While porting works in mechanicalblender.org as an addon, I found some limitations i did not like all the workarounds i found, so i decided to create generic addons tasks, so it could be added in blender for everybody. I assume that specific things would not be included, and developing and addon make things easier for users.
As I think they benefit blender, i’ll do my best, but i also assume that community support is needed, so please support this patches, so they do not get the abandoned status.
Awesome initiative, I wish other addon developers with C++ knowledge could support you too and add to your effort
One of the most important things that we cannot do right now as an addon with the Python API IMHO is to extend classes.
I mean, imagine I want to create a custom type of Empty, I want that empty to have a custom shape, and some custom controls, that’s not possible right now and I have to go through a lot of loops to achieve it.
So adding the capability to extend from a class and customise that class with proper UI and methods would be very helpful
For example an empty, with a custom shape and some custom properties, also a custom creation function, for example, where you can set some parameters before you end up the creation process.
Picture it, you have a scene with 1000 empties, but 10 of them are empties you use for your addon, when you want to access those 10 empties randomly (and without storing them in a parameter of the scene) you have to loop over those 1000 empties.
If you have a custom empty class (cool_empty) you would have to look only for those “cool_empty” objects.
That’s a simple example, but I’m sure addon developers would be more than happy to provide other examples
@mauge,
this is a much have enhancement… thank you
another use cases…
. addon for viewport undo/redo view matrix changes
. with modal handler, unlock view navigation for standard transform tools/operators
. display warning while entering in edit mode (tab key) if object is procedurally builded or display window settings for adjust it rather than entry in edit mode
Uo! I always think about the feature as something espeficic to the operator itself
As pointed on feature task ⚓ T86191 Add Handlers to Operators. this kind of things should be allowed to have a better handling in a more general (working always) way, than adding handlers everywhere, as will not work if for example the matrix are changed in another not considered places.
Most changes done internally are ignored by msgbus because they work directly with a pointer: because faster, or because of generic methods (eg Transform). Or just because the coder did not consider that.
Next I will spend some time on https://developer.blender.org/T86618 because i would like to insert some menu / options related to existing ones, from an addon.
I think this is a game changer for addon development, now I can address almost all of my missing needs from another DCC modeling tool with minimal effort…
I really hope this will catch the attetion of blender devs and be committed in master.
really digging these addon developer focused improvements you’re making, I seriously hope that blender devs take notice and work with you on getting them integrated into main
Do not know if there is an standard procedure to show addon info on ui like the splash About window. Not so parametrized and also hidden on preferences -> addons. Let’s say more integrated and easy to find.
