Hi, I know this is an age old subject but what does Ctrl-G actually do in later versions of Blender? I can see that there is an incremental number in the object properties tab. But my understanding is that its meant to be creating collections, which isn’t changing in the outliner.
I know that I can create collections using M. But what is actually happening when I click ctrl-g…?
I cant seem to find new posts or documentation on it that’s clear…
Thanks very much!
Hi, you can check the keymap for reference. Go in 3Dview, Global, and look for ctrl+G. It creates a new collection containing the current selection. The collection isn’t linked to the active viewlayer however, so it won’t show in the outliner by default, you have to switch to Blender File view, open Collections and right-click-> Link to scene.
Ctrl G was the shortcut to create groups in pre 2.8 versions.
Groups could be used by modifiers, physics, particles, add-ons, without having any role in display or render.
Unlinked collections may have same use.
For example, RigidBodyWorld, createdwhen you use rigid body physics, is an unlinked collection.
It’s not accurate because I can’t find the information in the manual, but Ctrl+G seems to create an individual collection on the object.
And I think the Collection I made like this can be used for Collection Instance.
You just answered a question I had for a while about why sometimes collections linked from external files appear on the Blender File but not on the Viewlayer display mode of the outliner.
I think the Viewlayer view needs a clear way to display these kind of collections without having to switch to Blender File display mode to manage them. It’s really weird and unintuitive that there can be “invisible” collections like this. 
The outliner has several viewing features.
Maybe you can check it all on the blender file. 
I know I can use the Blender file Display Mode, I keep two outliners open all the time as part of my default .blend file.
But that’s the issue, first, most people have no idea there’s more display modes for the outliner, and second, what’s the purpose of having hidden collections if they’re no different to any other collection? This makes Ctrl+G useless IMO. It justs adds complexity to the scene/file management without any apparent benefit
It’s rather dumb feature. The menu item and tooltip is misleading, and the end result seems pointless.
Triage team says it’s something to do with "legacy behavior ", but we aren’t in legacy times any longer and it seems pointless to have a misleading command that creates a collection that is not attached to the scene.
Like, what is the practical use of a collection that is not attached to the scene?
Exactly, it would be better if an actual grouping system is designed for Ctrl+G, or just remove the current functionality and the shortcut.
Let’s not discuss the lack of groups in Blender… It will simply remind me of it. Reminders lead to anger, and leads to hate, hate leads to long rants. 
That is not wrong. User expect collection to be visible in outliner.
They should have updated that to “Create New Unlinked Collection”.
We are still in legacy behavior for Rigid Bodies simulation, until we have official GN assets replacing it. And as I already wrote, it is used by it.
That is a status, not really a feature. But its purpose is to :
If collection has no purpose for rendering or organizing your scene, if it is a collection embedding others collections for physics of scene (RigidBodyWorld, Effector Collection of Collision modifier or particles) or for Line Art modifier or Boolean modifier or geometry nodes, having this collection not linked may simplify display in Outliner.
Otherwise, we would need a tag filter system for Collections display in Outliner to hide existence of collections we want to ignore.
If this is the purpose of having hidden collections then I’d still insist it should have a clearer display that doesn’t require the user to change the display mode or open another outliner editor (like I currently do for my files). It’s just way too unintuitive as it is right now. Plus, there’s no clear indication anywhere on the UI that a hidden collection has been created after hitting Ctrl+G
Well, if it doesn’t have a purpose for you, just simply don’t use it. If you want to add/move an object to a collection that is linked to the scene there is M hotkey and if you want to link an object to a collection without removing it from collections it’s already in use Shift + M . Why use hotkeys for something that you don’t need and then complain about it? 
If I want a collection not linked to any scenes, I’ll use Ctrl + G . What’s wrong with that? Do whatever you want to do and don’t do the things you don’t want to do. Isn’t that sort of obvious?..
By the way, if it’s annoying to switch Outliner modes, make yourself a hotkey for that so it’s easier. You can add wm.context_cycle_enum to the Outliner section for space_data.display_mode attribute in the Keymap preferences:
Tab is free in Outliner context. This would cycle modes.
wm.context_pie_enum also works:
Do whatever you want…
It wasn’t obvious at all to me, Martin. Nor everyone else.
Well, I mean I get that hotkeys might not be obvious, but not using functions you don’t need should be.
How the fuck is everyone supposed to know what function they don’t need to use, when it looks and sounds exactly like the function they’re looking for?
Enough with the fanboy condescending.
OK, that’s true. I agree to that, actually. But isn’t that the case with absolutely everything in Blender when you don’t know the functions? With this issue, you’ll have a whole lot of complaining about every single function. Learning is the answer.
This might be reoccurring argument between us in these forums…
This is also a recurring issue here.
Let’s take a look at that wonderfully informative user manual:
“Creates a new collection and adds the selected object(s) to it…This collection is not linked to the active scene.”
Show me somewhere in that description were one now understands in SOME way what the concept of “not linked to the scene” means, why one wouldn’t want it linked to the scene, and how it’s also different than “Move selected objects to an existing or new collection” - which IS linked to the scene.
The UX here is rubbish. Stop blaming people for not understanding the lack of clear design.
In ENGLISH, “Move to a new collection” has exactly the same connotation of “create a new collection and add objects to it.” Maybe that’s lost on you.
And the answer is the same - don’t blame the software, blame yourself. If you blame the software, you cannot do anything about it, if you blame yourself, you can solve the issue. More constructive, better results.
That’s true for pretty much every single thing in the manual. It just explains what the functions do, not what you should be doing with them. If you choose to be unhappy about that, that’s a whole lot of unhappiness for your life. I think that’s just pointless suffering. I hope people don’t do that to themselves.
Also, you can improve the manual. They are always looking for people to do that as far as I know.
Anyway, I think we already know how this argument is going to go. I listed the hotkeys, hope my tip on creating hotkeys might be useful for someone and hey, maybe someone did not know that anyone is welcome to contribute to Blender’s manual. That’s about it from me. Happy blending.
If blender used a wiki style site, with easy to submit changeabilities and formatting, I would absolutely donate my time to improving the manual.
But the way they’ve created it, requires everyone to learn to use git, clone a repository, make a pull request, merge a change … No. They created too much of a significant barrier to entry to do something as simple as edit a typo on a webpage.
