custom UI button

Is there a way I can make an “import OBJ” button in the UI, instead of using the usual steps? I realize it’s only 3 steps, but I use this function a lot.

Thx

The short answer is no.

WAY long time ago when the 2.5 series was first started there was a way to add custom buttons to the tools region, but it got removed and never replaced. Don’t know why. We can customize everything else in the UI including saving customized window layouts, but no ability to make any kind of ‘favorites’ palette. I tried to push interest in a new window just for the user to save favorite actions and buttons but I got little response. So many other programs allow you to do this and with the huge amount of shortcuts and work paradigms in Blender it seems like there would be more interest.
I really like the idea of a new type of window just for this because it completely avoids any impact on the other windows and the only arguments would be how this new window itself would work, thus avoiding the endless war about how the rest of Blender UI should work.

Its an idea I think has a lot of potential in so many ways such as specific preferences settings; swapping different palettes for different tasks; a most frequently-used list (as opposed to a history list); allow buttons to display icons, text, or both; relabel any button with your own text; rearrange and/or group button collections. The list control itself has huge potential by itself for how it might be used. Just like any other window you would be able to save it in Screen setups, resize, have multiple copies open in different places, ideally each with it’s own palette of saved buttons.

My project pile is way too overloaded but if I was going to make a serious Blender project it would be this idea. I don’t think it would be possible in Python. I literally can’t think of a reason at any fundamental level why anybody could complain at this added ability, except the developers may say it’s too large a task without the a demand behind it.

Popular demand for Blender features doesn’t seem to have much impact with the developers unless it is an overwhelming revolution pitch-forks-and-torches kind of demand. In this case an alternative is to do it yourself as a custom build and let it go viral (or not).

I suppose anybody could say this about their own ideas of UI behavior, but, it seems like an ideal addition to the current ‘workflow’ paradigm of 2.8.

@shadowphile - Thx for your thoughts, but you seem to have a different agenda.

In the meantime, you could add a keyboard shortcut. Just open the menu, File > Import and hover over the .OBJ import menu item and right-click. First option is the one you want.

BRILLIANT!! Thanks, Ron! =]

Sorry I got carried away :o You triggered one of my long-running gripes.

Sometimes when I get upset and wanna throw furniture at the TV; a banana smoothie makes me feel much better. :slight_smile:

I drink a banana-smoothie protein fiber anticancer shake every morning on my way to work! But don’t spill inside the car (blegh).