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Layout Manager (Blender add-on)

rkt
rkt
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rkt polycounter lvl 4


What’s Layout Manager?

Layout Manager can help you save your layouts of your workspace for Blender, and load them back any time you like. It’s helpful while you need to switch between different layouts in your workflow.

This add-on is available on Gumroad and Blender Market.

Demo Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qciP84eEhmM

How to save/load add-ons in workspace tab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOvXcWt9cDU


Get Supports:

Discord: https://discord.gg/nTVkSNQ

Just let me know if you have any suggestion or idea for Layout Manager, any feedback is welcome.

TIPS: Don’t forget to save your blend file after saving layouts as presets, or you will lost the presets.


Development Plan:

  • Add functions to move up/down preset (Done)

  • Save/load Dopesheet attributes for Dopesheet Editor (Done)

  • Hotkey to save layout as preset

  • Hotkey to load layout

  • Switching between scenes will reload presets for that scene, multiple scene supports

  • And other features you can request if they are doable


Changelog:

Version 1.1.0:

  • Fixed crash in Blender 3.0.0 


Version 1.0.7:

  • Add ability to export presets as JSON file
  • Add ability to import presets from JSON file


Version 1.0.6:

  • Save and load add-ons in workspace tab, see demo video above


Version 1.0.5:

  • N panel is also available on view3d, image editor, node editor


Version 1.0.4:

  • Save/load more dopeseet attributes for Dopesheet Editor


Version 1.0.3:

  • Save/load Dopesheet attributes for DOPESHEET_EDITOR


Version 1.0.2:

  • Add move up/down operators to move presets


Version 1.0.1:

  •  Fixed attributes error for Blender 2.81


Version 1.0.0:

  • Initial release

Replies

  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    Layout Manager is now available on Blender Market.
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    Layout Manager updates to v1.0.1

    Version 1.0.1:

    * Fixed attributes error for Blender 2.81
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    Updated to v1.0.2

    Version 1.0.2:

    • Add move up/down operators to move presets
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    Update to v1.0.3

    Version 1.0.3:

    • Save/load Dopesheet attributes for DOPESHEET_EDITOR
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    Update to v1.0.4

    Version 1.0.4:

    • Save/load more dopeseet attributes for Dopesheet Editor
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4

    Version 1.0.5:

    • N panel is also available on view3d, image editor, node editor
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4

    Version 1.0.6:

    • Save and load add-ons in workspace tab, see demo video above
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4

    Version 1.0.7:

    • Add ability to export presets as JSON file
    • Add ability to import presets from JSON file
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4

    Version 1.1.0:

    • Fixed crash in Blender 3.0.0 
  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
    Hello,
    I am curious about this, but there's a detail that I do not understand. The Gumroad page states : 

    "TIPS: Don't forget to save your blend file after saving layouts as presets, or you will lost the presets."

    Where/how does your addon store the layout info then ? I would expect it to save it to an external file (to bypass the convoluted/counter intuitive way Blender loads layouts from the Startup file, if I understand the base system correctly) ...
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    pior said:
    Hello,
    I am curious about this, but there's a detail that I do not understand. The Gumroad page states : 

    "TIPS: Don't forget to save your blend file after saving layouts as presets, or you will lost the presets."

    Where/how does your addon store the layout info then ? I would expect it to save it to an external file (to bypass the convoluted/counter intuitive way Blender loads layouts from the Startup file, if I understand the base system correctly) ...
    Hi, layouts presets are saved with the blend file you are editing with Blender. That's to say, your saved presets are only available for the blend file your are editing, and are saved automatically while you save your blend file.
  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
    Heya -
    I understand that, that's the default way it works. But then could you explain what your addon does, and what kind of extra flexibility it brings on top of that ?

    I would assume that a layout manager would allow one to, say, save a layout preset to a desired location (dropbox), and then load it up at any time when needed.

    For instance, there is a certain kind of screen layout I like to use when editing models using atlased UVs, but I end up never really using it because saving it into the startup Blend is just an annoyance at times when one doesn't want to be interrupted (and then, any minor edit to that layout would involve yet another manipulation of the startup blend, which is yet another pain in the ass). If I could simply adjust the layout of my current work session to what I need for that task and then somehow save that to a specific file on disc (knowing that I could load it back at any time later), I would absolutely love it (and Imho that's how it should be by default, as opposed to saving the layouts inside the Blends, which is a dumb design). Can your tool help me do that ?
  • rkt
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    rkt polycounter lvl 4
    Hi, sorry for the delay reply, PolyCount did not sent email notification to me while you replied to me.

    I know your problem, currently Layout Manager only save layout preset in the editing Blend file, but I think your requirement makes sense, so I will make it also saved to disk, and you can load it back anytime you are using Blender.

    Stay tune, will let you know while this feature is available.
    Have a nice one.
    -Aaron
  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
    Hey, thanks for chiming in !
    Interesting - I'll keep my eyes peeled. Best of luck with this project !
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