Configure Blender Addon

Last updated 3 months ago

PySide Installation on User Machines

The AYON Blender integration requires the PySide module to be available within Blender. This module varies depending on the Blender version and platform, so it cannot be bundled directly with AYON.

Automatic PySide Installation

By default, the AYON Blender Addon attempts to install a compatible PySide module automatically if it is not already present when launching the Blender application via the Launcher.

Manual PySide Installation

In case the automatic installation fails, you can find manual installation steps specific to each operating system below.

With Blender versions 4.x, the required module will be PySide6.

Windows

  1. Find python executable inside your Blender installation folder. It is usually located in the following path. This may differ in future blender version.

    C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender {version}\{version}\python\bin\python.exe

  2. Open Powershell or Command Prompt as Administrator and run commands below.

    Replace C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender 4.5\4.5\python\bin with your path.

    # Change directory to python executable directory.
> cd C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender 4.5\4.5\python\bin

# Run pip install command.
> python -m pip install PySide6

Linux

Procedure may differ based on Linux distribution and blender distribution. Some Blender distributions are using system Python in that case it is required to install PySide6 using pip to system python (Not tested).

These instructions are for Blender using bundled python.

  1. Find python executable inside your blender application:
    You can launch Blender and in "Scripting" section enter commands to console.

    >>> import bpy 
>>> print(bpy.app.binary_path_python) 
'/path/to/python/executable'

  2. Open terminal and run pip install command below.

    Replace /usr/bin/blender/4.5/python/bin/python3.11m with your path.

    > /usr/bin/blender/4.5/python/bin/python3.11m -m pip install PySide6

If you get error No module named pip you'll have to do few steps first.

  1. Open new terminal and run the python executable from Blender (entering full path).

    # Run Python executable 
> /usr/bin/blender/4.5/python/bin/python3.11m 

# Python process should start
>>> import ensurepip
>>> ensurepip.bootstrap()

  2. You can close new terminal and Run pip install command above again.
    Now should work as expected.

Blender Addon Settings​

Set Unit Scale

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/unit_scale_settings

Enable it to define a default unit scale.

  • Apply on Opening Existing Files: enable it to set the unit scale defined below to apply it on exiting files you open.

  • Base File Unit Scale: define here the default unit scale.

Set Attributes on Startup

Settings Locaitons:

  • ayon+settings://blender/set_resolution_startup

  • ayon+settings://blender/set_frames_startup

  • Set Resolutions on Startup: When enabled, AYON will automatically set the width and height in the Blender scene at startup based on the attributes of the current AYON task.

  • Set Start/End Frames and FPS on Startup: When enabled, AYON will configure the start and end frames, as well as the FPS, in the Blender scene at startup according to the attributes of the current AYON task. Handles are included based on the configuration specified here.

Include/Exclude Handles in default playback & render range

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/include_handles

Color Management (OCIO managed)​

Setting Locaion: ayon+settings://blender/imageio

  • Enable Color Management​: This toggle enables AYON's global color management. This toggle is a master switch that enables and disables the whole section.

  • File Rules​

    • Activate Host Rules

    • Rules

      • +: Add more rules

      • Each rule consists of

        • Rule name

        • Regex pattern

        • Colorspace name

        • File extension

Render Settings

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/RenderSettings

  • Default Render Image Folder: Configure staging / work folder for rendered images. Not for final published images.

  • AOV Separator Character

  • Image Format: Configure image output format when creating Render publish instance.

  • Multilayer (EXR): Does have effect only when EXR format selected.

  • Renderer: Configure render engine used for render farm submission.

  • Enable Compositing: When enabled AYON will output composite AOV beside regular rgba beauty output.

  • AOVs to create: Choose from available Blender AOVs for automatic creation when rendering.

  • Custom Passes: Configure additional AOVs for output besides the standard Blender ones.

    • + : Add a custom pass.

    • Each item consists of:

      • Attibute name

      • Type

Workfile Builder​

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/workfile_builder

Simple workfile template based on Task type.
First matched profile will be used as a workfile template.

  • Create first workfile

  • Custom templates

    • each template profile consists of:

      • Task Types

      • Path (Per OS)

    • + button: Add more templates.

Publish Plugins​

Configure various validator and extractor types for publishing.

Validate Absolute Data Block Paths

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateAbsoluteDataBlockPaths

Checks if external data having absolute file path.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Camera Zero Keyframe

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateCameraZeroKeyframe

Checks if a keyframe is set on frame zero - mostly used when loading in Unreal Engine shifting the first keyframe to zero.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate File Saved

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateFileSaved

Checks if workfile changes have been saved, forcing user to perform save action if not.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

  • Exclude product types: list of product types/families to exclude from validation.

Validate Instance is not Empty

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateInstanceEmpty

Checks for empty publish instances which could result in no data when published.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Mesh Has Uvs

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateMeshHasUvs

Checks for geometry having UV set defined.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Mesh No Negative Scale

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateMeshNoNegativeScale

Checks for object scaling in negative values which is prohibited then.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Model Mesh Has UV map named map1

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateModelMeshUvMap1

Checks if objects have a UV set named 'map1' meeting Maya standards.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Transform Zero

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateTransformZero

Checks all objects transforms are zero values.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate No Colons In Name

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateNoColonsInName

Checks for invalid naming format containing : within name - mostly when exporting to Unreal Engine.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Render Camera Is Set

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateRenderCameraIsSet

Checks for renderable camera when using Render.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Render Output for Deadline

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateDeadlinePublish

Checks render output folder naming and if matching workfile and version.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Validate Frame Range

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ValidateFrameRange

Checks if scene frame range matches AYON project values for the context.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract Blend

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractBlend

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

  • Families (Product Types)

  • Compress

Extract FBX

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractFBX

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract ABC

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractModelABC

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract Blend Animation

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractBlendAnimation

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

  • Compress

Extract Animation FBX

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractAnimationFBX

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract Camera

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractCamera

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract Camera as ABC

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractCameraABC

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract Layout (JSON)

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractLayout

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

Extract Thumbnail

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractThumbnail

Takes review camera and creates a thumbnail based on viewport capture.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

  • Presets: plugin selects preset based on the product type. e.g. model preset will be used with model product type. each preset reflects the arguments of addon built in function capture.

  • Compress

Extract Playblast

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractPlayblast

Takes review camera and creates review Quicktime video based on viewport capture.

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.

  • Presets: plugin only expects default preset.
    A preset reflects the arguments of addon built in function capture.

  • Compress

Extract Model USD

Setting Location: ayon+settings://blender/publish/ExtractModelUSD

  • Enable: The default state of the plugin.

  • Optional: Allows the user to toggle this setting in the publisher UI.

  • Active: The default value of the toggle in the publisher UI.