New Tools: Theme Manager, and LoopTools

The power of python programming in Blender and the development skills of Bart Crouch combine to bring us two much-needed tools for Blender. Actually, it's far more than two, if you include the many tools in the LoopTools addon.

Theme Manager

Sharing custom themes for Blender 2.5 used to be difficult, as you had to share entire .blend files, replace your default .blend and then manually reorganize your start-up screen with the new colours. That's why I'm introducing: Theme manager

More info on the Theme Manager...

LoopTools

The LoopTools add-on is a script containing a collection of tools to aid mesh modelling in Blender.

More info on LoopTools...

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

News: Blender 2.5 Animesh Addon Test

Simple test animating the vertices of a uvsphere. Some object Location and Rotation keys were added to the keyed vertices. This was a no-Hook and no-ShapeKey experience, and very fast to achieve!

Thanks to Daniel Salazar (aka ZanQdo) and Campbell Barton (aka ideasman42).

The python script can be found at:
BlenderArtists Forum Thread...

To test:

• Use a recent build from graphicall.org
• Go to the script link provided, and save the page as a python file. (In Firefox, File, Save As...)
• In the Blender Addons panel, click Install Addon, and locate the python file.
• The installed Addon will be under Animation. Enable it via the checkbox.

'location': 'Select a Mesh: Toolbar > AniMesh panel',
'description': 'Allows animation of mesh data (Verts, VCols, VGroups, UVs)',
'warning': 'Blender API has some bugs around this still',

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

So You Want to be a Blender Developer, But Where Do You Start?

First of all, I can't give you any first-hand advice on how to start down the road to being a Blender developer. I think it's more important to get that advice directly from the source.

Campbell Barton (one of the lead Blender developers, aka ideasman42) has provided a really nice overview of how you might approach this goal. Being self-taught, his advice is very practical and efficient.

This is one of the great things about Blender being Open Source Software, you can get involved and make some kind of difference in so many ways.

Check out the forum thread at blenderartists.org.

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Book Review: Blender 2.49 Scripting (by Michel Anders)

This book review turned out to be quite easy. In short, the book is ideal if you want to get up to speed with Python scripting in Blender 2.49.

The lessons are presented in a clear step-by-step fashion with very practical applications. And, the book covers quite a wide range of subjects. Take a look at the Table of Contents.

Also, here's a PDF of Chapter 5 (Acting on Frame Changes), provided by the publisher (Packt Publishing).

There's really not a whole lot more to say. Take a look at the Table of Contents and the sample chapter to confirm its value. If you're interested in Python scripting in Blender, then I think you'll see that this is a definite must-have resource.

BTW, the book also provides a URL for downloading the code used in the book.

Even though the Python API is changing in Blender 2.5, you'll still be ahead of the game by learning the current API. It will be quite some time before the Python API in Blender 2.5 is as complete as what's available in Blender 2.49.

The author acknowledges the pending 2.5 version of Blender, so hopefully there will be an edition released for Blender 2.5 when that becomes feasible.

There's so much more to Blender when you consider the power of Python scripting in Blender, and this book will get you off to a strong start in the right direction.

The cover price of the book is $39.99, but if you order from the Packt Publishing website there's a 10% discount.
Get more details and order information...

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

News: UpComing Book Review for "Blender 2.49 Scripting"

A new Blender book has just been released by Packt Publishing called "Blender 2.49 Scripting" (by Michel J. Anders). I'll be reviewing the book after I receive it and have had time to read through it.

I was a little bit hesitant at first because its focus is on Blender 2.49. However, when you consider that the Blender 2.5/2.6 Python API has quite a ways to go before it's as good as the Blender 2.49 implementation, it may be more practical to get up to speed with Blender 2.49 Python scripting.

There's a great deal of extra power and control that can be introduced into Blender via Python scripting and it's nice to see a book dedicated to the subject. I'm sure there will be an edition released for Blender 2.5/2.6 once it becomes stabilized.

Here's a sample chapter from the book "Chapter 5: Acting on Frame Changes"

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials