Simple Asset Manager

Is there any way to have linked objects NOT be in their own collection made by the addon? I’ve been trying to link an object with multiple versions of the same object, with each object having their own collection in the file so that they can be linked appropriately (using the normal FIle>link), but using the asset managager, it places them inside another collection with the same name as the file name and makes them impossible to work with. What I had thought would happen upon linking, would be that it just straight up links each collection in the source file without adding them to any new collection. Essentially keeping each object separate.

So as an example, in the source file (let’s call it “Chairs”) for a chair with multiple variations the collection hierarchy is as follows:
[Chair 1]

  • Chair 1

[Chair 2]

  • Chair 2

[Chair 3]

  • Chair 3

But when I link them via the addon it adds them to a linked collection with the same name as the file like this

[Chairs :link:]
-----[Chair 1 :link:]

  • Chair 1

-----[Chair 2 :link:]

  • Chair 2

-----[Chair 3 :link:]

  • Chair 3

Which makes the collection “Chairs” be the linked object, which makes it impossible to move or hide any of the other sub-collections separately at all.

I could just make new files for each variation of the object, but that’s pretty asinine to me.
Or I could just link the objects normally, but then that defeats the purpose of having an asset manager.
Lastly, I could just do a library override, but that system is a mess in itself.

Hi, I just tried out version 1.0.0 and it still seems to lag my viewport and I cant figure it out, here is a little video demonstrating it to show what I mean (https://youtu.be/Di9trOibMA8).

Ahh this addon needs a way to select which group to Link from the library asset. Right now it seems to link everything in the blend, which is a deal-breaker. My characters have intermediate build amatures, test lights and cameras, reference objects, etc, all that I don’t want linked into an animation.blend.

Also, although it is nice that the project lib folder has been added, it is as an OR rather than AND. I need to access my master asset library as well as my project level library.

Is the v1 working fine in 2.90?

It works, but I still some have some issues with lagging (with deep folder structure), and some append issues.
I’ve slow down the development in hope for the native blender asset manager to arrive soon.
If there is still a need for SAM I will put my focus on it.

  • update SAM
  • will wait for native asset manager

0 voters

2 Likes

Hi,

please continue it. It is by far the best asset manager around. Period.

One little request, it would be great if we can scale the preview window to show the thumbnails larger.

Thanks so much,

Pretty

1 Like

Hello everybody! I’m back.
I was struggling with dynamic EnumProperies (those responsible for dynamic categories you all love). The problem I couldn’t resolve was that those categories were depending on each other and when modified they looped into update scheme which ended up in lags, and slow downs.
I found unpleasant sollution for that… In my opinion it is not proper enough for UI sollution, but solves the problem, and saves some space (no need for additional buttons), all categories in one button.
Please let me know if this would fit all of you, or maybe some of you have some doubts about this kind of sollution:

Do you like this sollution?
  • I do like it
  • I don’t it creates some problems
0 voters

If this is acceptable I would continue with fixing other issues, and add some feature requests.
If not, please write me why.

1 Like

Hi Tibicen, great You are back :slight_smile:

I wanted to propose one thing…would it be possible to make button for saving assets to library?
All asset managers I found are pretty good to do importing. But why not export from scene to library?When I work on project, I am used to import some assets into scene, to see if it fits, then I add materials, make new materials etc. Now I would like to save this material or asset to library directly.

The way it is now…I have to open empty file, append them and save into folder. It is very time consuming mainly with materials, because if I make 20 materials for the scene and want to save them, I have to go through this 20 times…

Just some plus icon for selected material or asset…it would take this selected asset and put it into empty file into chosen library location. This would be huge time saver for everyone working this way.

Thanks for considering to implement this.

2 Likes

For some reason, I get this error every time I import a file with a displacement texture.

Updated to verision 1.2
Simple Asset Manager

  • totally changed “dynamic categories” on the backend,
  • both local and global libraries works,
  • fixed lagging!!!,
  • previews are now 500x500px,
  • many minor fixes;

Of course one major info: Blender native asset manager is currently under development, but if you like my work consider using SAM.

preview

@Pineapple_Stew What version do you use?

@Martin_Danek I would have to look into that, cause this is a whole new story.

Hi Dawid, I replied to your latest email announcement and reported what seems to be a bug on Blender 2.83.10 (LTS) when generating previews.
In case you don’t get it , here follows the text:
Hi Dawid,

Thank you for your email and for the update to the Simple Asset Manager to work with Blender 2.91. Looking inside the init.py file I notice that the minimum version in the bl_info section references Blender 2.80, which lead me to think that the add-on would work with the 2.83.10 (LTS) version too, but it seems not to be the case when I try to generate thumbnails, getting several errors (see attached file with the content of the Blender Console) and having to close manually the second instance of Blender which is used to render the thumbnails. It is a pity that the add-on doesn’t work with the 2.83 LTS version. If it would not be possible to correct this error, I would suggest raising the minimum Blender version to 2.91 (I haven’t tested it on 2.90).

Using the same identical model repository structure (…\sam\directories\files) I did use to test both versions 2.83.10 and 2.91, in the latter case the second instance of Blender starts up, renders and save the thumbnail, and at the end it closes the instance. Let me know if there is any other information I might provide you to further investigate this issue.
sam_283_errors.txt (4.3 KB)

1 Like

Forgot to mention here, but it’s fixed for LTS 2.83.10.

1 Like

sorry, im kinda new with blender. but why the link function create an append + instance collection ?
isnt the point of linking is to have the model on other blend file ? kinda like proxy ?

Hi, I hope you are all excited as I am for the new native Asset Manager in the upcoming months.
For those who would still find SAM better for theirs use I’ve made SAM public.
Download

From now on, I will update this git branch with all updates and requests, no additional costs.
What I would like to see in the upcoming Blender Asset Manager would be to have some nicer previews like SAM has (I know it depends on preferences… ).
I will leave the gumroad option but it will be always the same version as the public one. So no need to buy it anymore. Thanks for all the support.

@Niverion You are right. The addon was a test field for different workflows for me, and I’ve ended up in two buttons. I should update it with 3 buttons: append, instance and link. Which will be versatile and respectul for Blender naming.

14 Likes

Great add-on, thanks.

Awesome! That’s good news

Hi, How do I make SAM append to the cursor? It just utterly refuses to do it.

Hi,
Just wondering if you would be willing to modify this addon for me to use with my asset pack (to eventually be sold on blender market), and how much would it cost?

I’d like for something like this to accompany my assets as a complete asset pack addon.

Thanks
Ivan.

It seems that it’s not working with 2.93.1