Blender Essentials Assets Bundle - Technical Design #103620

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Dalai Felinto · 2023-01-03T16:54:10+01:00

Dalai Felinto commented

2023-01-03 16:54:10 +01:00

Introduction

The Blender Essentials Assets Bundle is a pack of .blend files containing built-in assets such as:

Geometry Nodes groups
Brushes

For Blender 3.5 we may be able to have some high-level Geometry Nodes groups ready for being incorporated as a core part of Blender. This design document describes how they should be stored, packed and presented to users.

Source Code

SVN Repository:
https:developer.blender.org/diffusion/BL/browse/trunk/lib/assetsNote that at the moment there are files there (base meshes) which are not part of the essentials.//

Needs to be cleared to contain only the essentials, or have them in a sub-folder.
Needs to be branched out as part of the release process .

Packaging the essentials asset bundle

The bundle file is to be treated as read-only. But instead of packing it inside the Blender binary (e.g., as we do for the startup.blend) we have them in a folder as part of the Blender package or installation.

For example: blender-3.4.0-linux-x64/3.5/datafiles/assets

Inside Blender

The Essentials bundle can be access via the Asset Browser, under the Essentials entry. It is also fully integrated with the Asset system. As such it will populate the corresponding menus and asset shelves.

The essentials bundle is not accessible via the User Preferences (it cannot be disabled). In the future for the Apps project we may need to be able to disable it via Python though.

Related:
https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/Blender_Asset_Bundle

# Introduction The Blender Essentials Assets Bundle is a pack of .blend files containing built-in assets such as: * Geometry Nodes groups * Brushes For Blender 3.5 we may be able to have some high-level Geometry Nodes groups ready for being incorporated as a core part of Blender. This design document describes how they should be stored, packed and presented to users. ### Source Code SVN Repository: https:*developer.blender.org/diffusion/BL/browse/trunk/lib/assets*Note that at the moment there are files there (base meshes) which are not part of the essentials.// - [ ] Needs to be cleared to contain only the essentials, or have them in a sub-folder. - [ ] Needs to be branched out as part of the [release process ](https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Process/Release_Checklist). ### Packaging the essentials asset bundle The bundle file is to be treated as read-only. But instead of packing it inside the Blender binary (e.g., as we do for the startup.blend) we have them in a folder as part of the Blender package or installation. For example: *blender-3.4.0-linux-x64/3.5/datafiles/assets* ### Inside Blender The Essentials bundle can be access via the Asset Browser, under the Essentials entry. It is also fully integrated with the Asset system. As such it will populate the corresponding menus and asset shelves. ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14111371/image.png) The essentials bundle is not accessible via the User Preferences (it cannot be disabled). In the future for the Apps project we may need to be able to disable it via Python though. ---------------------- Related: https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/Blender_Asset_Bundle

Dalai Felinto commented

2023-01-03 16:54:10 +01:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Confirmed'

Dalai Felinto commented

2023-01-03 16:54:10 +01:00

Added subscriber: @dfelinto

Dalai Felinto commented

2023-01-03 17:26:05 +01:00

Added subscribers: @JulianEisel, @JacquesLucke

Iliya Katushenock commented

2023-01-03 17:37:29 +01:00

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2023-01-03 18:40:28 +01:00

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2023-01-03 18:44:52 +01:00

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2023-01-03 20:36:50 +01:00

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2023-01-03 22:14:23 +01:00

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2023-01-03 23:20:14 +01:00

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RedMser commented

2023-01-05 00:13:36 +01:00

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Paul Larson commented

2023-01-10 05:20:09 +01:00

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Duarte Farrajota Ramos commented

2023-01-23 13:54:45 +01:00

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Julian Eisel commented

2023-01-23 15:58:39 +01:00

Let's figure out a good name for this.

I like Essentials, but this is more than essentials. You can totally use Blender without the bundled node groups, it's just useful building blocks.

Bundled, Blender Bundle or Built-in are neutral and work, although not as catchy.

Maybe Blender Toolkit or Asset Kit? Blender Kit sounds good as well, but we're too late for that :)

Let's figure out a good name for this. I like *Essentials*, but this is more than essentials. You can totally use Blender without the bundled node groups, it's just useful building blocks. *Bundled*, *Blender Bundle* or *Built-in* are neutral and work, although not as catchy. Maybe *Blender Toolkit* or *Asset Kit*? *Blender Kit* sounds good as well, but we're too late for that :)

Julien Kaspar commented

2023-01-23 16:12:46 +01:00

Added subscriber: @JulienKaspar

Julien Kaspar commented

2023-01-23 16:12:46 +01:00

I like essentials. Especially since this bundle would from the start include essential assets,
like Node Groups (all necessary high level nodes for working with modifiers and hair) and all built-in brushes.

Once a lot more basic assets are included, you should not be able to think about using Blender without them.
More experienced users can use them as building blocks or make their very own basic assets. But that doesn't make them less essential.

I like essentials. Especially since this bundle would from the start include essential assets, like Node Groups (all necessary high level nodes for working with modifiers and hair) and all built-in brushes. Once a lot more basic assets are included, you should not be able to think about using Blender without them. More experienced users can use them as building blocks or make their very own basic assets. But that doesn't make them less essential.

Julian Eisel commented

2023-01-23 16:55:11 +01:00

Another topic, we decided that assets from this bundle should always append + reuse data, never link. How can we indicate that in the UI?

For example, while displaying the "All" asset library in the asset browser, and having it set to Link, dragging in a node group from the bundle would still use append + reuse. How can we indicate that to the user so there are no surprises?

One possible solution:

Give the bundle library an icon that can be displayed in the upper right of the preview, like for the Current File asset library. The Current File ignores the link/append options too.
While dragging, draw some indicator for the import method.
Maybe rename the Link in the dropdown to something like Link (if Possible)? A bit awkward.

Another topic, we decided that assets from this bundle should always append + reuse data, never link. How can we indicate that in the UI? For example, while displaying the "All" asset library in the asset browser, and having it set to *Link*, dragging in a node group from the bundle would still use append + reuse. How can we indicate that to the user so there are no surprises? One possible solution: - Give the bundle library an icon that can be displayed in the upper right of the preview, like for the *Current File* asset library. The *Current File* ignores the link/append options too. - While dragging, draw some indicator for the import method. - Maybe rename the *Link* in the dropdown to something like *Link (if Possible)*? A bit awkward.

Gerstmann Bradley commented

2023-01-23 20:06:17 +01:00

Added subscriber: @Bradley_G

Gerstmann Bradley commented

2023-01-23 20:06:17 +01:00

May I know the reasons of "Append" over "Link"? People can localize a node anytime they want, but I assume they can not revert the localization if we use append?

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-25 12:21:18 +01:00

Added subscriber: @SimonThommes

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-25 12:21:18 +01:00

@Bradley_G
Main reason is that the source file for these sits next to the blender installation. For sharability of files it's important to not link from directories like that. You wouldn't want your node-tree to break, if you move the file into a different folder, or to a different drive.
Secondary reason is backward compatibility. We will be able to update these assets without breaking people's setups, because they are local to their files,

@Bradley_G Main reason is that the source file for these sits next to the blender installation. For sharability of files it's important to not link from directories like that. You wouldn't want your node-tree to break, if you move the file into a different folder, or to a different drive. Secondary reason is backward compatibility. We will be able to update these assets without breaking people's setups, because they are local to their files,

Juan Gea commented

2023-01-25 14:25:13 +01:00

Added subscriber: @juang3d

Juan Gea commented

2023-01-25 14:25:13 +01:00

A question: could I be able to move the assets to a different location and then be able to link them?

If that is the case, I agree, better to avoid linking from the asset bundle.

A question: could I be able to move the assets to a different location and then be able to link them? If that is the case, I agree, better to avoid linking from the asset bundle.

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-25 15:39:58 +01:00

They are just datablocks, you can do whatever with them.