Generate Data visualisation in blender

DataVisualise.py

# created in response to
# http://blender.stackexchange.com/q/26495/935

import bpy
from operator import itemgetter

# mainpoints is an array of data to use
# to fill it in - place an empty at the location you want a red sphere
# STRICT - name the empty in the format data-frame-parts
# eg data-1-8 will show a sphere on frame 1 and emit 8 particles

mainpoints = []
for o in bpy.data.objects:
    if o.name.startswith('data-'):
        di = o.name.split('-')
        mpi = [int(di[1]),int(di[2]),o.location]
        mainpoints.append(mpi)

# we want the list sorted by frame so we can get the next point
# to stretch the curve to
mainpoints.sort(key=itemgetter(0))

scene = bpy.context.scene
# create these two objects before running script
pointObj = bpy.data.objects['Sphere']
particleObj = bpy.data.objects['Cube']

# options
particleLifetime = 500
particleSize = 0.75
particleDamping = 0.062
particleLineCount = 150
conSize = 0.05
conRes = 3

for i in range(len(mainpoints)):
    pdata = mainpoints[i]
    # start hidden one frame before
    dp = bpy.data.objects.new('DataPoint', pointObj.data)
    bpy.context.scene.objects.link(dp)
    dp.scale = pointObj.scale
    dp.location = pdata[2]
    dp.keyframe_insert('location', frame=pdata[0]-1)
    dp.hide_render=True
    dp.keyframe_insert('hide_render', frame=pdata[0]-1)
    dp.hide=True
    dp.keyframe_insert('hide', frame=pdata[0]-1)
    # now keyframe visibile
    dp.hide_render=False
    dp.keyframe_insert('hide_render', frame=pdata[0])
    dp.hide=False
    dp.keyframe_insert('hide', frame=pdata[0])
    # create cube particles
    ps = dp.modifiers.new(name='particles',type='PARTICLE_SYSTEM')
    pset = ps.particle_system.settings
    pset.count = pdata[1]
    pset.frame_start = pdata[0]
    pset.frame_end = pdata[0]
    pset.lifetime = particleLifetime
    pset.render_type = 'OBJECT'
    pset.dupli_object = particleObj
    pset.particle_size = particleSize
    pset.use_scale_dupli = True
    pset.effector_weights.gravity = 0.0
    pset.damping = particleDamping
    pset.factor_random = 3.8

    # create line particles
    ps = dp.modifiers.new(name='particles',type='PARTICLE_SYSTEM')
    pset = ps.particle_system.settings
    pset.count = pdata[1]
    pset.frame_start = pdata[0]
    pset.frame_end = pdata[0]
    pset.lifetime = particleLifetime
    pset.render_type = 'LINE'
    pset.trail_count = particleLineCount
    pset.effector_weights.gravity = 0.0
    pset.damping = particleDamping
    pset.use_absolute_path_time = True
    pset.line_length_tail = .077
    pset.path_end = mainpoints[-1][0]+80
    pset.factor_random = 3.8
    pset.tangent_phase = 1.0

    if i < len(mainpoints)-1:
        # create a curve to join them
        jd = bpy.data.curves.new(name='curve',type='CURVE')
        jd.bevel_depth = conSize
        jd.bevel_resolution = conRes
        jd.dimensions = '3D'
        jd.fill_mode = 'FULL'
        jd.materials.append(material=particleObj.material_slots[0].material)

        jo = bpy.data.objects.new('joiner', jd)
        bpy.context.scene.objects.link(jo)
        spl = jd.splines.new(type='BEZIER')
        spl.bezier_points.add()
        p1 = spl.bezier_points[0]
        p1.handle_left_type = 'VECTOR'
        p1.handle_right_type = 'VECTOR'
        p2 = spl.bezier_points[1]
        p2.handle_left_type = 'VECTOR'
        p2.handle_right_type = 'VECTOR'

        # create hook modifier
        scene.objects.active = jo
        bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode="EDIT")
        p = jd.splines[0].bezier_points
        p[0].select_control_point = False
        p[1].select_control_point = True
        hm1 = jo.modifiers.new(name='Hook1',type='HOOK')
        bpy.ops.object.hook_assign()
        bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode="OBJECT")

        # keyframe visibility
        jo.hide_render=True
        jo.keyframe_insert('hide_render', frame=pdata[0]-1)
        jo.hide=True
        jo.keyframe_insert('hide', frame=pdata[0]-1)
        jo.location = pdata[2]
        jo.keyframe_insert('location', frame=pdata[0]-1)
        jo.hide_render=False
        jo.keyframe_insert('hide_render', frame=pdata[0])
        jo.hide=False
        jo.keyframe_insert('hide', frame=pdata[0])
        # add hooks to stretch the curve
        h1 = bpy.data.objects.new('Hook', None)
        bpy.context.scene.objects.link(h1)

        # start at this points location
        h1.location = pdata[2]
        h1.keyframe_insert('location', frame=pdata[0]-1)
        # then moves to next points location
        h1.location = mainpoints[i+1][2]
        h1.keyframe_insert('location', frame=mainpoints[i+1][0])
        hm1.object = h1