I am using blender to make models for my game. Each model needs to be positioned at (0,0,0) so that it looks right in the game. I made a python script to export models into the format the game uses.
So far so good.
However, eventually I will most likely have more than 100 models. How can I manage them all being on the same spot. That is, I only want one to be visible at a time. I know you can use layers to hide some objects, but there are not enough layers to cater for hundreds of models. What would you do?
If they only need to be there when you export them, just put them there when you export them 
You could simplify this action by using the snap to cursor feature.
OR, maybe you could have the models all piled on top of each other, spread over all the layers except Layer 1 then animate each one to jump to Layer 1 on a different frame. Then, as you advance through the frames each model will pop up on layer 1 - select it, export it - then it will disappear when you go to the next frame.
I have no idea if this will solve your problem - it’s just a wild stab in the dark and the first thing that crossed my mind.
hmm… I guess I have been neglecting that scripts are good for much more than just exporting, you can move objects with them too!
I could make a script that loops through all the objects and places them in a regular grid spacing somewhere away from (0,0,0). When I need to work on one, I just move it to (0,0,0). When I’m done, run that grid placing script again to zap it back out of the way.
This seems painfully obvious now… I think I had just got it stuck in my brain that scripts were only for importing/exporting different formats. Thanks Andy.
Why don’t you do it the easiest way? At export time, substract the coordinates of the center of the object from the coordinates of each of the vertices. This effectively places your exported objects at (0, 0, 0).
Just make shure that the center of the object really is in the center of the object before exporting.
Yes, that is what I will do - actually my exporter will just ignore the object translation in the first place.
I meant that I would have to move the object to (0,0,0) when I want to edit it, so I can see where it is in relation to the x,y,z axes. But after that I remembered that you can display the local xyz axes for an object anyway, so I don’t think I even need to move it to zero at all. Thanks!