# Floating Windows **URL:** \ **Category:** Released Add-ons and Extensions\ **Tags:** add-ons, commercial\ **Created:** [June 5, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493 "2019-06-05T17:45:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/1 "2019-06-05T17:45:24Z")
Aren’t you sick of splitting your areas all the time and changing editors CONSTANTLY? well, I am! so I created this little free plugin that will pop-up floating windows with custom editors at pre-defined location and size. This plugin will save you time. All 8 slots of the pie menu need to be customized. The default shortcut is SHIFT+F. [FloatingWindows.py](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/short-url/s1di8UMTIk5L77LcREjS0ANnDaJ.py) (51.3 KB) ---
**Author:** ![tricotou](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/tricotou/32/616290_2.png) [@tricotou](https://blenderartists.org/u/tricotou)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/2 "2019-06-05T17:53:48Z")
Hi ! Sorry but I don’t get the difference between your addon, and hitting **SHIFT+CLICK** in top right corner, which open a floating window within Blender … ? ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/3 "2019-06-05T18:01:08Z")
Hi! The windows is not “floating”, as soon as you click on the main windows your newly created editor is gone, you cannot have multiple windows open at the same time, blender don’t allow that due to its interface policy. Photoshop, Max, Maya, any other software allow this kind of ability but not blender. ![sddfsg](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/0/3/3/03305f0a9380867f914b25d5255a4c11f4247ccd.gif) i need to do the marketing once the add-on is done ^^ its an wip ---
**Author:** ![tricotou](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/tricotou/32/616290_2.png) [@tricotou](https://blenderartists.org/u/tricotou)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/4 "2019-06-05T18:09:16Z")
Ah ok, so your addon is a way to “force” the overlapping, without setting the context to background window each time you click, am I right ? In fact I use 2 windows on 2 screens, that’s why this comportment suits me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/5 "2019-06-05T18:11:12Z")
yes, if you ever try the “always on top” feature of the task manager, that is basically what im offering for windows within blender 🙂 but for windows OS only more to come next week ---
**Author:** ![PierreSchiller](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/pierreschiller/32/1024999_2.png) [@PierreSchiller](https://blenderartists.org/u/PierreSchiller)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/6 "2019-06-05T18:38:26Z")
(inserting some random wording to bypasss errors) I SO MUCH NEED THIS IN MY LIFE!! TAKE MY MONEY NOW! I TOTALLY NEED THIS! ---
**Author:** ![MatsuikoHiroka](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@MatsuikoHiroka](https://blenderartists.org/u/MatsuikoHiroka)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/7 "2019-06-05T22:28:37Z")
im also looking for this kind of addon ( always on top ) make it reasonable / fair $ price i will buy it ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/8 "2019-06-05T22:35:03Z")
hi, it depend how much work i’ll have to work on it 🙂 but it won’t be exensive ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/9 "2019-06-07T00:26:35Z")
Update Time > Everything is working fine 😇 > > The first operator i use is called _“Start Floating”_, it make your windows stay on top. > The second is called _“Duppli-Float”_, it make a dupplication of the windows where your cursor is and make it float. > > ![coll](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/2/3/c/23cafb2e32854c996c6a1f708f4ab64ba69e45ba.gif) > > The add-on will be ready for next week. > > to do list: > > - knowing within the pie if the contextual windows is floating or not. > - knowing if Floating windows is working ? > - make 5 operator that will make appear 5 most used editor in floating windows in adaptive sizes. > > by the way, its the moment if you guys prefer to have _Poll ([view on site](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/9))_ thanks for the support i really appreciate any comments posted here. ---
**Author:** ![TheRedWaxPolice](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/theredwaxpolice/32/1467924_2.png) [@TheRedWaxPolice](https://blenderartists.org/u/TheRedWaxPolice)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/10 "2019-06-07T01:44:19Z")
Finally… 👏 ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/12 "2019-06-07T19:42:37Z")
Update Time > ![coll](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/a/7/d/a7d47eda5a0d19996a2b3e5fcfba8ae10813561a.gif) > > there is now a way to see if the window is floating or not: > > Red = Floating OFF > Green = Floating ON > > should i use red/green ? or Pin/unpin icon? red and green is flash, there’s not a lot of brain activity requier to analyse the icon. _Poll ([view on site](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/12))_ ---
**Author:** ![Zimlorog](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/zimlorog/32/536415_2.png) [@Zimlorog](https://blenderartists.org/u/Zimlorog)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/13 "2019-06-07T23:03:16Z")
I would prefer asking the user to make their own shortcut. I have a highly customized keymap, and would probably need to change the shortcut anyway. I think it’s easier for better compatibility. ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/14 "2019-06-07T23:22:48Z")
![Annotation%202019-06-08%20012059](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/c/3/5/c35ed343f67b81a8bff2c77a5133a7eb27513c21.jpeg) i created also a special operator for the ON/OFF toggle, so you will also be able to assign a shortcut for him ---
**Author:** ![PierreSchiller](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/pierreschiller/32/1024999_2.png) [@PierreSchiller](https://blenderartists.org/u/PierreSchiller)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/15 "2019-06-08T17:32:15Z")
You´re doing awesome on this addon! Polling things is getting this to the right direction. I can´t wait to finally have my material shader tree editor FLOATING over a specified segment on TOP of my regular MAXIMIZED blender. FINALLY! I can´t even imagine the joy to animate graph editor with this tool for animation!! I am getting frikken chillz up my neurons… pair this with an awesome online render farm, and I can get back to blender 2.8 at full production capacity. ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/17 "2019-06-08T20:27:53Z")
**this addon work because i created an external .exe** (invoking something externally of blender is basically only way to do it) **does that pose a problem to anyone ?** edit \ ***not anymore** ---
**Author:** ![Zoot](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/zoot/32/587132_2.png) [@Zoot](https://blenderartists.org/u/Zoot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/18 "2019-06-08T21:19:59Z")
There are ways to call native code from Python if you just need to make a few WIndows API calls. One way is with ctypes: > **[Calling C functions from Python - part 1 - using ctypes](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/yizhang/calling-c-functions-from-python-part-1-using-ctypes)** I don’t think .exe files in add-ons are a huge problem (but I’m not an expert there). Some people and some anti-virus tools might take issue with executable code in unusual locations. You might want to bundle in the source code to the exe into the add-on to avoid any GPL licensing complications. Something feature wise you might want to look at would be if you do a Save Startup File (or really just save an ordinary .blend) with floating windows in existence, can you (maybe you already do) restore them automagically when you re-open the .blend? ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 10:04pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/19 "2019-06-08T22:04:31Z")
> [@Zoot](#): > > There are ways to call native code from Python if you just need to make a few WIndows API calls. One way is with ctypes: thanks really useful, i need to learn that. > [@Zoot](#): > > You might want to bundle in the source code to the exe into the add-on to avoid any GPL licensing complications. everything will be GPL, i trust the community 🙂 i made the exe it with [Auto-HotKey](https://www.autohotkey.com/) wonderful piece of software by the way (I’ve done some research and yes i can resale the exe), in my addon i basically execute the [CTRL]+[WIN]+[A] shortcut to toggle the windows floating on/off state and add some automatic functions, ect. i like the external exe, with that we can put any window in the always on top mode. its handy not only for blender. > [@Zoot](#): > > Something feature wise you might want to look at would be if you do a Save Startup File the first release will be simple, later i will incorpore more features like this, its already in my todo list ---
**Author:** ![0o00o0oo](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/0o00o0oo/32/31682_2.png) [@0o00o0oo](https://blenderartists.org/u/0o00o0oo)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/21 "2019-06-09T01:02:01Z")
Hey, glad to see this issue being tackled! What are the plans of your add-on? For me, mere floating, always-on-top windows isn’t the only problem. In fact, to make a window always-on-top, it’s easy enough to find a program that will allow you to do it. What would REALLY be useful is “linking” of windows of the same instance. This is much needed with multiple monitors. Blender’s current problem when working in multiple monitors is that when the user duplicates a window and places it on another monitor, it’s great… until, say, the user decides to research something on the secondary monitor. Then the duplicated windows disappear behind the browser. When this happens, it’s not uncommon to forget about the duplicated windows. What’s worse is if the user has multiple Blender instances running and each has duplicated windows. It gets confusing fast which one belongs to which one. This is the single reason why I can’t truly take advantage of my multi-monitor setup with Blender. Here’s what needs to happen: Any floating window on another monitor, when clicked on, should bring to front any window that’s part of that Blender instance. This is how it works with all my other production programs and for good reason. Now, if you wanted to go further, it would be neat to be able to _intentionally_ unlink windows, but it should also be just as easy to link it back up. Sorry for the long post, but the lack of this feature has been quite frustrating for years, haha, and I’m excited someone might actually remedy this issue. ---
**Author:** ![BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bd3d/32/900236_2.png) [@BD3D](https://blenderartists.org/u/BD3D)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/22 "2019-06-09T01:09:24Z")
> [@0o00o0oo](#): > > Any floating window on another monitor, when clicked on, should bring to front any window that’s part of that Blender instance hello the first release of the addon will be really simple. basic stuff. but i do plan to do a lot more, i just wrote your idea down in my to-do list. I also have a lot of monitors it look like a great idea. ---
**Author:** ![0o00o0oo](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/0o00o0oo/32/31682_2.png) [@0o00o0oo](https://blenderartists.org/u/0o00o0oo)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493/23 "2019-06-09T04:10:57Z")
Awesome, looking forward to it! [Next page](https://blenderartists.org/t/floating-windows/1163493.md?page=2)