cloning
link-mesh-array.py
link-mesh.py

mesh fabrication
staircase.py
triangle-donut.py
vertexAccumulator.py
randomSquareArray.py
meshFromBathymetry.py
cylinders-from-list-of-radii.py
binary-image-to-mesh.py
sphere-minecraft-schematic.py
spikify.py
add-to-mesh.py
mobius-strip.py
split-copy-mesh.py

fabricating other objects
create-text.py
text-from-file.py
create-camera.py
create-bezier.py
helix-bezier.py

material slots
cube-copy-blue.py
cube-turns-red.py
red-blue-per-object.py

animation and fcurves
csv-to-fcurve-loc-rot.py
csv-to-fcurve.py
pop-in-material.py
spike-wiggle-2.py
spike-wiggle.py
sweep-animate-size.py
animate-cycles-lamp-strength.py

incorporating python libraries
exec-text-library.py
exec-external-python.py
import-python.py

constraints
camera-track-object.py
text-track-camera.py

shape keys
explore-shape-keys.py
shape-key-fin.py
docking-tube.py

animating curve bevel
data-graph.py

drivers
scan-drivers.py
copy-drivers.py
driver-fin.py
driver-multi-chain.py

UV layers
barber-pole.py
expand-uv-to-fit.py
uv-from-geometry-cubic.py
flip-texture-v-coordinate.py

modifiers
hook-modifier-curve.py
rounded-prisms.py
make-tile.py
remove-action-modifiers.py

NLAs
explore-NLAs.py
spinning-frogs.py

video sequence editor (VSE)
create-vse-image-strips.py
slide-show.py
vse-strip-gap.py

images and textures
image-on-mesh.py
image-to-material-node.py
load-image-texture.py
texture-one-cube-face.py
condense-duplicate-images.py

analytic geometry
animate-random-spin.py
camera-cone-exp-2.py
camera-cone-exp.py
compute-circle-center.py
dihedral-angle-from-xy.py
extrude-edge-along-custom-axis.py
orientation-matrix.py
two-spheres.py
bezier-interpolate.py
rotate-to-match.py

node trees
change-diffuse-to-emission-node.py

etc
add-plane-from-selected-vertices.py
adjust-all-materials.py
all-nodes-cycles-materials.py
bit_shift.py
bone-orientation-demo.py
cannonball-packing.py
comb.py
convert-quaternion-keyframes-to-euler.py
copy-location-from-vertex-group.py
create-cycles-material.py
demonstrate-decomposition-instability.py
dump-point-cache.py
dump-screen-layout-info.py
expand-nla-strips.py
explore-edge-bevel-weight.py
find-action-users.py
find-green-rectangle.py
find-new-objects.py
fix-scene-layers.py
generate-makefile.py
link-external-data-blocks.py
list-referenced-files.py
material-readout.py
movie-card-stack.py
movies-on-faces.py
next-file-name.py
object-font-from-regular-font.py
operator-mesh-gridify.py
particle-animator.py
particle_loop.py
pose-match.py
pose-sequence-to-fbx.py
prepare-texture-bake.py
raining-physics.py
random-pebble-material.py
reverse-keyframes.py
scale-parallelogram.py
screenshot-sequence.py
select-objects-in-modifiers.py
select-vertices.py
shift-layers.py
snapshot-keyframes-as-mesh.py
sphere-project-texture.py
squish-mesh-axis.py
subdivide-fcurve.py
thicken-texture.py
transform-selected.py
voronoi-madness.py

__author__ = 'thoth'

# http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/71179/script-for-hexagonal-distribution/71193

# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close-packing_of_equal_spheres

# Fill a rectangular prism with cannonballs according to hexagonal close-packed (triangular orthobicupola variant).

# An alternate orientation not supported by this code is face-centered
# cubic which is geometrically similar, just aligned to a different axis.


import bpy
from math import *

def construct_cannonball(mesh, x,y,z):
    scn = bpy.context.scene

    obj = bpy.data.objects.new("ball", mesh)
    scn.objects.link(obj)

    obj.location = [x,y,z]


def mission1(mesh, r, xyz1, xyz2, construct_cannonball=construct_cannonball):

    dx = 2*r
    dy = sqrt(0.75)*dx

    dz = sqrt(2/3)*dx   # thank you, CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics

    w = 0
    z=xyz1[2]
    while z<xyz2[2]:

        v=0
        y=xyz1[1]
        if 1==w%2:
            y += dx/2 * tan(pi/6)
        while y < xyz2[1]:
            x = xyz1[0]
            if 1==w%2:
                if 1==v%2:
                    x -= dx/2 / cos(pi/6)
                else:
                    x += dx/2 / cos(pi/6)
            if 1 == v%2:
                x += dx/2
            while x < xyz2[0]:
                construct_cannonball(mesh, x,y,z)
                x += dx

            y += dy
            v+=1

        z += dz
        w += 1


def purge(scn, prefix):
    for obj in scn.objects:
        if obj.name[0:len(prefix)] == prefix:
            obj.name = "discard"
            scn.objects.unlink(obj)

purge(bpy.context.scene, "ball")

mission1(bpy.data.objects['prototype'].data,
         1, [-5,-5,-5], [5,5,5])

Blender python API quick-start

Syntax highlighting by Pygments.