BackMeUp.py (111.7 KB)
------>>> MANUAL / USER GUIDE <<<-------
General explanations:
A - Installation
the addon install like every other add-on out here.
watch this gif below if you never did this procedure before.
B - Keymap
by default the back me up pie menu will replace the vanilla [CTRL S] keymap.
If you don’t like it don’t worry just hit [CTRL S]+[S] and it will proceed just like before.
i still offer the possibility to change the shortcut if you want.but i highly suggest you to not use the old save function anymore, because the traditional save will not be taken into account with the new "Last Save" Timer and the Save Warning notification will never pop-up.
C - Warning about disabling the addon
if you want to remove the addon you can do it witouth any problem.
But please do not re-enable it within the blender same session.
if you disable it and want to re-enable it right after, please quit blender and relaunch it first, before enabling the addon again.
The active notification system loop, auto-copy and auto-save may break.
D - Warning about unsaved files
a lot of function of back me up are working only if the file is saved somewhere, if you file is brand new and was never saved before, some functions will not work.
Don’t worry tho, you just have to do your first save !
E - Warning Pressing 'ESC' while rendering
By default, If you are rendering pressing the ‘ESC’ key will stop your render (duh).
always remember this if you are in the back me up pie menu or the warning pop up.You can always close the pie with either the ‘RMB’ or ‘ESC’ so please choose wisely.
you can stop this evil behavior in the keymap editor by the way.
F - Some operators are contextual !
The upper/lower left button of the pie are contextual.
in the image editor/uv editor, the lower left will become "Quick save an Image Export"
in the 3D view the lower left button will become "Quick save an Mesh Export" and the upper left “Quick save as Collection copy”
in the text editor, the lower left button will become "Quick save a Text Export" and the upper left “Quick save as text copy”
Save Operators explanations:
01 - Quick Save
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [S]
Quick save is the basic save function.
The only differences when comparing to the normal blender default save function is that every time you quick save, it will update the “Last Save” Timer, and give you a clear notification that your file has been saved.
if the file was never saved before, the Quick save operator will be replaced by a “First Save!” which is basically a “save as”.
You can use the old saving system if you want but the Last Save Timer will not work, same for the Save Warning Pop-up.
02 - Quick Save Versions Slider
The save version slider is a vanilla feature from blender, not a lot of people know about it.
it basically save a copies of your .blend every time you do a quick save.
at zero, no copies are created, but if i set the slider to 3, everytime you save, a version 1, 2 and 3 will be created. The problem is that a majority of people save too frequently and thoses files became quickly useless. Fortunatlely you can disable the manual quick save and enable auto-save every n minutes, this will make this functionality more useful.
03 - Disable Manual Quick save
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [U]
Sometimes you don’t want to save by mistake.
Hitting [CTRL S]+[U] or clicking on the off button wil enable/disable quick save.
04 - Save As
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [A]
it is the vanilla blender save as function, nothing more.
05 - Quick save a Copy
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [C]
Quick save a copy will quickly save a copy of your file, by default in a new folder located in your master file folder.
A screenshot of your active window will be taken automatically during the action.
in the preferences editor, you can enable/disable the automatic screenshot creation, and set a new location for your copies.saving a copy will set the “Last Copy” timer active.
Obviously each copies will take some disk space, so remember to always delete your copies/auto-copies folder when they are not needed anymore.
06 - Quick save as a New Version
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [V]
Quick save as a New Version, first quickly save your file, then save him with the defined name from the box above.
if the new name is the same as the old one, a suffix system will automatically be set in place, so using this operator by default will incrementaly save your file.
Of course you can choose the name of your next future version witouth a problem.
using this this operator will reset your last save and last copy timer.By default a screenshot of the old version will be created in your master directory, you can enable/disable this functionality if you want in the preferences editor.
07 - Auto-Copy
Auto-copy will create copies of your work exactly like “Quick save as copy” every n minutes automatically, by default in a new folder in the master folder emplacement.
The Minutes/copy timer can be changed on the fly but you will need to wait for the active timer to cool down before the next one start.
Auto-copy have its own timer and counter, you can easely check when your next copy is going to be created and how many already are.
you can enable/disable the message that pop up on every automatic actions if you want in the preferences editor.you can also choose a custom path for your copies.
Obviously each copies will take some disk space, so remember to always delete your copies/auto-copies folder when they are not needed anymore.
Disabling and re-enabling Auto-copy witouth waiting a bit that the active timer cool down will cause some minor problem, but there’s no reason to do so.
08 - Auto-Save
Auto-save will save your work automatically every n minutes.
Auto-save save your file like you expect to do so, not through an obscure save back up file in your tmp folder like the vanilla auto-save.
Auto-save will give you a notification when blender is saving.you can combine auto-save with the save version sliders, it’s a nice combo.
you can enable/disable the message that pop up on every automatic actions if you want in the preferences editor.
Disabling and re-enabling Auto-save witouth waiting a bit that the active timer cool down will cause some minor problem, but there’s no reason to do so.
09 - Save Warning Pop-up
by default, if you didn’t save your file for 20 minutes, a banner will pop up, asking you to save / save and copy / save and switch to a new version / if you don’t want to see this banner anymore.
this banner will appear only if there is a "Last Save" timer active.
the only way to escape is by hitting the “ESC” key.
you can disable/enable this notification system in the pref menu, or by hitting [CTRL S] + [M]
This menu is persistent, and a normal click outside will not make him disappear, you can either hit the ‘ESC’ key or the ‘RMB’, if you are rendering i obviously advice you to NOT click on the ‘ESC’ key.
10 - Open Menu
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [O]
will pop the file header menu
shortcut example: [CTRL S]+[O]+[I orE] = import / exporti advice you to don’t use the old save operator anymore.
11 - Save & Reload
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [P]
“save & reload” will save and reload your file
12 - Launch Master Folder
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [F]
“Launch Master Folder” will quickly launch your master folder, the folder where your current .blend is located
13 - Quick Printscreen
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [Q]
“Quick Printscreen” will create a quick screenshot of your blender window in a new folder by default in the master folder emplacement.
In the pref editor you can choose another target location, and enable/disable the automatic opening of the folder right after the action.
14 - Quick Link
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [L]
"Quick link" will quickly replace the selected object by a link of itself from a newly created file.
in the pref editor you can choose another target location, and enable/disable the automatic opening of the folder right after the action.
14 - Quick Save Render
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [R]
"Quick Save Render" will automatically save all your current render slots in a new folder located by default in your master folder location.
in the pref editor you can enable/disable the automatic opening of the new folder and you can set a new custom folder location.By default the name of the exported renders will be composed of the slot number and the current date in Year/Month/Days- Hours/Minutes/Seconds. you can choose to disable the date in the pref editor, if you do the name will be only the number of the slot, and if there is already the same number present in the folder it will overwrite.
15 - Quick Save a Collection Copy
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [D]
“Quick Save as Collection Copy” will automatically save all your 3D viewport selection in a new collections with the current Date/Time.
Creating Different versions of your work is super easy and embedded into your file with this method.
The collection by default will be hidden from the viewport
This operator is contextual, and will only appear in a 3D viewport or an outliner.
be aware that ctrl-z will not ignore the making of theses collections.
16 - Quick Save a Text Copy
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [D]
“Quick Save a Text Copy” Save your active text as a copy.
Really handy for scripters who want a back up of their text embedded in the .blend.This operator is contextual, and will only appear in a Text editor.
17 - Quick Save an Export
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [E]
“Quick Save a Export” is one of the most powerful operator of back me up.
He will save your selection as an export, either an FBX/DAE/ABC/OBJ/GTIF within a fingesnap.in the preferences editor you can choose to export the whole selection as a single file, or batch export (export each files as a separate export).
By default the name of the exported mesh will be composed of either the name of the .blend or the name of the object if you choose batch export, and the current date in Year/Month/Days- Hours/Minutes/Seconds. you can choose to disable the date in the pref editor, if you do and if there is already the same name present in the folder when you export, it will overwrite the old files.
you can choose to use the old method of export instead of the back me up fast export method.
18 - Quick Save an Image
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [E]
“Quick Save an Image” let you export your image really quickly.
in the preferences panel you can choose if you want to open the image file or open the folder directly after the action or not.
you can also choose to use the old method of export instead of the back me up fast export method.
This operator is contextual, and will only appear in an image editor or an uv editor.
19 - Quick Save a Text
Shortcut: [CTRL S] + [E]
“Quick Save a Text” let you export your text really quickly.
in the pref editor, you can choose to automatically add the python extension if he is not already present in your text title, automatically open the folder, automatically create different versions of your script/text on each export (like in the gif above) or automatically open the .txt with your default reader after the action.
By default the name of the exported text will be composed of the title of the text and the current date in Year/Month/Days- Hours/Minutes/Seconds. you can choose to disable the date in the pref editor, if you do and if there is already the same name present in the folder, when you export, it will overwrite the old text.
you can also choose to use the old method of export instead of the back me up fast export method.
This operator is contextual, and will only appear in a Text editor.