Blender Manager

Welcome to Blender Manager

Hey there, Blender enthusiast! Ready to level up your workflow? Welcome to Blender Manager, your new best friend for handling all things Blender. From juggling multiple versions to keeping your projects and addons in check, this tool’s got your back. Let’s get started.

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What’s Blender Manager?

It’s like a command center for your Blender setup. Want to:

• Keep your Blender updated? ✅
• Switch between Blender versions like a pro? ✅
• Efortlessly create projects? ✅
• Organize your messy projects into a neat library? ✅
• Manage addons without diving into Blender every time? Oh, you bet. ✅

Yeah, Blender Manager does all that and more.

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Why You’ll Love It 💖

Here’s the deal: Blender Manager takes the boring, repetitive tasks and makes them easy. No more hunting for the right Blender version or manually transferring addons. Just click a few buttons, and boom, you’re good to go.

Here’s a taste of what it does:

• Version Management: Install, update, and switch Blender versions with zero hassle.
• Project Management: Keep all your blend files tidy and easy to access.
• Addon Management: Activate, deactivate, or move addons between versions. Simple as that.
• Render Management: Preview, organize, and add notes to your renders.

📋 Screenshots

Selected Font: SimHei

📋 Features

Blender Manager Documentation

1) Main Menu

The Main Menu serves as the central hub of Blender Manager, offering various settings and quick access options to enhance your workflow.

Features

Launch Blender

Provides quick access to the Blender version you have set as the main version in the Version Management section. Left-clicking presents three options:

• Launch With Argument: Start Blender with custom command-line arguments to enable different functionalities upon launch.

• Export Blender: Export your Blender installation to a specified file location.

• Delete Blender: Remove the Blender application from your system.

Create Project

Facilitates practical adjustments for your new Blender projects before you start them. It consists of three sections:

• Reference Images: Set up reference images for your project in an organized manner, covering front, back, right, left, top, and bottom views.

• Base Mesh: Start your project with a pre-prepared mesh. Upload your mesh file from your computer.

• Settings:

  • Elements: Include or remove default elements such as the camera and lighting when starting a new project, according to your preferences.

  • Autosave: Automatically back up the current state of your project at desired intervals. Specify where to save project backups and choose to save each backup as a separate file or overwrite the previous one.

Check Updates

Verify whether the latest version of Blender is installed. If not, you can opt to automatically install the latest version.

Settings

Preferences

Personalize the Blender Manager application:

• Change the theme.
• Adjust the size of main headings, texts, and buttons.
• Change fonts.
• Adjust the transparency of the application interface.

General Settings

• Setup Addon: Install the Blender Manager addon to all your Blender versions.

• Change Launch Folder: Change the default folder from which Blender is launched.

• Auto Update Blender: Automatically update your Blender application when a new version is released.

• BM Auto Update: Automatically update Blender Manager itself when a new version is available.

• Auto Activate Addon After Adding: Automatically activate the Blender Manager addon when you install a new Blender version.

• Launch on Startup: Set Blender Manager to open automatically when your computer starts.

• Run in Background: Allow Blender Manager to run in the background.

• Download Chunk Size Multiplier: Adjust the download speed for installations within Blender Manager based on your internet connection speed.

• Tab Visibility Settings: Hide main tabs that you do not use for a cleaner workspace.

• Reset Data: Reset all data provided by Blender Manager, including preferences, installed versions, and settings.

  Warning: This action is irreversible.

• Delete All Versions: Delete all Blender versions installed through Blender Manager.

  Warning: This action is irreversible.

• Reset Settings: Reset Blender Manager settings to their default values.

• Reset Blender Configurations: Reset all settings of the selected Blender version to defaults.

• Restart: Restart Blender Manager to apply and save any changes made in the settings.

Blender Settings

• Transfer Settings: Transfer settings from one Blender version to another by selecting the source and target versions.

• Export/Import Settings: Export or import settings of a selected Blender version.

Recent Projects

View your most recent Blender projects and the last date each project was opened.

• Single Click: Display the total time spent on the project.

• Double Click: Quickly open the project with your main Blender version.

• Right Click: Delete the project.

Help Section

Contains:

• Documentation: Access to the Blender Manager user guide.

• Credits: Information about contributors.

• Donations: Options to support the project.

Version Information

Located in the lower-left corner, displaying the versions of Blender and Blender Manager you have installed. If not up to date, the version number becomes clickable for automatic updates.

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2) Addon Management

Manage all your Blender addons in one place, configuring them as desired across different Blender versions.

Features

• Add Addon: Import an addon from your computer into Blender Manager using the Browse button.

• Refresh: Update the addon list after adding new addons or making changes.

• Version Selection: Select a Blender version to view and manage addons registered for that version.

• Addon List: Right-click on any addon to access management options.

Right-click Options

• Delete: Remove the addon from the selected Blender version.

• Go to File Path: Open the file location of the addon on your computer.

• Info: View details about the addon, such as version, author, and description.

• View Documentation: Access the addon's documentation for usage instructions.

• Duplicate to: Copy the addon to another Blender version.

• Activate Addon: Activate the addon without opening Blender.

• Deactivate Addon: Deactivate the addon without opening Blender.

View addon versions, compatible Blender versions, and activation status.

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3) Project Management

Organize and manage your Blender projects efficiently.

Features

• Add Project: Import existing projects into Blender Manager using the Browse button.

• Refresh: Update the project list after adding new projects or making changes.

• Project List:

  • Hierarchy Management: Click on Project Name to adjust the hierarchy.

  • Drag and Drop: Import folders containing blend files by dragging them into the area.

• Project Information: View file size, Blender version used, and last modification date.

• Right-click Options

  • Open With: Open the project with any installed Blender version.

  • Rename: Change the project's name.

  • Go to File Path: Open the project's file location.

  • Delete: Remove the project from Blender Manager.

    Note: This deletes the project file from your system.

  • Export: Export the project in formats like FBX, glTF, or ABC. Select the format in the dialog that appears.

  • Info: View detailed information and preview images. Export individual meshes independently.

  • Move to Folder: Move the project to a different folder within Blender Manager.

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4) Version Management

Simplify downloading, accessing, and managing different Blender versions.

Features

• OS and Architecture Selection: Choose your operating system and architecture for compatibility.

• Get Versions:

  • Get Stable Versions: Display official stable Blender releases.

  • Get Unstable Versions: Display experimental or beta Blender releases.

• Version List: View available Blender versions with release dates.

• Install:

  • Select a version and click Install to download and install it.

• Release Notes: Access official notes detailing new features and changes.

• Installed Versions:

  • Refresh: Update the list to include newly installed versions.

  • Right-click Options:

    • Create Shortcut: Generate a desktop shortcut.

    • Delete: Remove the Blender version from your system.

• Buttons:

  • Launch: Open the selected version.

    • Factory Settings: Open with default Blender settings.

  • Convert to Main: Set the selected version as your main Blender version.

  • Install a Version: Return to download and install new versions.

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5) Render Management

View and manage textures and renders you've created and saved in Blender.

Features

• Render List: Displays renders with file size, resolution, and last modification date. Preview renders by selecting them.

• Browse: Import renders from your computer.

• Open: Open selected renders.

• Refresh: Update the list after adding new renders.

• Delete: Remove renders from Blender Manager.

  Note: This deletes the render file from your system.

• Render Notes: Add notes or comments about the render for future reference.

🛠️ Installation Guide

Follow these steps to install and set up Blender Manager on your system.

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Step 1: Download and Extract the ZIP File

1. Download the Blender Manager ZIP file
   📥 Download Latest Release

2. Extract the ZIP file to a location of your choice:

   • Right-click the ZIP file and select "Extract All" or use a tool like WinRAR or 7-Zip.
   • After extraction, you’ll find a folder named "BlenderManager".

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Step 2: Launch Blender Manager

1. Open the BlenderManager folder.
2. Double-click on blender_manager.exe to start the application.
   • If a security prompt appears, click "Run Anyway".
3. Install Blender by clicking Launch Blender in Main Menu
4. Select the option which suits you.
5. Note: If the Blender Manager addon doesn't appear in the Preferences or Addon Management tab, go to Settings -> Setup Addon or try installing it manually.

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🎉 You're All Set!

Blender Manager is now installed and ready to enhance your Blender workflow. Enjoy streamlined project management and efficient tool integration!

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How to Run BlenderManager from Source

Follow the instructions below to clone, set up, and run BlenderManager from the source code. Ensure you have Python installed on your system (version 3.10 or higher is recommended).

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Prerequisites

1. Python Installation: Ensure Python 3.10+ is installed and added to your system's PATH. You can download Python from the official Python website.

2. Git Installation: Ensure Git is installed on your system. You can download Git from here.

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Steps to Run the Project

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Use the following command to clone the BlenderManager repository to your local machine:

git clone https://github.com/verlorengest/BlenderManager.git

Navigate to the project directory:

cd BlenderManager

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Create a virtual environment (optional but recommended):

python -m venv venv

Activate the virtual environment:

• Windows:

  venv\Scripts\activate

• macOS/Linux:

  source venv/bin/activate

Install the required dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Step 3: Run BlenderManager

Run the application using the following command:

python blender_manager.py

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Additional Notes

• Ensure you have Blender installed or configure the application to detect an existing Blender installation. If Blender is not installed, the app will prompt you to install it.
• The application may require elevated permissions to access certain directories or system settings, depending on your operating system.
• themes Folder should be inside of \Lib\site-packages\ttkbootstrap
• For further assistance or issues, please open a ticket on the GitHub Issues Page.

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⚠️ Note: This is a pre-release version.

This version may contain bugs and issues as it is still in pre-release. Your feedback is crucial in helping us improve the application. If you encounter any problems, please don’t hesitate to open an issue and let us know!

❣️ Show Some Love

Blender Manager is free and open-source. If you find it helpful, consider supporting the project:

• Donate on Gumroad
• Buy Me a Coffee ☕

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