() and console_write(). Let’s break it down.

First, console_get() searches for the console within Blender’s interface. Blender organizes its UI into areas, spaces, and regions. The function iterates through bpy.context.screen.areas to find an area of type ‘CONSOLE’. Once found, it narrows down to the matching space (‘CONSOLE’) and region (‘WINDOW’), returning these objects as a tuple. If no console is open, it returns None values, ensuring the script fails gracefully.

Here’s the console_get() code:

def console_get():
    for area in bpy.context.screen.areas:
        if area.type == 'CONSOLE':
            for space in area.spaces:
                if space.type == 'CONSOLE':
                    for region in area.regions:
                        if region.type == 'WINDOW':
                            return area, space, region
    return None, None, None

Next, console_write(text) takes a string input and sends it to the console. It first calls console_get() to retrieve the necessary UI components. If the console isn’t found (e.g., it’s not open in the Blender window), the function exits early. Otherwise, it creates a context override—a temporary modification of Blender’s context—to target the console specifically. This is crucial because Blender’s operators (like bpy.ops.console.scrollback_append) depend on the active context.

The override is built by copying the current context and updating it with the console’s area, space, and region:

context_override = bpy.context.copy()
context_override.update({
    "space": space,
    "area": area,
    "region": region,
})

With the context set, the script splits the input text into lines and appends each one to the console using bpy.ops.console.scrollback_append. The type=’OUTPUT’ argument ensures the text appears as standard output, mimicking native console behavior. For example:

console_write("Hello World")

unning this in Blender’s Python console or a script editor on Linux prints “Hello World” to the console window. It’s simple but powerful for debugging complex scripts—say, tracking object transformations or script progress.

This approach works seamlessly on Linux, where Blender’s console is a handy tool for developers. However, it requires the console to be visible in your layout. If it’s hidden, you’ll need to toggle it on (via the Editor Type menu). Originally found on StackOverflow, I’ve stashed it here for personal quick access—and it’s a gem for any Blender scripter. Try it next time you’re knee-deep in Python and need a clear output channel!