Missing manifest error when installed addon? - (blender4.2)

Technical Support Python Support
1

Hey everyone,

Ive made a little addon for myself and for whatever reason I get a “missing manifest” error when I try install the .zip (installed from disk). I had a quick google but couldn’t seem to find anything related.

It installed fine in blender 4.1 so its obviously something to do with the new extensions platform. What do we need to do differently when creating addons now?

Thanks!

2

install it as a legacy addon. You’re trying to install an addon as an extension by the sounds of it.

Use the install from disk option in the addons tab instead of teh get extensions tab:

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image719×552 52.4 KB

3

Thanks for the reply. This is what I am doing but I still get the error.

4

You need to make sure the id in the manifest.toml is the same as the name of your addon foldder.

5

Thanks for that info. I’m quite new to coding so I’m not entirely sure how to go about doing that. I had a read online and it seems like that file is specifically for when you are trying to install an extension?

To clarify, I just want to install a simple .py (zipped) file in the same way a legacy addon is installed. I just tested installing the unzipped .py file on its own it installs fine. Its only when its zipped that I get the error. Do addons that are zipped automatically expected to be extensions now?

6

I would be really grateful if someone could take a look at my .zip and inspect whats wrong with the connection between the init.py file and the blender_manifest.toml.

Panel Cutter.zip (3.6 KB)

7

Try
id = "panel_cutter"
Here’s example I took it from.

8

have you cafurlly check the seller page of the adds on you installed? There might have some other zip file you forgot to download. I have the same issue today then I found the actually zip file for the adds on is another zip file in the download list. I suggest you check that out first.

9

I still have yet to find a solution on how to convert my python script into an addon for 4.2. Non of the above replies have worked.

I would be really grateful if someone could please package up this .py file so I have an idea where I am going wrong.

PanelCutter_1_0_2.py (12.3 KB)

10

How to Create Extensions - Blender 4.2 Manual

Documentation should help you out here :wink:

But…

For the blender_manifest.toml file:

schema_version = "1.0.0"

id = "Panel_Cutter"
version = "1.0.0"
name = "Panel Cutter Tool"
tagline = "Cuts Panels... Duh!"
maintainer = "Nicolas Hodgson"
type = "add-on"

# Optional link to documentation, support, source files, etc
# website = "https://www.yourwebsite_with_documentation.com/"

tags = ["Modeling"]

blender_version_min = "4.2.0"

# License conforming to https://spdx.org/licenses/ (use "SPDX: prefix)
license = ["SPDX:GPL-2.0-or-later"]

And for the init.py file,

remove all the bl_info from the file.

Now zip those two into your addon package.
That should get it working (I hope) as a extension.

rob

edit:
panel_cutter.zip (3.4 KB)

11

Thanks a lot for that. Really appreciate it! Makes a lot more sense now. I was getting caught up on something very minor.

12

Yeah… I know how that works.
Hyper focusing on one thing will sometimes keep you from seeing the solution in front of your face… :wink:

13

seem like you have the problem fixed, I was gonna suggest upload a code sample. the manifest error may have something to do with a version depreciation, but make sure your header files are correctly named. also make sure the zip file is the correct format or you will get an error. I am looking at the code, don’t see anything obviously wrong with it

bl_info = {
“name”: “Panel Cutter”,
“author”: “Nicholas Hodgson”,
“version”: (1, 0, 0),
“blender”: (4, 2, 0),
“location”: “View3D > Edit Mode > Right-click menu”,
“description”: “Creates panel lines on selected edges - Location: View3D > Edit Mode > Right-click menu”,
“category”: “Mesh”,
}

try changing the version header. from 1,0,0 to 4,2,0 to see if it fix the problem

14

Thanks for sharing that. One of my add-ons worked fine as a zip (it has several .py files) and another add-on that is a single init.py file in a zip file said Missing Manifest. It worked when I unzipped and tried installing the .py file. Does anyone know what exactly triggers Missing Manifest??

15

If you haven’t already figured it out by yourself:

I think that the error with regard to panel_cutter’s “Missing manifest…” is due to an issue with the structure of the ZIP file. It should be formatted as follows:

add-on-panel-cutter-v1.0.3.zip

If it contains at least the files

ini.py and
blender_manifest.py

you should be good, assuming you provided the appropriate information for the “blender_manifest.py”.
(The file init.py has 2 underscores on each side of init, which the forum’s software drops.).

If you are intersted in more elaborated information on this matter, please look at the thread

16

hi im having the same issue trying to install the ultimate lighting pack, not sure how to fix it, i went to add ons i clicked install from disk but it just wont work

18

Are you sure it’s even a Blender addon?

If it’s https://blendermarket.com/products/ultimate-lightning-pack/docs from the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htJrXAV5Exg) it seems to be just a bunch of .blend files with examples to reuse.

19

woooow :man_facepalming: what a waste of time, do you know of any add-ons to help with creating lightning, or is learning the geometry nodes my only way?

20

this is one I guess? Must be more to be found:
Electrify - Quick Lightning - Blender Market

21

Thank you this one actually worked.