Problems with 3.5 Installation: Keymap vanished. Addon files zapped. Import of 3.4 settings incomplete. #106356

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I Came, I Saw, I Blended... · 2023-03-31T05:38:26+02:00

2023-03-31 05:38:26 +02:00

System Information
Operating system: Windows 10
Graphics card:

Blender Version
Broken: 3.5
Worked: 3.4.1

Short description of error

Severity: i is an ongoing annoyance. ii is bad but recoverable (it can be fixed by doing a complete reinstall of Blender), but iii is the destruction of user-written source code files without warning, so is severe.

On installing 3.5, three things went seriously wrong:

i. On clicking the 'Load 3.4 Settings' button, it didn't. The addon files were copied over, but the other settings were not copied. So the quickkeys, recent file history, bookmarks, the enabled addons, etc, were all lost. This is a very old bug which has plagued me and others for many versions e.g. https://polycount.com/discussion/231238/how-do-you-import-everything-from-an-older-version-of-blender-to-the-current-version

ii. So I opened 3.4.1 to see a list of my old enabled addons so I could manually install them as usual. But when I did this, I found all the 3.4.1 key settings were gone (they were working right upto installing 3.5), and when I checked the keymap had disappeared (the keymap panel was blank, so I couldn't change it). Screen looks exactly like this: https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/147134/blender-2-8-missing-keymap-settings

iii. Even worse, I discovered when the install program had copied over the addons, IT ZAPPED THE SOURCE FILES OF THOSE WHICH HAD SYMBOLIC LINKS. As in, the file were there, but their length was all zero. Those addons I developed using Jacques Lucke's excellent 'Blender Development' Addon for Microsoft Visual Code. Jacques's package does this by creating a symbolic link to your actual addon source files directory (so you can use the same one across multiple versions of Blender, or having multiple copies of identical source code files which would be asking for trouble). In previous upgrades 3.2, 3.3, Blender setup didn't copy the symbolic links properly, so you had to do it manually using mklink e.g. "mklink /d MyAddon w:\src\blender\MyAddon" - a bit of a pain, but otherwise okay. In 3.4 I noticed to my delight Blender Setup created the symbolic links properly. But in this version 3.5, it zapped the addon source files (set their length to zero) in the symbolically linked directory. I'm guessing it didn't realize the links were to the same file so it tried to copy the same file to itself, zapping it in the process. Very luckily I made a backup of those addon source files yesterday so only lost a day's work, but this came very close to total calamity: the complete destruction of user-written source code files. If that analysis is correct, then anyone using symbolic links or Jacques's package is at risk.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error

In Blender 3.4.1 create an addon using Jacques Lucke's 'Blender Development' Addon for Microsoft Visual Code package.
Install 3.5 fresh. Select 'Load 3.4 Settings'. Copying of settings doesn't work, although addon files are copied, although the symbolically linked addon directory's source code files are zapped.
With Blender 3.5, start Blender 3.4.1, and Blender 3.4.1's key settings are gone. Using the mouse look at Edit | Preferences | Keymaps, and see the Keymap panel is blank. No recovery is possible from this (the panel is blank), so you cannot choose another.

**System Information** Operating system: Windows 10 Graphics card: **Blender Version** Broken: 3.5 Worked: 3.4.1 **Short description of error** Severity: i is an ongoing annoyance. ii is bad but recoverable (it can be fixed by doing a complete reinstall of Blender), but iii is the destruction of user-written source code files without warning, so is severe. On installing 3.5, three things went seriously wrong: i. On clicking the 'Load 3.4 Settings' button, it didn't. The addon files were copied over, but the other settings were not copied. So the quickkeys, recent file history, bookmarks, the enabled addons, etc, were all lost. This is a very old bug which has plagued me and others for many versions e.g. https://polycount.com/discussion/231238/how-do-you-import-everything-from-an-older-version-of-blender-to-the-current-version ii. So I opened 3.4.1 to see a list of my old enabled addons so I could manually install them as usual. But when I did this, I found all the 3.4.1 key settings were gone (they were working right upto installing 3.5), and when I checked the keymap had disappeared (the keymap panel was blank, so I couldn't change it). Screen looks exactly like this: https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/147134/blender-2-8-missing-keymap-settings iii. Even worse, I discovered when the install program had copied over the addons, IT ZAPPED THE SOURCE FILES OF THOSE WHICH HAD SYMBOLIC LINKS. As in, the file were there, but their length was all zero. Those addons I developed using Jacques Lucke's excellent 'Blender Development' Addon for Microsoft Visual Code. Jacques's package does this by creating a symbolic link to your actual addon source files directory (so you can use the same one across multiple versions of Blender, or having multiple copies of identical source code files which would be asking for trouble). In previous upgrades 3.2, 3.3, Blender setup didn't copy the symbolic links properly, so you had to do it manually using mklink e.g. "mklink /d MyAddon w:\src\blender\MyAddon" - a bit of a pain, but otherwise okay. In 3.4 I noticed to my delight Blender Setup created the symbolic links properly. But in this version 3.5, it zapped the addon source files (set their length to zero) in the symbolically linked directory. I'm guessing it didn't realize the links were to the same file so it tried to copy the same file to itself, zapping it in the process. Very luckily I made a backup of those addon source files yesterday so only lost a day's work, but this came very close to total calamity: the complete destruction of user-written source code files. If that analysis is correct, then anyone using symbolic links or Jacques's package is at risk. **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** 1. In Blender 3.4.1 create an addon using Jacques Lucke's 'Blender Development' Addon for Microsoft Visual Code package. 2. Install 3.5 fresh. Select 'Load 3.4 Settings'. Copying of settings doesn't work, although addon files are copied, although the symbolically linked addon directory's source code files are zapped. 3. With Blender 3.5, start Blender 3.4.1, and Blender 3.4.1's key settings are gone. Using the mouse look at Edit | Preferences | Keymaps, and see the Keymap panel is blank. No recovery is possible from this (the panel is blank), so you cannot choose another.

I Came, I Saw, I Blended... added the

labels 2023-03-31 05:38:27 +02:00

Richard Antalik commented

2023-04-12 06:02:44 +02:00

3rd issue described was reported in #99766, I think it would be better to raise priority.

Back to first 2 reported issues - can you still reproduce these? if so can you provide content of C:\Users\John\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\config?

3rd issue described was reported in #99766, I think it would be better to raise priority. Back to first 2 reported issues - can you still reproduce these? if so can you provide content of `C:\Users\John\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\config`?

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-04-27 15:32:48 +02:00

the quickkeys, recent file history, bookmarks, the enabled addons, etc, were all lost

For me, add-on status is preserved in 3.5 after "loading 3.4 settings"
Could you elaborate on "file history"? I did not understand that (do you mean "open recent" menu?)
Not sure if bookmarks are part of user preferences (because factory reset did not clear the list)

Please provide details to reproduce the 2nd issue?

> the quickkeys, recent file history, bookmarks, the enabled addons, etc, were all lost For me, add-on status is preserved in 3.5 after "loading 3.4 settings" Could you elaborate on "file history"? I did not understand that (do you mean "open recent" menu?) Not sure if bookmarks are part of user preferences (because factory reset did not clear the list) - - - Please provide details to reproduce the 2nd issue?

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labels 2023-04-27 15:32:59 +02:00

I Came, I Saw, I Blended... commented

2023-05-05 10:09:06 +02:00

@iss: 3rd issue described was reported in #99766, I think it would be better to raise priority.

Yes, think this should have priority because it's wiping developer's original addon code. I lost a days work. If I didn't have a day old backup, would have lost more.

@PratikPB2123: For me, add-on status is preserved in 3.5 after "loading 3.4 settings"

Used to work for me, but stopped working several versions ago. (Maybe 3.2) It's possible something is malfunctioning during the install, perhaps related to mishandling those symbolic links, and then not completing the copy settings.

Could you elaborate on "file history"? I did not understand that (do you mean "open recent" menu?)

Yes, "open recent" menu, addon settings (they are there, but all turned off, even those turned on in the previous version).

Not sure if bookmarks are part of user preferences (because factory reset did not clear the list)

I think I remember I had to recreate the bookmarks too.

> @iss: 3rd issue described was reported in #99766, I think it would be better to raise priority. Yes, think this should have priority because it's wiping developer's original addon code. I lost a days work. If I didn't have a day old backup, would have lost more. > @PratikPB2123: For me, add-on status is preserved in 3.5 after "loading 3.4 settings" Used to work for me, but stopped working several versions ago. (Maybe 3.2) It's possible something is malfunctioning during the install, perhaps related to mishandling those symbolic links, and then not completing the copy settings. > Could you elaborate on "file history"? I did not understand that (do you mean "open recent" menu?) Yes, "open recent" menu, addon settings (they are there, but all turned off, even those turned on in the previous version). > Not sure if bookmarks are part of user preferences (because factory reset did not clear the list) I think I remember I had to recreate the bookmarks too.

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labels 2023-05-19 15:46:38 +02:00

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-06-16 07:03:18 +02:00

Not sure if bookmarks are part of user preferences

Hi, I was wrong earlier. Recent files, history and bookmarks all should load when importing previous prefs, see: https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender/src/branch/main/scripts/startup/bl_operators/userpref.py#L148

bpy.ops.wm.read_userpref() # Loads user preferences, add-on status
bpy.ops.wm.read_history() # Loads file history and bookmark

Still I'm not able to reproduce the issue. Everything is loaded correctly in 3.5
Please go to 3.5-config path (C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\config) and see whether recent-files.txt & bookmarks.txt files are generated, check what is written in those files.
If these files are not created in 3.5, Copy paste them from 3.4 as a workaround.

> Not sure if bookmarks are part of user preferences Hi, I was wrong earlier. Recent files, history and bookmarks all should load when importing previous prefs, see: https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender/src/branch/main/scripts/startup/bl_operators/userpref.py#L148 ``` bpy.ops.wm.read_userpref() # Loads user preferences, add-on status bpy.ops.wm.read_history() # Loads file history and bookmark ``` Still I'm not able to reproduce the issue. Everything is loaded correctly in 3.5 Please go to 3.5-config path (`C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\config`) and see whether `recent-files.txt` & `bookmarks.txt` files are generated, check what is written in those files. If these files are not created in 3.5, Copy paste them from 3.4 as a workaround.

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labels 2023-06-16 07:03:39 +02:00

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-08-10 12:42:10 +02:00

No activity for more than a week. As per the tracker policy we assume the issue is gone and can be closed.

Thanks again for the report. If the problem persists please open a new report with the required information.

No activity for more than a week. As per the tracker policy we assume the issue is gone and can be closed. Thanks again for the report. If the problem persists please open a new report with the required information.

Pratik Borhade closed this issue

2023-08-10 12:42:18 +02:00

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I Came, I Saw, I Blended... commented

2023-08-19 03:24:04 +02:00

When I installed 3.6 the keymap problem didn't repeat itself and the linked files weren't zapped, however the user preferences still weren't copied over and the linked files were copied incorrectly. When you tested, were you using Addons created with Jacques Lucke's Blender Visual Code addon? https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=JacquesLucke.blender-development

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-08-21 08:22:44 +02:00

When you tested, were you using Addons created with Jacques Lucke's Blender Visual Code addon?

No.

Please go to 3.5-config path (C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\config) and see whether recent-files.txt & bookmarks.txt files are generated, check what is written in those files.
If these files are not created in 3.5, Copy paste them from 3.4 as a workaround.

Did above suggestion help?

owever the user preferences still weren't copied over and the linked files were copied incorrectly

Can you elaborate "copied incorrectly"? Does it mean file references from bookmark/recent are missing? or they point to wrong path?

> When you tested, were you using Addons created with Jacques Lucke's Blender Visual Code addon? No. > Please go to 3.5-config path (`C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\config`) and see whether `recent-files.txt` & `bookmarks.txt` files are generated, check what is written in those files. If these files are not created in 3.5, Copy paste them from 3.4 as a workaround. Did above suggestion help? > owever the user preferences still weren't copied over and the linked files were copied incorrectly Can you elaborate "copied incorrectly"? Does it mean file references from bookmark/recent are missing? or they point to wrong path?

I Came, I Saw, I Blended... commented

2023-08-23 03:09:52 +02:00

However the user preferences still weren't copied over and the linked files were copied incorrectly
Can you elaborate "copied incorrectly"? Does it mean file references from bookmark/recent are missing? or they point to wrong path?

The bookmarks were copied. The addons were copied, but not enabled. The other user preferences were not copied (things like shortcut menu, absolute/relative path preferences, etc.)

Please go to 3.5-config path (C:\Users[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\config) and see whether recent-files.txt & bookmarks.txt files are generated, check what is written in those files. If these files are not created in 3.5, Copy paste them from 3.4 as a workaround. Did above suggestion help?

Checked and confirmed yes: manually copying the files over worked. I'll do this if it the problem repeats on the next upgrade (I guess 4.0).

When you tested, were you using Addons created with Jacques Lucke's Blender Visual Code addon?
No.

Jacques' Visual Code extension lets you create your own addon in its own source directory, and links (equivalent of: MKLINK in Windows, ln in Linux instead of COPY in Windows, cp in Linux)to that from the Blender addon directory e.g. C:\Users\guest\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\scripts\addons,. This is brilliant, because it spares you from the problems of having multiple copies of your addon in different versions of Blender which leads to source control problems.

The problem is when Blender installs a new version, when it duplicates your old addons in the new version, it replaces the linked addons (in the old version) with new physical copies of those addon files (the new version). You can repair that manually, but maybe it's also breaking the installer, albeit without an explicit error message, since the installer otherwise seems to complete fine. Maybe that is the cause of the problem, causing no Addons to be enabled in the new version? In any case, think it may be better if it duplicate links as links rather than new physical files anyway.

>> However the user preferences still weren't copied over and the linked files were copied incorrectly > Can you elaborate "copied incorrectly"? Does it mean file references from bookmark/recent are missing? or they point to wrong path? The bookmarks were copied. The addons were copied, but not enabled. The other user preferences were not copied (things like shortcut menu, absolute/relative path preferences, etc.) > Please go to 3.5-config path (C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\config) and see whether recent-files.txt & bookmarks.txt files are generated, check what is written in those files. If these files are not created in 3.5, Copy paste them from 3.4 as a workaround. Did above suggestion help? Checked and confirmed yes: manually copying the files over worked. I'll do this if it the problem repeats on the next upgrade (I guess 4.0). >> When you tested, were you using Addons created with Jacques Lucke's Blender Visual Code addon? > No. Jacques' Visual Code extension lets you create your own addon in its own source directory, and links (equivalent of: MKLINK in Windows, ln in Linux instead of COPY in Windows, cp in Linux)to that from the Blender addon directory e.g. C:\Users\guest\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.5\scripts\addons,. This is brilliant, because it spares you from the problems of having multiple copies of your addon in different versions of Blender which leads to source control problems. The problem is when Blender installs a new version, when it duplicates your old addons in the new version, it replaces the linked addons (in the old version) with new physical copies of those addon files (the new version). You can repair that manually, but maybe it's also breaking the installer, albeit without an explicit error message, since the installer otherwise seems to complete fine. Maybe that is the cause of the problem, causing no Addons to be enabled in the new version? In any case, think it may be better if it duplicate links as links rather than new physical files anyway.

I Came, I Saw, I Blended... commented

2023-11-16 22:40:59 +01:00

Problem is still there. Please re-open this issue.

Just installed Blender 4.0, choosing to migrate my 3.6 settings. The install seemed to work, but again failed to bring across user preferences, recent searches, and none of the user installed addons from 3.6. In C:\Users\guest\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\4.0 only config was created and that contained the default 4.0 installation files. Nothing was migrated. In the old 3.* install would at least copy the addons although incorrectly convert the links into full-blown files (like an xcopy without /b). Instead with the 4.0 install nothing at all was copied.

To recover I manually copied the contents of config and addons across from 3.6, using xcopy /b. That done, everything works, including Jacques' Microsoft Visual Code Blender extension. Obviously would be better if the 4.0 installer did this so no manual recovery process was necessary. Am I the only one with this problem? Nothing unusual about my setup, apart from using Jacques' extension, which works like a charm. Very strange.

Problem is still there. Please re-open this issue. Just installed Blender 4.0, choosing to migrate my 3.6 settings. The install seemed to work, but again failed to bring across user preferences, recent searches, and none of the user installed addons from 3.6. In C:\Users\guest\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\4.0 only config was created and that contained the default 4.0 installation files. Nothing was migrated. In the old 3.* install would at least copy the addons although incorrectly convert the links into full-blown files (like an xcopy without /b). Instead with the 4.0 install nothing at all was copied. To recover I manually copied the contents of config and addons across from 3.6, using xcopy /b. That done, everything works, including Jacques' Microsoft Visual Code Blender extension. Obviously would be better if the 4.0 installer did this so no manual recovery process was necessary. Am I the only one with this problem? Nothing unusual about my setup, apart from using Jacques' extension, which works like a charm. Very strange.

I Came, I Saw, I Blended... reopened this issue

2023-11-16 22:41:02 +01:00

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I Came, I Saw, I Blended... commented

2023-11-24 01:01:45 +01:00

Just tested under 4.1. In this case, the addons were copied (the addon files were copied to C:\Users\guest\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\4.1\scripts\addons) but symbolic links weren't preserved), and the user preferences (userprefs.blend) weren't copied at all. Don't know why userprefs isn't being copied, but at least this could be fixed?:

Suggestion: Preserve symbolic links when copying addons directory.

Just tested under 4.1. In this case, the addons were copied (the addon files were copied to C:\Users\guest\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\4.1\scripts\addons) but symbolic links weren't preserved), and the user preferences (userprefs.blend) weren't copied at all. Don't know why userprefs isn't being copied, but at least this could be fixed?: Suggestion: Preserve symbolic links when copying addons directory.

Pratik Borhade referenced this issue

2024-04-30 06:51:58 +02:00

File Browser: saved Bookmarks are not imported to newer major Blender version #121225

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Problems with 3.5 Installation: Keymap vanished. Addon files zapped. Import of 3.4 settings incomplete. #106356