Custom Templates - Add-On

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



File > New menu with the add-on custom buttons

Your templates will be avaliable in the Splash Screen and the File > New menu.

Why Custom Templates?

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.


Create your own templates or find the ones that best suit your needs online.

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

The only limit is your immagination!

How to use

  • Prepare your templates and save them in .blend files
    or find online .blend templates that fits your needs
  • Define your templates in the add-on's preferences
    Simply select a .blend file and name your template
    You can do this:
    1. Directly from add-on preferences, in the templates list
    2. By using File > Defaults > Select new custom template
      This functions will open a popup where you will select the file path and specify the name for the new template.
    3. By using File > Defaults > Use current as new template (only avaliable when a saved .blend file is loaded)
      This functions will open a popup where you will specify the name for the new template. The path will be the one of the current .blend file.
    4. By importing a previously exported templates list
      Note: the import process override the current list. Be sure to export the current list, if necessary

You can add, remove, reorder and update your templates any time...

  • (Optionally) Export your templates list to JSON file
    Useful after disabling and re-enabling the add-on, re-installing blender, or simply to prepare different sets of templates to import when needed.

At this point your templates will be avaliable in the File > New menu and in the Splash Screen.


Splash Screen

From the Splash Screen (or from preferences), you can easily switch between your Custom Templates and Blender's default templates.

This only applies to the splash screen.
File > New menu will always show all your templates.

Notes:

  • With more than 5 templates, only the first 5 will be shown in the splash
  • If you have no templates currently defined, Blender's default list will always be used

Support

As of today, the add-on has been only tested on Blender 4.2.x. It may or may not work on previous version.

This add-on is developed under GPL-3.0 license by Francesco Bellini from 2024.
See the LICENSE file.

Changelog

Visit the CHANGELOG file to see the changes over new version.

Description
Use your own .blend files as template options for new projects.
Readme GPL-3.0 34 MiB
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