Executing meshlab from commandline reduce faces of a mesh iteratively

reduce_faces.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import sys
import os
import subprocess

# Script taken from doing the needed operation
# (Filters > Remeshing, Simplification and Reconstruction >
# Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation, with parameters:
# 0.9 percentage reduction (10%), 0.3 Quality threshold (70%)
# Target number of faces is ignored with those parameters
# conserving face normals, planar simplification and
# post-simplimfication cleaning)
# And going to Filter > Show current filter script
filter_script_mlx = """<!DOCTYPE FilterScript>
<FilterScript>
 <filter name="Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation">
  <Param type="RichInt" value="1448" name="TargetFaceNum"/>
  <Param type="RichFloat" value="0.9" name="TargetPerc"/>
  <Param type="RichFloat" value="0.3" name="QualityThr"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="false" name="PreserveBoundary"/>
  <Param type="RichFloat" value="1" name="BoundaryWeight"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="true" name="PreserveNormal"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="false" name="PreserveTopology"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="false" name="OptimalPlacement"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="true" name="PlanarQuadric"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="false" name="QualityWeight"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="true" name="AutoClean"/>
  <Param type="RichBool" value="false" name="Selected"/>
 </filter>
</FilterScript>

"""


def create_tmp_filter_file(filename='filter_file_tmp.mlx'):
    with open('/tmp/' + filename, 'w') as f:
        f.write(filter_script_mlx)
    return '/tmp/' + filename


def reduce_faces(in_file, out_file,
                 filter_script_path=create_tmp_filter_file()):
    # Add input mesh
    command = "meshlabserver -i " + in_file
    # Add the filter script
    command += " -s " + filter_script_path
    # Add the output filename and output flags
    command += " -o " + out_file + " -om vn fn"
    # Execute command
    print "Going to execute: " + command
    output = subprocess.check_output(command, shell=True)
    last_line = output.splitlines()[-1]
    print
    print "Done:"
    print in_file + " > " + out_file + ": " + last_line


if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) < 3:
        print "Usage:"
        print sys.argv[0] + " /path/to/input_mesh num_iterations"
        print "For example, reduce 10 times:"
        print sys.argv[0] + " /home/myuser/mymesh.dae 10"
        exit(0)

    in_mesh = sys.argv[1]
    filename = in_mesh.split('/')[-1]
    num_iterations = int(sys.argv[2])

    folder_name = filename.replace('.', '_')
    tmp_folder_name = '/tmp/' + folder_name + '_meshes/'

    print "Input mesh: " + in_mesh + " (filename: " + filename + ")"
    print "Num iterations: " + str(num_iterations)
    print "Output folder: " + tmp_folder_name
    try:
        os.mkdir(tmp_folder_name)
    except OSError as e:
        print >> sys.stderr, "Exception creating folder for meshes: " + str(e)
        exit(0)
    for it in range(1, num_iterations):
        if it == 1:
            out_mesh = tmp_folder_name + folder_name + "_it" + str(it) + ".dae"
            reduce_faces(in_mesh, out_mesh)
        else:
            out_mesh = tmp_folder_name + folder_name + "_it" + str(it) + ".dae"
            reduce_faces(last_out_mesh, out_mesh)
        last_out_mesh = out_mesh

    print
    print "Done reducing, find the files at: " + tmp_folder_name

here are some updates for python 3.6.2: https://gist.github.com/tylerlindell/7435ca2261e7c404ccc1241f18e483aa