I’m putting together a complex geometry node and an wondering what the best way is to distribute it. I’ve written addons in Python before and Blender has a pretty good procedure for distributing those as zip files.
It’s less clear to me what I need to do to distribute my Geometry Node network. Do I just post a .blend file and tell people to download it and then copy and paste an object with the node into their own program? Is there a less messy way for them to just start using my node?
I think the best way is to put asset browser to good use,
People have two possibilities, either append the content manually, or copy the .blend to their asset repo to have it always at hand.
Obviously that leads to question about what is your asset ?
If it’s a nodegroup/modifier that ones uses on a regular basis, then doing this makes totally sense.
Even if I think the workflow for that is still a bit WIP.
If it’s a 3D object, then asset browser makes a lot of sense too.
If it’s something you only use once in a while, like a crazy space coffee machine generator, I’ll still register it as asset but maybe appending is a better way.
Building addon around that, so you install an addon that allows you to access the asset feels very overkill to me…
I didn’t think of the asset browser. I was looking at the Node Presets addon, which is kind of like a worse version of the asset browser.
The node I’m working on is to assist in making hair.
I just wanted to post here in case there was a standard/expected way that I should know about.
It’s at least how BF envision the handling of asset, have you seen the upcoming hair nodes shipped with blender ?
https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/3.5/Pipeline_Assets_IO
What they did is super cool ! It’s super useful beyond hair only !
No, I didn’t know about that. The hair system really could use some tools like that. Still, I think my node is unique enough that it could be useful.
Sure !
GN is so powerful and versatile that a lot of workflows are possible !
The main goal of these nodes is to provide feature parity with the old hair system, and allows non-technical users to work their way around.
I’ve tested them quickly to make some grass and I find them quite fun and intuitive to use.
But it would be sad to stick to that only !
Right-click on your node-group’s name in the Editor or Modifier Stack (or on the Name of the Node itself if a stand-alone node-group).:
Good luck.
