MyMesh Add On

Coding Released Scripts and Themes
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*** New full description will come soon… This script is currently BETA!!!

MyMesh is an add on which allows you to quickly and easily append object sets to your current file.

Simply add the MyMesh add-on in preferences.

DOWNLOAD

INSTALL

  • Simply copy the mymesh.py file into your Blender “scripts/addons” directory for your current Blender install.
  • Go to ‘User Preferences’ (accessible from the ‘File’ menu), then select the ‘Add-Ons’ tab, change to ‘Add Mesh’ and check the box next to the ‘MyMesh’ entry.

NOTES

  • Object sets are stored in individual python modules in the ‘mymeshes’ directory for easy transfer and updating of script.
  • The relative option is useful when there are numerous objects in the set.
  • The script was developed using Blender 2.57.

*** There are other features in the pipeline.

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. . .

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First release is now available in the OP!

Requesting feedback, testing and comments…

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Updated!

Would only handle multiple objects, now also handles single objects again! (LOL, rushed for me tea!)

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I tested it on 2.56a 35453 32bit from graphicall. I saved the text as a file named mymesh.py in the addons directory, then opened it in the text window and run it… then I selected an object in 3D view, I open the add mesh menu, at the bottom I found the Mymesh falling meny with one item in it - add new i clicked it and there was a floating menu asking for an input name and relative positions, (in the bottom of the toolbar it appears that the active operator is MyMesh Dummy), and when I click OK for the dialog the operator dissapears! so I opened the add mesh menu again and there was no sign of the script nothing new, no even the mymesh menu. what is the version that u run the script on? should I run it with the new stable official release? anyway, I tried it in the official 2.57 from blender.org and it seems that it has the same issues! Am I missing something?

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New development version 0.0.3 available for testing and comments in OP.

Cheers

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To be honest, I am trying to figure out why this script would be useful. Any possible uses I could think of for it are already covered by functions within Blender (such as the duplicate functions or link/append).

Perhaps you can elaborate on why I would find this script really cool? What do you personally use it for?

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Yes, the function is similar to link / append, but a lot easier and to hand.

Personally it’s not fully developed enough for me yet (modifiers, armatures, materials, uv). However when starting new projects (like making heads) I repeat numerous operations before getting down to business. So, i’ll store ‘starting blocks’.

Soon there will be delete and various other functions, so it can serve as a multi copy memory. I’d like to figure it so it can behave like “Alt D” and insert instances.

One area not sorted yet is naming of inserted objects. It seems to insert names as required whilst pushing others within the scene. This will soon be sorted and is anticipated to accommodate relationships.

Currently it uses python modules to store data, this may change, however the intent is for better directory management so directories can be easily shared and changed. This could be useful for say an architectural library or within game level development.

LOL, TBH it was supposed to an afternoon project to get me back into the swing of programming… I do have a few ideas for more useful and uncovered features.

Have fun!

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Brilliant! Nice work rarebit!

Everything seems to be working good now! Delete would be nice, but I found the mymeshes sub-folder in the scripts directory and deleted from there, so it’s not really a problem.

Two thumbs up!

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Cheers!

Did the deletion work?

For me it stays in the buffer, I either need to restart or press F8 to properly rebuild the pycache in Blender memory. Which is why i’ve not implemented it yet…

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I deleted the pycache file too. Worked fine…like it was never there:)

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I tested it again and its not working again - the same problems as described before! Did you see my comment? cause youre acting like you cant see it so im wondering…

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When you first posted there had been a note indicating current issues for a while, then when I had time and got the developments done I posted the new version and a note indicating so.

But no, as described in the OP, place “mymesh.py” in the ‘scripts/addons’ directory for your current install (this was actually developed with 2.57), then go into ‘User Preferences’ (accessible from the ‘File’ menu), goto ‘Add-Ons’, change to ‘Add Mesh’ and check the box next to the ‘MyMesh’ entry.

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Oh, I posted you a reply yesterday, but something went wrong I think because I cant see it here as I should expect… So I should repeat myself, so please forgive me if you recieved my previous reply like a private message or someting … so, I ve red your private massage and your reply as well as the previous posts, sorry cause I missed the right info before… I did install your script this time as an addon in 2.57 and this time it worked…
So, to give you some feedback… I tested it with some of the major primitives, and it worked with almost everything - monkey, cube, plane , grid, gears, icosphere, uvsphere, cone, torus, cylinder… it doesnt work with the mesh circle well - I made a circle and enter edit mode, made some changes - moving some vertices, etc., it saved the new positions of the vertices, but doesnt save the edges, so whrn I added my_circle1 again, the mesh was constructed only from vertexes, there were no edges!
I tried my experiment 3 times and the result was identical… The other thing that I noticed was tha it doesnt handle modifiers and mesh data like shape keys and vertex groups, but suppose it is because it is an early alpha version…So, this was the bug report…
Now some Ideas and my personal opinion- I think that this addon would be very useful, but it will be better if you make a simple interface in the toolbar or properties bar. Some needful features will be to give the user the ability to make their own folders and to write the meshes in the selected folders, for instance folder trees, folder buildings, folder vehicles, folder people and so on this way it can replace the old library script! the other needful function will be to maintain modifiers and other data like shape keys, vertex groups, textures, materials and so on. So Im very interested about where this project is going and will give you some feedback in the future as well when you need it! Thank you very much about your efforts, keep up the good work commin!

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Cheers spirit!

Yes the edges thing is sort of expected, even though i’ve not tested it for that situation. It’s the way the tutorial tells you to do it, i’ll do some tests, i’m saving the edge data but not really using it and it’s bugged me because I sometimes use edges to hold shape when subsurfing.

Also everything else you mention is for future developments, but this is a project I thought would get me to investigate all aspects.

I made an investigative start on modifiers the other day, so when I get chance i’ll be doing that. However i’ll try to make time to test the edges thing within the next couple of days.

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Spirit, i’ve just done a quick test and it appears to do what I expected, so i’ve amended the script. The new script should handle edges properly now!

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Hello, this isn’t a bad idea, but why not to do instead some pushing of the objects and any datablocks to/from libraries? It’s a feature I miss, if I want to create a library, I either have to save file/open library/append ob there/save/ open original file/ delete object/ relink it from the library. If such operation would be automated and you could add to menues your libs which would be read and create their own submenus, it would be great.

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mmm, I thought of it to start off but discounted it since my initial objective was learn about all the different objects, MikeJ set me thinking on that track again, it’d save me a whole lotta work and should keep in with future Blender developments.

I need to look into scripting object link / append, other than that it is all very possible.

You’ve swayed development pildanovak, thankyou!

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Yes, this was an idea that was in my mind for some months now…
If you look at the modo pack here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCMuMzLx63k&feature=channel_video_title
It has the best way of representing a library with objects and working with them! I was thinking that we have the same thing in Blender, but it is not working properly for now!

I am talking about our file browser window - If you divide your 3D view horizontally and switch the bottom window to the file browser you will end up with the same layout as in this video! so The problem is how to make this file browser window useful, because right now you cant open/import/link/append nothing from it! it is very wierd, because we have the interface, but there is no actual functionality!

So I suppose that it will be not so dificult to make it work like that! The other thing that you might notice in this video is that their library (they call it PACK) contains of hundreds of ready objects that have a shapekeys - this is actually very clever, because if you have a nice object with good loops you can assign an unlimited count of shapes to it and then model with the shapekeys sliders…

For example if I have a good midpoly model of a human(which I have) you can make various shapes in shapekeys - one shape for a muscular body, one shape for a skinny body and so on, if you have the basic shapes assigned to the main model as a shapekeys you can easily make your various characters only with dragging the shapekeys influence sliders! this way you save a trmendous amount of time from modelling…

I am currently making this type of library now and it consists of hunderds of objects. For now it consists of a 20 files.In every file I have the needed basemeshes needed for modeling this type of object - for example in the file human i have human hands, feet, heads and bodys, in the file buildings i have various objects like door, roof, window and so on… In every file there are about 20 - 30 objects that I placed on different layers, but this slows up my navigation trought scene… After 1-2 months, when I make the library I am planning to share it to the comunity with the purpose to make the modelling more fast and easier for everyone!

This will benefit the comunnity greatly, because everyone will save time in modeling and will be concentrating on other issues! this library has animals, trees, buildings cars, humans and many others! In fact after completing it it will be a matter of minutes for everyone to make the most difficult shapes only with dragging the sliders!!!
So we need a easier and better managing of libraries with objects to do it better and even more easier to work with, and I hope that you can help me with that?

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I like it spirit, good use.

The structure is about to change to use append instead of my own format. This will make everything available, just as is when normally appending.

Discussing with Helix, I was going to throw in a hand, body and head meshes. Also another project I was going to some windows and doors, but that video has changed the way that i’ll probably do them and now just include them in here… nice!

Not really thought about previews up until now, but it’s a very nice idea too!

Since it’s the weekend I have a few things to do and am entering the challenges, so it’ll be a few days before the revision…