Removing "Ghost" Groups and Objects

Coding Python Support
1

I’m not sure if this is the right forum, but it seemed the most appropriate.

I have a simple file (camera, lamp, and 3 cubes). When I used the following script …

import bpy
for obj in bpy.data.objects:
    print(">> OBJECT ", obj.name)

… it lists about 20 objects. The file was created by deleting a bunch of objects from an old file. When I view the the Outliner Editor (All Scenes), I don’t see the objects, but when I change to Outliner Editor (Groups), they’re all shown.

I understand this means I have disconnected (e.g. ghost) data, but my question is “How do I delete them?” I’ve tried selecting and deleting them through the menu, but the delete doesn’t work - they’re persistent little buggers and don’t want to leave.

I’m guessing I can use Python and loop through Groups and remove them all, but I’m still learning Python and the bgy/bge API so I haven’t figured out how to do this. Any suggestions, snippits, or commands that would exterminate these critters would be appreciated? Thanks!

A2G

2

You can try these functions if you like.


def removeObjectFromMemory (passedName):
    try:
        ob = bpy.data.objects[passedName]
    except:
        ob = None
    if ob != None:
        ob.user_clear()
        bpy.data.objects.remove(ob) 
    return

def removeMeshFromMemory (passedName):
    try:
        me = bpy.data.meshes[passedName]
    except:
        me = None
    if me != None:
        me.user_clear()
        bpy.data.meshes.remove(me) 
    return

def removeCurveFromMemory (passedName):
    try:
        cu = bpy.data.curves[passedName]
    except:
        cu = None
    if cu != None:
        cu.user_clear()
        bpy.data.curves.remove(cu) 
    return
3

Had to use a combo of objects.remove and mesh.remove … but they worked like a charm …

Atom - you’re my new weekly hero … :slight_smile: … Thanks!

4

You can also just restart blender and they disappear (like magic).

5

Uncle Entity: save the session and quit blender en start blender and load the last saved one?

6

Yep, if the object (or any datatype) has zero users it doesn’t get saved in the .blend. In the above example calling user_clear() is a sure-fire way to crash blender.

There are also cases where you can have an object in bpy.data.objects (like bone shapes) that aren’t linked into any scenes but still have a non-zero user count so they get saved.

A while ago I wrote an operator that would clear out bpy.data the ‘proper’ way but am way too lazy to search the forums for it now.

7

I’m using version 2.58, and the “save, exit Blender, reload” method wasn’t deleting them. That was my first thought and my first try. I don’t know who the “user” was, but for some reason they were not being removed by Blender … but I was able to use the script above and remove them one by one … :slight_smile:

8

Im using the latest version of Blender and never had your problem, good luck.

9

thanks Atom for a great example