Is it possible to have multiple mesh data-blocks (green triangles) within Objects (orange triangles)?
You can display or use one mesh data block at a given time. But if you want to have more you have to merge the objects to one mesh data block.
If a data block mesh have no user… object. It ll be deleted when you close blender. So if you want to keep it you have to create a fake user by clicking on the little shield icon next to the mesh name.
You can use this fake user mesh library to be used for a LOD library called by script for example but only one ll be assigned by time.
But in one answer. One object one mesh datablock
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To put this in context: I am modeling a cartoon character, and I thought it might be convenient to model his (cartoonish) eyebrows as a separate mesh data block.
I could just add the eyebrow geometry to the existing head geometry, but wanted experience with data-blocks and their use. At the elementary level I’m working at, they seem kinda redundant, but I’m guessing that’s because I’m a lousy noob.
EG: If the top-level “object” is just a set of transforms, I figured it could hold multiple mesh data blocks, just as mesh data blocks can contain multiple materials.
No, one Object data block always refers to one object data datablock. I.e. one Mesh object only refers to one Mesh, one Camera object only refers to one camera data, and so on.
They’re not, however, redundant. Multiple Objects can refer to the same data - that’s how you get instancing.
I ve written a script for that if I remember well… I ll dig in my hard drive as soon as I m in front of my computer. Keep in touch.
Edit1: Found it! Just select the mouth object and press run script. then the Empty movement ll drive the mesh data blocks.
Simple and efficient.mesh_swap_handler.01.blend (528.0 KB)
@Stan_Pancakes @Jeric_Synergy
Is the orange triangle referred to as an Object, and the green triangle a Mesh Object?
The orange triangle is an Object, and the green is a Mesh. All Objects have a type (Mesh, Curve, Surface, Meta, Font, Armature, Lattice, Empty, GPencil, Camera, Light, Speaker, LightProbe, Empty) and can only link to data of that particular type. Those data aren’t Objects, they can’t be represented in a scene on their own.