I’ve been wanting to learn python for sometime now and so I’m finally diving in. Aside from a few little scripts here and there, I’ve been working on a larger add-on package that incorporates a lot of things to speed up my workflow.
Quick Tools (previously known as JayTools)
This add-on provides a menu, toolbar, and hotkeys for speeding up the workflow based on your current working mode.
Each of the items and tools and chosen based on my own workflow, such that I’m adding them as I find something that drastically speeds up my common tasks.
The object mode menu (and toolbar) is mostly dedicated to modifiers. Each of the modifier entries will create the modifier with preferred settings already set. e.g. for Add Subsurf, it sets the level to 2 and enables Optimal Display.
Most of these are pretty self explanatory, except the Add Target and Add Mirror. This is used for creating a target object for the mirror modifier. It does one of three things:
If nothing is selected, Add Target will create an Empty at the cursor location.
If a object with a mirror modifier is selected, Add Target will create an Empty at the cursor location and assign it to the Mirror Object field
If an empty and an object with no mirror modifier are selected, Add Mirror will add a Mirror modifier to the object and assign the Empty to the Mirror Object field.
Edit Mode (hotkey Q)
Most of these are self explanatory. The only one to be aware of is that Add Bsurface requires that the BSurfaces add-on be enabled (it is included with Blender).
Sculpt Mode (hotkey Q)
Again, these should be quite simple. The main thing to note is that JayTools auto-creates hotkeys for toggling XYZ symmetry during sculpting. You can change these from User Preferences > Input > 3D View > Sculpt
For a tutorial on the usage of Quick Tools check out my tutorial on Blender Cookie: http://cgcookie.com/blender/2013/05/14/using-the-quick-tools-add-on/
@JonathanW Wow… A reply from one of my blender heroes
You are right and I had forgotten about that (I’m on a macbook pro myself) as I’ve disabled them (meaning that I need to press the fn key to use them)…
hmmm… I’m guessing you are referring to the difference of using subdivision and the subsurf modifier or I’m I confused here. For me the ctrl + # still work in sculpt mode…
I see… Never used it so I wouldn’t know about that.
It seems to me that maybe there could be some work done about the hotkey assignment in the preferences as it seems to be first things most users wants to change when they get into scripting (about which your tutorial definitely was watched and appreciated by the way http://cgcookie.com/blender/2012/09/30/blender-tweak-interface-scripting/ )
Personally I’d prefer a per key view instead with maybe a tick box or two for hiding and showing some of the more extravagant of short cuts… But in the end I’m guessing if we all went with a custom layout it would be hell following tutorials…
Ah a new version. Very nice Jonathon. Been using .4 for a while now. Very handy. And also the download link isn’t working. Got this error message as well: ERRORArtifactFile: Invalid ArtifactFile ID
Jonathan, do you foresee a problem after PieMenu’s arrive in 2.68 in that some new users are going to find a conflict between what Q key does in PieMenu’s and your choice to use Q?
The pie menu implementation that’s coming won’t necessarily use the Q key. If it does the key will be changeable, just as it is with Quick Tools right now. You cans et the key to whatever you wish.
