# Custom Templates - Add-On

![File > New menu with the add-on custom buttons](./images/Preview%20Image.png)

Custom Templates Add-On allows you to use your own .blend files as template options for new projects.

#### Why this add-on?

Blender allows you to save you own .blend file to use on startup.  

This is great, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to create your own templates?

With **Custom Templates** you can setup as many .blend file as you like, as templates.

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Instead of being limited to the usual options Blender offers to start a new project (General, 2D Animation, Sculpting, VFX, Video Editing), you will be able to configure your own list of .blend files that will be added in the File > New menu.

Create your own version of General, 2D Animation or any other template you might need.  

*Customize workspaces, preset your usual materials, define additional windows and anything else you would like to have from the beginning.*

### Preferences

In the add-on preferences, you can manage the list of your custom template files.

You can add, remove and reorder templates as you wish.
*Changes will be immidiatly visible in the `File > New` menu.*

Each template has it's Name (used as menu button label), and Path to the .blend file.

![Custom Templates Preferences](./images/Addons_Preferences.png)

You can have as many template as you like.

*Note that, as of now, using wrong file paths will NOT show any warning and you will get an error while opening the template. Be sure to use only valid .blend files as path.*

### How to use

##### Manage templates
You can open the add-on preferences using the button `File > Defaults > Manage templates` or by manually open Blender's Preferences, going in the add-ons tab, and looking for the Custom Templates add-on preferences.

##### Select new custom template
Instead of using preferences, you can select a new template file using `File > Defaults > Select new custom template`. 
*This functions will open a popup where you can also set the Name for the new template*

![File > Defaults menu with the add-on custom buttons](./images/File__Defaults.png)

##### Use current as new template
If you have a .blend file already open, you can use `File > Defaults > Use current as new template` (which is visible only when a saved .blend file is currently loaded).

### Support

As of today, the add-on has been only tested on Blender 4.2.0.
*It may or may not work on previous version.*

### Copyright

This add-on is developed under GPL-3.0 license by Francesco Bellini from 2024.
*See the [LICENSE](./LICENSE) file.*

#### Changelog

Visit the [CHANGELOG](./CHANGELOG) file to see the changes over new version.
