Super Grouper

Coding Released Scripts and Themes
#1

Simple but very powerful grouping system. You can make endless scenes without restriction of 20 layers.
With this tool you can make as many layers/groups as you want. Forget about 20 layers limitation.

The addon is located in MifthTools repository:


https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/archive/master.zip

Please, donate if you like the tool:
https://inspirepay.com/pay/mifth/$3

How the script works:
It adds CustomData to every object. Then if you hide the group it will create an additional scene with the name “yourscene#SGR” where all hidden groups will be stored.

Functionality can be used in the 3dView panel and through WKey menu:
http://i.imgur.com/G50n6C6.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/BpwLpoc.png

IMPORTANT: Deselection of SuperGroup in the Panel works through Ctrl+Click.

Video test:

Installation:

  • Download zip archive
  • Unzip
  • Copy “super_grouper” folder into your addons

Thanks.

2 Likes
#2

I like it !

Well done :wink:

#3

Thx. Very good. :slight_smile: My proposal: can you add select button for super gorup?

#4

I have this in my mind. Selection, lock, Wireframe. I’ll add it. Thanks.

#5

Good tools tanks :wink:

#6

thanks very much! works great.

#7

Great idea mifth! Tested it in briefly in 2.72, it seems to work.
I know this may be a long shot, but is it possible to make some kind of selection toggle that enables one-click selection to the whole super-group?
This way we would be one step closer to standard group behaviour…

#8

Sure. I’ll try to add asap.
Thanks guys.

Any good ideas are appreciated.

#9

Vevery cool jobj.
Amazing

#10

Hey mifth,

Tried it out, this looks pretty good already. It’s on the way of addressing one of the weaker spots in Blender, object management. Layers and Outliner. In a perfect world Blender would borrow some of the ideas around that work (Maya’s Outliner is a good example), and build on it and create something more user friendly.

I really like that the items that are on the hidden layers are not visible in the Outliner. It cuts down on clutter.

This is a scenario how I would like to use a system like Super Grouper- Use hotkey to group selected objects.

  • A new layer is created and all the selected objects assigned to it.
  • In the Redo Last Panel (F6), one can now choose from a drop down weather to add those objects in a group that already exists. If so the objects would be moved there and the newly created layer (now empty) deleted.
    This all allows you not to go to the Tools Panel on the left, but perform everything under your mouse cursor. All this with the benefit of less clicks.

As mentioned, an ability to select SGroup is essential. Preferably, the code should work if mapped to Double Click of an object in the viewport.

Another thing that would be very important in managing complex scenes/assets is an ability to track down an object. Objects selected in the viewport should highlight the SGroup it belongs to. This probably makes the desire to be able to list SGroup contents less important.

A button to invert ALL SGroups visibility. This would help tracking down respective SGroup of objects that are not visible, and allow one click to previous viewport SGroup visibility state.

These are some of the things I believe a patch up system should have to alleviate the deficiency we have in the outliner. And obviously, no addon as good as one could imagine will fix it … unless it’s a new Outliner instead of the BlenderOutliner. But it would help a lot.

You’re on the right track, good work! Keep it up.

#11

Nice addon!
An asset group option would also help.
Lets say I group two oak trees into one(OakTrees) and then group three pine trees(PINE trees) and have both those groups(OAK trees and Pine trees) grouped as a category called “Trees”

#12

Hi all.

Thanks to all of you for the feedback.
I have put the addon into github:
https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/tree/master/blender/super_grouper
https://github.com/mifth/mifthtools/archive/master.zip

Here is new update (red and green buttons do not work yet):

n6Ds7oC.png1600Ă—900 186 KB

I added some usable stuff for changing meshes visibility. I hope you will like it.

@@0rAngE thanks for good ideas:

  • Selected objects are now added to a group. When group is created.
  • Selection for every group is added.
  • About tracking groups - there will be color wireframe soon. We just need it to be merged from gooseberry branch. I’ll add some stuff for color wireframe for groups.
  • Added redo for all buttons.
    Not sure about shortcuts. Shortcuts in blender are big pain.
    I’ll add invert hidden groups soon.
    Not sure about F6 panel. I guess there could be some issues.

@@Albertofx not sure about asset groups. I want to make a simple system like in 3dmax layer manager.

@@vklidu
Groups are used for particles, instances, grouping and some other stuff. Also’ an object can be stored in many groups at the same time. It makes some confusion. It’s a big pain to use blender’s groups for big scenes.
LayerManager addon is great but it will not solve issues.
About MagicLayers addon - it’s cool but my addon has different approach and more user friendly.
I guess you need to compare my addon. :slight_smile:

#13

mifth, Nice update! This already makes it a lot more functional. It’s shaping up nicely.

I agree about how tricky it is to set hotkeys to addons.
An option for hotkeys could be to include the code in the script, but comment it out. This would enable those with no scripting knowledge to be able to edit hotkeys quite easy.

If I integrate this script into my workflow, I’ll definitely add the hotkeys to the script on my end.

The way I work, I like to minimize mouse-travell and clicks. I don’t like reaching for the Tools Panel if I don’t have to.
I still find selecting SGroups a bit too clicky and feel it could be streamlined another step. I’d like to see an ability to select groups in relation to selected object(s). So, when executed (weather UI or hotkey), check for CustomProperties on object(s), and toggle_select group_idx. I believe this would add a more natural way of doing it, as an added bonus you could select more then one group like this (if selected objects don’t belong to the same SGroup).

#14

How about renaming the group?

#15

Very interesting addon. I’l give it a try)
But the best grouping system ever is the Photoshop’s one. Or at least GIMP’s new one. Subgroubs would be great here)

#16

@0rAngE ok we will try to add some shortcuts. Possibly, it will be a menu. Give me some time.

@Albertofx you can rename. Just press at the name.

@Malefic.Max give us to know how good it is. We need your feedback.

#17

Hello mifth!

I tried the version you posted few hours ago. It might be my mistake, but your main.py seems to be a converted html, probably not what you wanted :slight_smile:
Anyway, i replaced it with the one from your master folder and it works. I see you added some cool features, although i have some issues:

  • after you lock a selected object it is a tricky thing to unlock it again
  • shading toggles do not work with one-click, for example in order to bring the solid shading from wire, you have to click some other shading mode (don’t remember exactly which), first
  • i am not sure what is the plan you have, but these cool shading features are not strictly tied to super groupes or their members, not sure it should be in one add-on, sorry if this is off limits as a critique :slight_smile:
  • regarding selection toggle i mentioned before - i was thinking of one-click inside viewport - click on one of the group members would select the whole group - kind of the standard group behaviour - the group starts acting like one object - click/move, click/scale etc. Like in other 3d apps - sketch, max, even in 2d - inkscape etc… If you intended this as an extension to the layer system than ok, but if you want to make a decent (at last) group system than this is a must…

Keep up the good work, i like your addon, sorry if i nagged too much :slight_smile:

#18

Hi Mifth,
Do you know “Selection sets” add-on from Johnny Matthews. is it the same as you, please?
No yours remove objects from active scene for hide them…
Thanks for sharing your job.

#19

Hi, this looks amazing…
My little feedback - what about per-layer renderability, or draw options?

Also, by moving stuff between scenes, will connected drivers/modifiers work properly?

#20

Thanks for feedback guys.

@Okavango thanks a lot.

  • Locking now works per s_group. I committed to master. Thanks.
  • shading works for selection. So that you could do more different shading things for any objects.
  • i’m thinking how to implement deselection. Possibly Ctrl+Click at the selection icon.

@vklidu i’m thinking about shorcuts. Sure we will make it. Just give me some time.
SGrouper supports only one group for an object. Sorry, this is the point.

@Spirou4D dunno know about selectionSets. I guess this is a different addon.

@pildanovak dunno know what you mean about “renderability and draw options”. You can select an s_group and do any stuff. Or you want such icons to switch them per group?
Modifiers are ok. I did not test drivers.

Next dev will be:

  • switch all groups (hide/unhide) button
  • draw id at object’s cutom property
  • shortcuts/menu for basic stuff
  • deselection of the group. I guess it will be with Ctrl+Click