\section{Python integration}
\label{sec:python}
A recent feature of Mitsuba is a simple Python interface to the renderer API. 
While the interface is still limited at this point, it can already be
used for simple automation purposes. To access the API, start your Python 
interpreter and enter
\begin{python}
import mitsuba
\end{python}
For this to work on MacOS X, you will first have to run the ``\emph{Apple
Menu}$\to$\emph{Command-line access}'' menu item from within Mitsuba.
On Windows and non-packaged Linux builds, you may have to update the extension
search path before issuing the \code{import} command:
\begin{python}
import sys

# Update the extension search path
# (may vary depending on your setup)
sys.path.append('dist/python')

import mitsuba
\end{python}
For an overview of the currently exposed API subset, refer
to the following page: \url{http://www.mitsuba-renderer.org/api/group__libpython.html}.

\subsection{Fundamentals}
All 

Where applicable, the Python wrapper supports operator overloading,
default arguments, and 
\begin{python}
import mitsuba
from mitsuba.core import *

myVector = normalize(Vector(1.0, 2.0, 3.0))

print(myVector * 2)

Log(EInfo, "" +)
\end{python}

\subsection{Taking control of the logging system}
Many operations in Mitsuba will print one or more log messages
during their execution. By default, they will be printed to the console,
which may be undesirable. Similar to the C++ side, it is possible to define
custom \code{Formatter} and \code{Appender} classes to interpret and direct
the flow of these messages. 

Roughly, a \code{Formatter} turns detailed
information about a logging event into a human-readable string, and a
\code{Appender} routes it to some destination (e.g. by appending it to
a file or a log viewer in a graphical user interface). Here is an example
of how to activate such extensions:
\begin{python}
import mitsuba
from mitsuba.core import *

class MyFormatter(Formatter):
	def format(self, logLevel, sourceClass, sourceThread, message, filename, line):
		return "%s (log level: %s, thread: %s, class %s, file %s, line %i)" % \
				(message, str(logLevel), sourceThread.getName(), sourceClass, 
				 filename, line)

class MyAppender(Appender):
	def append(self, logLevel, message):
		print(message)

	def logProgress(self, progress, name, formatted, eta):
		print("Progress message: " + formatted)

# Get the logger associated with the current thread
logger = Thread.getThread().getLogger()
logger.setFormatter(MyFormatter())
logger.clearAppenders()
logger.addAppender(MyAppender())
logger.setLogLevel(EDebug)

Log(EInfo, "Test message")
\end{python}