Add Menu

Add Menu

The Add menu contains everything that can be added to the scene. Geometry, camera, lights and so on.

When you create a primitive then the Adjust Last Operator Panel down left shows some settings for this primitive.

Note that the adjust last operator panel does not show when you add a primitive from the toolbar at the top. Then you have to open the adjust last operation panel from the toolbar.

Note also that those settings are not longer available when you perform any operation at the object. And be it to move the primitive. Some of those settings might still be available in the Properties editor. But things like create UV not. So when you want to adjust those settings, then do it immediately after creation.

Several object types can be edited. A Mesh Primitive for example. They have different modes available then. Some not. Like an Empty. There is just the Object mode available for an Empty.

You can add some primitives in edit mode too. In object mode you have the whole range available. In Edit mode you usually just have the object type available with which you are in edit mode.

For example, when you are in edit mode with a mesh, then the add menu just shows the mesh content. When you add geometry in edit mode, then the added geometry becomes part of the current object.

Add menu – Search...

There is a search menu operator where you can search for specific object types in all categories.

Add menu – Type to Search

There is also a hidden search menu where you can search for specific object types in all categories with a key press when the menu is open.

Simply expand the add menu by clicking it, and start to type in the term that you want to find – this will automatically trigger the search.

Mesh

The Mesh section contains the primitives that are made of meshes.

Mesh objects are geometrical objects made of vertices, edges and faces. The geometry can be edited in various ways in edit mode. They can be sculpted in sculpt mode. The vertices can be painted in vertex paint mode. They can be used as a skin for a skeleton, and you can weight paint them so that it deforms with the armature. And you can add textures by UV mapping.

Plane

Plane creates a simple quad face mesh.

Last Operator Add Plane Panel

Align

Aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Cube

Cube creates a Cube mesh.

Last Operator Add Cube Panel

Size

The size of the primitive.

Generate UV's

creates UV's for this primitive.

Circle

Circle creates a Circle mesh.

Last Operator Add Circle Panel

Fill Type

Defines how the primitive mesh is filled.

Generate UV's

creates UV's for this primitive.

UV Sphere

UV Sphere creates a sphere mesh.

Last Operator Add UV Sphere Panel

Generate UV's

creates UV's for this primitive.

Ico Sphere

Ico Sphere creates a sphere mesh.

Last Operator Add Ico Sphere Panel

Generate UV's

creates UV's for this primitive.

Cylinder

Cylinder creates a Cylinder mesh.

Last Operator Add Circle Panel

Cap Fill Type

Defines how the cap of the Cylinder mesh is filled.

Triangle Fan

means that the circle face is triangulated.

Generate UV's

creates UV's for this primitive.

Cone

Cone creates a Cone mesh

Last Operator Add Cone Panel

Base Fill Type

Defines how the primitive mesh is filled.

Generate UV's

Creates UV's for this primitive.

Torus

Torus creates a Torus mesh.

Last Operator Add Torus Panel

Operator Presets allows you to store presets for the Torus. So that you don't have to start from scratch when you need different tori with different setup. This presets are temporary. And cannot be stored between sessions.

Dimension Mode

Major / Minor

Use the major minor radii for the dimensions.

Exterior / Interior

Use the major minor radii for the dimensions.

Generate UV's

Creates UV's for this primitive.

Grid

Grid creates a subidividable plane mesh

Last Operator Add Grid Panel

Generate UV's

Creates UV's for this primitive.

Monkey

Monkey creates a monkey head mesh.

Last Operator Add Monkey Panel

Align

Aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Curve

Add curves primitives.

Curve objects are mathematical curves that are defined by a start and endpoint. You can edit the shape of the curve by handlers. Curves have several purposes. They can be used as a path. Or you use them as the base for a mesh object.

The curve types are very similar. But do have some small differences. The difference between Bezier and Nurbs is that with Bezier you have handlers at the curve. And with a Nurbs you have a control geometry to influence the curve.

Note that Curves is no mesh data. You have to convert the Curves data to Mesh data when you want to work with it like with a mesh. Note also that you cannot convert it back to curve then.

Path

Path creates a Nurbs type curve.

Last Operator Add Curve

The Last Operator add panel is for all curves equal. Just the label changes.

Radius

The curve radius.

Align

Aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Empty Hair

Adds an empty hair system.

This is a curve based hair system. There is another one with particles. The Empty Hair tool adds a Curves hair system and the corresponding Surface Deform modifier to a mesh. Which is nothing else than a renamed geometry node. This hair system is a geometry node solution.

You need to have a mesh object selected to set the menu item active.

The actual hair then gets added and modified in sculpt mode and by geometry nodes.

A curve radius node is for example needed to control the thickness of the hair. Or you add a resample node to make the hair more detailed. And so on. Further settings can also be found in the Properties editor.

Fur

Adds a quick fur setup. Similar to Empty Hair, but with content. And all required modifiers.

Last operator Quick Fur

Density

The fur density.

Surface

Surfaces are some kind of curves. But curves with which you can construct surfaces. Surfaces are all of type Nurbs curves.

Note that Surfaces similar to Curves is no mesh data. You have to convert the Surfaces data to Mesh data when you want to work with it like with a mesh. Note also that you cannot convert it back to Surface then.

Surface Torus

Surface Torus creates a Nurbs type Torus.

Last Operator Add Surface

The Last Operator add panel is for all curves equal. Just the label is different.

Radius

The size of the object.

Align

Aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Metaball

Meta-balls are procedural primitives. They are not defined by vertices or curves. The interesting behavior of meta-balls is that you can stick them into each other. And they have one surface then. Like merging two water drops. And this works in Object mode already.

Cube

Cube creates a meta-ball in Cube shape.

Last Operator Add Metaball

The Last Operator add panel is for all Meta-balls equal.

Primitive

The metaball type.

Radius

The size of the object.

Align

Aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Text

Text creates a text object. With a text object you can create a text in the 3D viewport. Text is not mesh geometry. It is a special curve geometry. But you can convert it to a mesh. See Object menu, Convert to.

Text can be cut, copied and pasted in the usual way by ctrl x, ctrl c and ctrl v

There is a limit of characters, which is by 50.000.

Objects as Fonts

You can also “create” your own “font” inside Bforartists! This is quite a complex process, so let’s detail it:

• First, you must create your chars. Each char is an object of any type (mesh, curve, meta...). They all must have a name following the schema: common prefix followed by the char name (e.g. ft.a, ft.b, etc.).
• Then, for the Text object, you must enable the Dupli Verts button (Object context - Anim Settings panel).
• Back in Editing context, in the Font panel, fill the Ob Family field with the common prefix of your “font” objects.

Now, each time a char in your text matches the suffix part of a “font” object’s name, this object is duplicated on this char. The original chars remain visible. The objects are duplicated so that their center is positioned at the lower right corner of the corresponding chars.

Accent Characters

Many special characters can be “composed” using a combination of two other characters. The hotkey for it is the character followed by Alt + Backspace followed by the desired key to produce the accent character. Note that the following key combinations works with the US keyboard layout, even when you use the german keyboard layout.

Some examples.

ã - A, Alt + Backspace, ~

á - A, Alt + Backspace, '

à - A, Alt + Backspace, Backslash

â - A, Alt + Backspace, \^

å - A, Alt + Backspace, O

æ - A, Alt + Backspace, E

ª - A, Alt + Backspace, Minus

ë - E, Alt + Backspace, "

ç - C, Alt + Backspace, Comma

¢ - C, Alt + Backspace, |

ø - O, Alt + Backspace, Slash

§ - S, Alt + Backspace, S

† - |, Alt + Backspace, Minus

‡ - |, Alt + Backspace, =

© - O, Alt + Backspace, C

® - O, Alt + Backspace, R

™ - T, Alt + Backspace, M

½ - 1, Alt + Backspace, 2

÷ - Minus, Alt + Backspace, :

± - Minus, Alt + Backspace, Plus

Last Operator Add Text

Radius

The size of the object.

Align

Aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Last Operator Move Cursor

Type

The different methods to set the cursor.

Point Cloud

Creates a object of type Point Cloud. Point clouds can represent 3D scans. It is also planned to represent particles in the future. Each point can store data in a set of Attributes. The attributes can be found in the Properties Editor in the Object Data Properties.

At the moment there is not this much that can be done with Point Clouds. But you can convert a object to a point cloud and vice versa.

Last Operator Add Point Cloud

Align

How to orient the point cloud at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Volume

Add a volume object.

Import OpenVDB

Imports a volume object of type OpenVDB. This button opens a file browser.

Empty

Create an empty Volume object.

Last Operator Add Volume

Align

How to orient the point cloud at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Grease Pencil

With a grease pencil object you can draw in the 3D viewport.

It starts as an object type. By switching into paint mode it becomes a paint feature. And editing turns it into a curve or a mesh object then.

It can be use to make traditional 2D animation, cut-out animation, motion graphics or use it as storyboard tool among other things.

You add a grease pencil object, switch to draw mode, choose the color or add a new one. And when done with drawing you can manipulate the grease pencil object in edit mode or in weight paint mode even further.

The colors are materials.

In the Tools tab you will find all the options and settings for drawing and manipulating the grease pencil object, means your drawing.

Blank

Adds a blank grease pencil object with just one black color and no geometry.

Stroke

Adds a grease pencil stroke with some predefined colors.

Monkey

Adds the drawing of a monkey as an example with some predefined colors.

Scene Line Art

Line Art is a modifier for the grease pencil object. Scene Line Art adds a grease pencil object with the Line Art Modifer set up for the whole scene.

Last Operator Add Grease Pencil

The Last Operator add Grease Pencil panel is for all grease pencil objects equal.

Type

Choose the grease pencil type.

Show In Front

Show the grease pencil line art in front of everything.

Stroke Depth Order

How to order the strokes.

Radius

The radius of the object.

Align

How to orient the point cloud at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Armature

Armature adds the first bone of a skeleton. This bone can be further extended in edit mode. And you can animate the created skeleton in pose mode.

A bone has three elements. The start joint is called root or head. The body is called body. And the end joint is called tip or tail.

A bone can also have an influence area. The so called envelope.

The bones of an armature can be edited in Edit mode. And posed in Pose mode.

Last Operator Add Armature

Radius

The radius of the object.

Align

How to orient the point cloud at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Lattice

A lattice object is a control cage to control deforming at another object.

Usage

Create a Lattice object.
Make sure it is bigger than the object that you want to deform, and is around this object.
Add a Lattice Modifier to the object that you want to deform.
In the Object box of the Lattice Modifier add our created Lattice object.

Select Lattice Object. Enter Edit mode. And here you can deform the Lattice Object now, and the object to deform will follow.

Last Operator Add Object

Radius

The radius of the object.

Type

A dropdown menu where you can choose another object type instead of the lattice object.

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Empty

An Empty is an object without any data attached. It is basically just a container. It is empty. Empties can be used as anchor objects. Or as visible handlers at a skeleton for example.

The empty types differs just by how they gets displayed in the viewport.

The empty of type image allows you to load an image to display the empty. This image can be adjusted and loaded in the object data panel of the empty object.

The image empty has also a transform widget, presented by the yellow color. It becomes visible when you hover with the mouse over the object.

Empties, no matter what shape, does not render to file.

Last Operator Add Empty

Type is a drop-down box where you can define the type of Empty object.
Radius is in real the size of the Empty object.
Align aligns the geometry to the chosen view. World, View or 3D cursor.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Location Adjust the location of the Empty object.
Rotation defines the rotation of the Empty object.

Type

The empty type.

Radius

The radius of the object.

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Image

Image objects allows you to import and display images in the viewport. Image objects are nothing else than Empties of type Image. So in the outliner they will show up as empties.

When you create an image object, then the file browser opens, choose the image that you want to use as the reference image. It loads with the correct ratio.

Neither reference images nor background images does render to file. They are just meant to display images in the viewport.

Reference

A reference image is for example used to model along the shape of a car at an image.

The image has also a transform widget, presented by the yellow color. It becomes visible when you hover with the mouse over the object.

Important, the reference image loads oriented in the current screen orientation. So when you need the image in the side view, then you should be in the side view when you create a reference image.

This image can be adjusted and changed in the object data panel of the object. Don't wonder about the panel name, which is Empty. As told above, the reference image is in fact nothing else than a special form of the image empty.

Background

Background images are meant to display images in the background of the viewport, while rendering.

There is just one difference between a Reference and a Background image.

A reference image is double sided. A background image not. When you look from the back side, then it is transparent.

Speaker

A speaker object allows you to add a sound source to the scene. This can be used in a movie for example.

Last Operator Add Speaker

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Camera

A camera object allows you to render your scene.

Camera objects can be further adjusted in the properties editor.

Last Operator Add Camera

Light

Lights lights the scene.

The lights that you add here lights the rendered scene. Not the scene in the viewport. Viewport lighting is managed in the viewport shading panel.

Lights can be further adjusted in the properties editor.

Area

Area creates an Area light. It's a directional light.

Last Operator Add Light

The Last Operator add panel is for all lights equal. Just the label differs.

Type

Set the light type.

Radius

The size of the light.

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Light Probe

Light Probe objects are used by the Eevee render engine as support objects. They precompute lighting information locally in order to light the scene using indirect lighting. Which speeds things up.

There are three different light probe types. One for diffuse light lighting, two for specular lighting.

Light probes are a feature for real time render engines. This means Light probes does not work for the other renderers in Bforartists. Just in Eeevee.

The light probes can be further adjusted in the Properties Editor.

To work with the light probes you need to bake them. Baking lightpropbes happens in the render properties tab in the indirect lighting panel.

Volume

Adds a volumetric array light probe.

Last Operator Add Light Probe

The Last Operator add panel is for all light probes equal. Just the label differs.

Type

Set the light probe type.

Radius

The size of the light.

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Force Field

A Force Field is for physical simulations. It provides you with tools to add different forces to objects. Wind, Smoke, Gravity, Magnetic, etc. .

The added Force Fields can be further adjusted in the Properties panel.

Last Operator Add Effector

A Force Field is internally also called Effector. So our Last Operator panel has the title Add Effector. The Add Effector last operator is the same for all force fields.

Type

Set the light probe type.

Radius

The size of the light.

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Collection Instance

Add an instance of an existing collection. By default it is just one. But the menu lists all available collections in the scene.

Last Operator Add Collection Instance

Align

How to orient the object at creation.

Note that this option is dysfunctional when you call the Adjust Last Operator panel from the Toolbar editor.

Smart Primitives

Smart Primitives are primitives that can be adjusted with widgets. They can also be found in the assets library.

Under the hood they are made of node based modifiers. So if you are happy with the shape, then apply the modifier. And the widgets will be gone.

Create Isocam

The add menu is also a common menu where addons adds their entries. Create Isocam is such an add-on. It comes with Bforartists, and is activated by default.

Create Isocam is a script that creates an orthographic camera with which you can render isometric views for 2d isometric games. You can of course set the whole thing up by hand. This script saves you the work though.

True Isocam

Creates a camera that has the mathematical isometric angles compared to the ground plane.

The camera has a rotation of 54.736 degrees.

Game Isocam

Creates a camera that has the isometric angles for a 2d isometric game. This angle differs a bit from the mathematical angle. With the mathematical angle we would get some not fitting stairs.

With the angle of 60 degrees for the camera we get a fitting result for an isometric game tile with the common 2:1 ratio.

GameIso4to3cam

There is another special view that fits together like the one with the 2:1 ratio . Here we don’t have a base tile of 64×32 and a ratio of 2:1, but one with 64×48 and a ratio of 4:3. It is of course not a power of two graphics anymore. And far away from the true isometric view. But the old graphics card limits are long gone. And when you need a more top down view, then this is perfect.

For that the camera has a rotation of 41.5 Grad.

Ground plane

Adds a ground plane that fits into the camera view of the iso cams.

Object menu

Object menu

The object menu in Object mode provides you with tools to work at Object level.

It contains things like undo redo, copy and paste, delete and other general tools. But also some object specific tools, like the Convert to menu. Or Transform items, and many more.

There are lots of tools in this menu. And some content just shows with specific object types. So we will divide it into sub chapters.

Transform

The transform sub menu contains functionality for some kind of transformations.

To Sphere

Shapes a selection of objects into the shape of a sphere. The calculation happens with the object origins.

In Object mode this tools requires to have more than one object selected.

Usage

Select the objects, activate the tool, then drag the mouse in the 3D viewport. In the header you will read the current factor then. Which tells you how close you are towards the sphere shape.

Last Operator To Sphere

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Shear

Shear shears the selection.

In Object mode this tools requires to have more than one object selected.

The shear tool works along a imaginary 2d plane. The shear axis controls if the items are sheared along the x or the y axes of this plane. This is the plane along which the transformation happens. You can shear along the x or the y axis of this plane.

To make things even more complicated, the orientation of this imaginary plane is defined by the Axis and Axis Ortho items below.

Last Operator Shear

Offset

Adjust an offset.

Axis

Defines one axis of the imaginary shear axis plane.

Axis Ortho

Defines the other axis of the imaginary shear axis plane.

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Bend

Bends the selection.

In Object mode this tools requires to have more than one object selected.

Push/Pull

It pushes or pulls the object positions relative to the center of the selection.

In Object mode this tool requires to have more than one object selected.

Last Operator Push/Pull

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Move Texture Space

This tool relies at the move tool. With the difference that it moves the texture space instead of the object. It has also a very special use case, and just works with a material with a Texture Coordinate / Generated node. And requires to have the shading at Material or Rendered to see a result in the viewport.

The yellow cage represents the texture space. The actual UV mapping does not change.

Last Operator Move

Move

Adjust in which directions you want to transform.

Orientation

Choose the orientation.

Mirror Editing

Enable mirror editing.

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Scale Texture Space

Scale Texture space is similar to the Move texture Space. With the only difference that it scales the UV space instead of moving it.

Last Operator Resize

Scale

Adjust in which directions you want to transform.

Orientation

Choose the orientation.

Mirror Editing

Enable mirror editing.

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Align to Transform Orientation

Align to Transform Orientation rotates the selected objects so that their local orientation matches the active transform orientation in the Transform orientation panel or the Orientation selection in the Transform Operator panels.

For example when you have a few cubes that are rotated differently, then perform align to transform orientation with Global coordinates, then the cubes rotations gets set back to 0/0/0

Last Operator Transform

Orientation

Choose the orientation in which the transform should happen.

Mirror Editing

Enable mirror editing.

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Randomize Transform

This tool allows to randomize position rotation and scale of selected objects. Each object gets threaten individually by a random value.

It starts with zeroed values. You need to adjust the values in the last operator.

Last Operator Randomize Transform

Align Objects

Align Objects allows you to align the selected objects in various ways. You need to adjust the settings in the Last operator panel. The align operation happens in world coordinates.

Last Operator Align Objects

High Quality

When ticked the calculation gets performed in a higher precision.

Align Mode

Align Mode is a drop-down box choose between different align modes.

Relative To

Relative to is a drop-down box. Here you adjust in what method the alignment happens.

Relative to the active object, to the center of selection, to the 3D cursor or to the scene origin.

Align

Turn on or off the single axis for the align operation.

Set Origin

Set origin sets the origin of the selected objects to a chosen location.

Origin to Center of Mass(Volume)

Sets the origin to the center of mass, calculating from the center of the Volume. It must be manifold geometry with consistent normals.

Last Operator Set Origin

The last operator is the same for all set origin methods.

Type

Choose the method again.

Center

Use the median center or the bounds center for calculation.

Mirror

Mirrors the selection.

Interactive Mirror

Mirrors the selection.

Usage:

Activate the tool. In the header you will now see further instructions. Which is: type in the axis at which you want to mirror. Interactive mirroring starts in Global space. You can change the orientation in the last operator.

X Y Z Global

Mirrors along the global axis.

X Y Z Local

Mirrors along the object axis.

Last Operator Mirror

Orientation

Choose the orientation in which the transform should happen.

Constraint Axis

Constraint the mirroring to the selected axis.

Clear

Clear

Clear Transform is a menu where you can clear the transform for location, rotation, scale and Origin. Clear means in this conjunction that the values gets reset.

When you have for example a cube at X 5, and clear the location, then the cube gets positioned at position X 0.

Location

Resets the location of the selected object(s).

Last Operator Clear Location

Clear Delta

With Clear Delta ticked it clears the delta transform instead of the transform.

Rotation

Resets the rotation of the selected object(s).

Last Operator Clear Rotation

Clear Delta

With Clear Delta ticked it clears the delta transform instead of the transform.

Scale

Resets the scaling of the selected object(s).

Last Operator Clear Scale

Clear Delta

With Clear Delta ticked it clears the delta transform instead of the transform.

Origin

Clear Origin requires to have a parent child relationship selected. It sets the child object to the position of the parent object.

Apply

Apply

Apply is a menu where you can apply transforms in various combinations. For example, when you create a cube, then move it to let's say 3, then apply the location, then the origin gets set to 0. The position is "applied". Of special Interest is apply scale, since it resets the scale factor to 1.

Location, Rotation, Scale, All Transforms and Rotation&Scale

This applies the location, rotation and scale of the object.

Last Operator Apply Object Transform

Location, Rotation, Scale and All Transforms to Deltas

Transforms are absolute to the world coordinates. Delta Transforms are relative to the current transformation.

The delta transform values can be found in the Object properties, in the Delta Transform Panel.

Example use case:

1. Key frame a object rotation from 0 to 90 degrees. Rotate the object by 45 degrees. When you play the animation it will still rotate from 0 to 90 degrees.
2. Now key frame a delta rotation from 0 to 90 degrees and rotate the object by 45 degrees. When you playback the animation it will rotate from 45 to 135 degrees now. (a 90 degree difference from the current state)

Last Operator Transforms to Deltas

Mode

Mode is a drop-down box choose the transform mode again.

Reset Values

Clears the transform values after transferring to Deltas.

Animated Transform to Deltas

Converts the “normal” transformation animations to Delta transforms. This tool requires to have key frames at the object.

Visual Transform

Applies (set) the result of a constraint, and applies this back to the Object’s location, rotation and scale.

Make Instances Real

Make Instances real makes any duplicates attached to this Object real so that they can be edited.

Last Operator Make Instances Real

Parent Inverse

Applies the objects parent inverse to its data.

Visual Geometry and Join

Converts evaluated visual geometry and instanced data from the modifier stack in the Properties Editor into editable scene objects and collections and joins them into one mesh.

Visual Geometry and Boolean

Converts evaluated visual geometry and instanced data from the modifier stack in the Properties Editor into editable scene objects and collections and joins them into one mesh with boolean union operators.

Visual Geometry and Remesh

Converts evaluated visual geometry and instanced data from the modifier stack in the Properties Editor into editable scene objects and collections and joins them with remesh settings into one mesh.

Last operator Apply Selected Objects

Snap

Selection to Cursor

Snaps the currently selected object(s) to the cursor location.

Selection to Cursor(Keep Offset)

Snaps the currently selected object(s) to the cursor location, but keeps the offset of the selected objects to each other. Means the center of the current selection goes to cursor position. Not every individual object.

Last operator Snap Selection to Cursor

From Duplicate ... to Paste

Duplicate Objects

Duplicates selected objects. The copy is completely independent. All containing data gets duplicated too. And you can edit the object instances completely independent. then.

You are automatically in grab mode, and so you can easily move the object out of position. Which is sometimes wanted, since you can position the duplicate then. But sometimes this is unwanted. A right click after releasing the mouse lets the object snap back into its creation position.

When you drag the duplicate around you will see the position values in the header.

Last Operator Duplicate

Orientation

Orientation is a drop-down box choose the type of orientation for the duplicate action.

Mirror Editing

Enable mirror editing.

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Duplicate Linked

Duplicates selected objects. The instance has its own transforms. But the duplicate shares some data with the first instance. This means when you for example edit the mesh of one of the instances, then the other instance gets modified too. As you can see this in the screenshot. Here you can also see that the mesh name is the same. The object name is different though.

If you want to make changes to an object in the new linked duplicate independently of the original object, then you will have to manually make the object a “single-user” . This can be done in the Object menu. Choose what attached data you want to make single user.

When you duplicate an object, then you are automatically in grab mode. And so you can easily move the object out of position. which is sometimes wanted, since you can position the duplicate then. But sometimes this is unwanted. A right click after releasing the mouse lets the object snap back into its creation position.

Duplicate linked instances the object data.

Explanation: Each Bforartists object type (mesh, lamp, curve, camera etc.) is composed from two parts: an* Object and Object Data (sometimes abbreviated to ObData*):Object** - Holds information about the position, rotation and size of a particular element.

Object Data - Holds everything else. For example. Meshes stores geometry, material lists, vertex groups, etc. . Cameras stores focal length, depth of field, sensor size, etc. .

Each object has a link to its associated object-data, and a single object-data, like a material, may be shared by many objects.

Last Operator Duplicate Linked

Orientation

Orientation is a drop-down box choose the type of orientation for the duplicate action.

Mirror Editing

Enable mirror editing.

Proportional editing

Enables proportional editing. Activating proportional editing reveals further settings.

Paste

Pastes copied object(s).

Last Operator Paste Objects

Asset

Asset related menu.

Library Override

Make

Add a local library override to this collection or selected object.

This tool works different from Add Override in the outliner. It iterates through the hierarchy of objects and collections based on the selection. And tries to override everything linked.

To work properly, it is important that all the collections needed by the character are children of the root object Both, linked and instantiated. Otherwise the automated overriding may fail.

Library Overrides is the new system designed to replace and supersede Proxies. Most types of linked data-blocks can be overridden, and the properties of those overrides can then be edited. When the library data change, unmodified properties of the override one will be updated accordingly.

You need to link a collection or object from another file for example to set the Make Library Override tool active.

Assets with a library override have the override icon in the outliner.

Relations

This sub menu contains relations related functionality.

Make Instance Face

Make Instance Face, formerly Make Dupli Face, is a relict from the past, when there was no instancing or parenting feature available in Blender. When you turn an object into a Dupli Face object, then this object becomes an instancing container for this object. All objects in this container just exists once in ram when you duplicate it. No matter how often you duplicate it. This allows to plant whole forests without to run into a memory problem. Since the tree object just loads once into ram. And gets just drawn at different screen positions then.

Usage:

Create an object. Make Instance Face. The name will be extended by a _dupli term.

Now in the outliner go into the hierarchy of the dupli object. And duplicate the Cube.001 object inside of it. This is the parent object that you can duplicate. You will see that the duplicated copies will now be connected by a dotted line with the parent object.

Make Local

You need to have a linked object for that. Make library linked data blocks local to this file. The link to the library object will be lost. And the object acts like you would have created it in the current scene.

There are four different methods available. With which you can also make the dependencies of the library object local. Materials for example.

Make Single User

Make linked data local to each object. Additionally, it can also make single-user copies of its dependencies, like meshes, curves, materials, animations…

Parent

The parent menu provides you with all parenting methods at object level.

To use parenting you first have to select the source object, hold down shift, then select the target object so that both are selected. This also works in the outliner (here you can also simply hold down shift and drag the source object at the target object to make it a child). The source object becomes the child object then.

The methods are object type dependent. The armature methods requires to have a mesh and an armature. The path methods a curve. The available methods for the current selection can also be found out by pressing the hotkey ctrl P. This calls the parenting menu with just the available methods.

Object (Keep Transform Without Inverse)

Set the object’s parenting without setting the inverse parent connections and applies all transform before the operation.

Armature parenting creates an armature modifier at the mesh object.

Curve Deform

Curve Deform allows you to deform a mesh by a curve shape. It adds a curve modifier at the mesh.

Usage:

• Create a curve. Bend it in edit mode to your needs.

• Create a mesh. I have for demonstration purposes created a cylinder with several subdivisions.

• Select the mesh, hold down shift, select the curve.

• Choose curve deform.

To demonstrate the only pitfall, by parenting, the center of the object goes to the start point of the curve. So you better put the origin at the bottom of the cylinder before parenting.

Follow Path

Attaches an object to a curve. The curve then gets used to animate the object position. Every vertice of the curve is one key frame.

Create a curve, create an object, hold down shift and select the curve, make parent ...

Take care of the position and rotation of the object before parenting it to the curve. It influences how the object behaves.

There is a constraint with the same name and functionality. But parenting with follow path will not create such a constraint.

Path Constraint

Path constraint adds a AutoPath constraint at the mesh object, which is most probably a wrong labeled path constraint. It is not documented by the Blender developers.

Create a curve, create an object, hold down shift and select the curve, make parent ...

Take care of the position and rotation of the object before parenting it to the curve. It influences how the object behaves.

Lattice Deform

Parents a lattice object to the object.

You need a lattice object and a mesh object. Lattice deformations just works with mesh objects.

Create a lattice, create an object, hold down shift and select the lattice, make parent ...

Parent the mesh object to the lattice object with method Lattice Deform. A Lattice Deform constraint will be added at the mesh object.

Take care of the position and size of the lattice object. It influences how the deformation works.

Enter Edit Mode with the lattice object. Deform it. The mesh object will follow the deformation.

Vertex

Vertex parents the current object to a vertex of the target object. The vertex will be chosen automatically, it's the

closest vertice of the parent object. When you want to assign the object to a specific vertice, then you have to do

The vertex parenting in Edit mode. You need to have an object type that has vertices. Mesh or curve.

Create a mesh or curve object, create an object, hold down shift and select the mesh object, make parent ...

Vertex (Triangle)

Vertex (Triangle) parents the current object to a face of the target object. The face will be chosen automatically.

It's the closest face of the parent object. When you want to assign the object to a specific face, then you have to

Do the vertex parenting in Edit mode. You need to have an object type that has vertices. Mesh or curve.

Create a mesh or curve object, create an object, hold down shift and select the mesh object, make parent ...

Last Operator Make Parent

Type

Choose the make parent method again. This last operator counts for most of the parent actions.

Keep Transform

Apply transform before parenting.

Clear Parent

Clear Parent clears the parent relation completely, including involved modifiers.

Clear and Keep Transformation

Clear Parent clears the parent relation completely, including involved modifiers.

But keeps the current visual transformation.

Clear Parent Inverse

Clear Parent Inverse resets the transform corrections applied to the parenting relationship. It does not remove

the parenting itself.

Last Operator Clear Parent

Type

Change the type of clearing.

Constraints

The constraints menu contains some functionality that could also be done in the constraints tab in the Properties editor. Those buttons provides a quicker access though.

Constraints provides you with various limitation methods connected to a target object. For example, you can limit the X position of an object to the X position of the target object. And when you move the target object, then the object will change its X position too.

Add Constraints ( With Targets)

Add Constraints ( With Targets) calls a menu choose the constraints type. It's the same content than in the Constraints tab in the Properties editor.

We will not explain every single constraint type here. Please have a look at the constraint types in the manual part for the Properties editor.

Usage:

Select the target object. Hold down Shift key. Now select the object where you want to add the constraints to. Both should be selected. Then choose the constraints type in the menu that you want to add.

As a result a constraints panel gets created in the Constraints tab in the Properties editor. Tweak the settings further if required. In our example we wanted to limit the X axis. So we added a Copy Location constraint, and unticked Y and Z axis. And when we move the cube around then the sphere will follow in X axis. But not in Y and Z.

In the 3D view a dotted line indicates the relationship.

Last Operator Add Constraints (with Target)

Type

Type is a drop-down box choose the constraints type again.

Track

Track constraints are constraints. And adding them could also be done in the constraints tab in the Properties editor. Those buttons provides a quicker access though.

Damped Track Constraint

The Damped Track constraint constrains one local axis of the owner to always point towards Target. It is a Look At constraint.

Usage: select the source object, hold down shift, select the target object, add Damped Track Constraint.

The wrong constraint name called AutoTrack is a Blender bug.

Track to Constraint

This constraint is similar to Damped Track constraints, but provides some more control.

Usage: select the source object, hold down shift, select the target object, add Damped Track Constraint. Constraint will be added at source object.

The wrong constraint name called AutoTrack is a Blender bug.

Lock Track Constraint

The Locked Track constraint is basically a Track To constraint. But with a locked axis. Means an axis that cannot rotate. So the constraint can just follow in one defined axis.

The wrong constraint name called AutoTrack is a Blender bug.

Usage: select the source object, hold down shift, select the target object, add Track Constraint. Constraint will be added at source object.

Clear Track

You need to have a Track constraint applied. It removes the track constraint.

Clear Track - Keep Transformation

This menu item is just relevant when you have a Track constraint applied. Removes the track constraint. But keeps the current position.

Last Operator Clear track

Type

Type is a drop-down box choose between Clear Track and Clear Track Keep Transformation.

Link / Transfer Data

Links objects between scenes or data of the active object to all selected objects. In some case (i.e. Object Data, Modifier) the target objects must be of the same type than the active one or capable of receiving the data. If targets already have some data linked to them, it will be unlinked first.

Link Objects to Scene

In Bforartists you can have more than one scene in the blend file. See Scenes tab. The make links menu allows you to link or copy objects between those scenes.

Object to Scene makes the selected object available in the chosen scene. This makes the object exist in two different scenes at once, including position and animation data.

When you want the object not to be shared across two scenes anymore, then you have to make it single user again, which can be done in the relations menu.

From Link Object Data to Copy Grease Pencil Effects

Link items links the specific data blocks between selected objects.

Copy Modifiers and Copy Grease Pencil Effects transfers over the modifiers or grease pencil effects.

Select the source object, hold down shift, select the target objects. Perform the action.

Last Operator Link / Tranfer Data

Type

Choose the data type again that you want to transfer or copy

Copy UV Maps

Copies the UV map from one object to another. If the selected object doesn’t have any UV maps, then it is created. The Objects must be of type mesh and must have a matching topology.

Select the source object, hold down shift, select the target object. Perform Transfer UV Map.

Transfer Mesh Data

Transfers mesh data from active to selected object.

Select the object that you want to copy the data to, hold down shift, select the source object with the modifications at it. Choose Transfer Mesh Data. A popup with the available methods will appear. Choose what you want to do.

The caveat here is that the operator works in object mode. When you switch modes then the operator quits. And so you can't check if the UV seam transfer for example arrives as it should. This means that you sometimes end in trial and error with the last operator setting until you have your desired result.

Last Operator Transfer Mesh Data

The last operator changes its content, dependant of the data type.

Freeze Operator

Prevent changes to settings to re-run the operator. This is useful if you are editing several settings at once with heavy geometry.

Data Type

The popup from above. Choose again what you want to do.

Data type Vertrex Data, Vertex Group(s)

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Vertex Mapping

Edge mapping determines how edge data gets transferred.

Source Layer

Which layers to transfer.

Destination Layer

How to match source and destination layer.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Bevel Weight

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Vertex Mapping

Edge mapping determines how edge data gets transferred.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Vertex Data, Colors

Only Neighbour Geometry

Source elements must be closer than the max distance.

Ray Radius

Width of rays.

Source Layer

Which layers to transfer.

Destination Layer

How to match source and destination layer.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Edge data ( Sharp, UV Seam, Subdivision Crease, Bevel Weight, Freestyle Mark)

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Edge Mapping

The method used to map source edges to destination edges.

Only Neighbour Geometry

Source elements must be closer than the max distance.

Ray Radius

Width of rays.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Face Corner Data, Custom Normals

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Face corner mapping

The method used to map source face’s corners to destination corners.

Only Neighbour Geometry

Source elements must be closer than the max distance.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Face Corner Data, Colors

Only Neighbour Geometry

Source elements must be closer than the max distance.

Source Layer

Which layers to transfer.

Destination Layer

How to match source and destination layer.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Face Corner Data, UV

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Face corner mapping

The method used to map source face’s corners to destination corners.

Face mapping

Method used to map source faces to destination faces.

Only Neighbour Geometry

Source elements must be closer than the max distance.

Source Layer

Which layers to transfer.

Destination Layer

How to match source and destination layer.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Data type Face Data , (Smooth, Freestyle Mark)

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Face mapping

Method used to map source faces to destination faces.

Only Neighbour Geometry

Source elements must be closer than the max distance.

Ray Radius

Width of rays.

Mix Mode

How to mix source data with destination data.

Mix Factor

Mix factor to apply data to destination mesh.

Transfer Mesh Data Layout

Transfers the layout of data layer(s) from active to selected meshes.

Select the object that you want to copy the data to, hold down shift, select the source object with the modifications at it. Choose Transfer Mesh Data Layout. A popup with the available methods will appear. Choose what you want to do.

The menu has basically the same menu items like Transfer Mesh Data. The difference is in what you can do in the last operator. It transfers the whole data layer.

Last Operator Transfer Mesh Data Layout

Source Layers Selection

Which layers to transfer, in case of multi-layer types.

Destination Layers Matching

How to match source and destination layers.

Link Receivers to Emitter sub menu

This feature is connected to the light linking in the properties editor. Emitter is the light, receiver is the object that receives the light then.

It allows you to turn off or on to receive lights from a specific light.

Workflow:

Select a light.

In the properties editor create a light linking group.

Then from the outliner, drag in the objects that you want to link to the light.

These objects are now the receivers. Select one.

The toggles behind the objects in the group is what you can control with include and exlcude from the object menu. Include is on, exclude is off.

Link Blockers to Emitter sub menu

This feature is connected to the light linking in the properties editor. Emitter is the light, receiver is the object that receives the light then.

Workflow:

Select a light.

In the properties editor create a Shadow linking group.

Then from the outliner, drag in the objects that you want to link to the light.

These objects are now the Blockers.

Collection

Move to Collection

Moves the selected object to a collection. The object is removed from the collection it was in. And moved to the target collection.

By clicking at this menu item a popup will appear to choose the new collection. Allows also to create a new collection. Once done, the object will be moved to this new created collection.

Last Operator Move to Collection

Name

Set a name for your new collection. When you haven't created a new collection, then this name stays blank.

Link to Collection

Links the object to a collection. The object remains in the collection it was in.

By clicking at this menu item a popup will appear to choose the collection. Here you can also create a new collection. Once done, the object will be linked to this new created collection.

Last Operator Link to Collection

Name

Set a name for your new collection. When you haven't created a new collection, then this name stays blank.

Shade Smooth, Shade Smooth and Shade Flat

Shade Smooth

Shows with a mesh object. Sets the shading for the object to smooth. Smooth means that the sharp edges are no longer seen.

Shade Auto Smooth

Sets the shading for the object to smooth with Autosmooth activated. Autosmooth means that sharp edges above an angle threshold will have sharp faceted faces, meanwhile angles under the threshold will be smooth.

Last Operator Shade Smooth by angle

Auto Smooth

Creates a auto smooth modifier for auto smoothing in the modifier stack. Where you can adjust the settings at any further step. Else it applies the current auto smooth to the mesh normals.

Angle

Maximum angle between face normals that will be considered as smooth.

Shade Flat

Sets the shading for the object to flat. Flat means that every face of the object shows faceted, with a sharp edge.

Animation

Insert Keyframe

Inserts a key frame.

When your object does have a active keying set, then a click at the button inserts the key frame directly. When a keying set is missing then you will see a Insert Key frame menu choose the keying method.

Insert Keyframe with keying set

Calls the insert keyframe menu.

The keying set defines what kind of key frames gets recorded. When you start with an animation, and your object does not have a keying set yet, then you will be prompted with a menu choose the proper keying set. The Insert Key frame menu.

Note that this just adds a keying set to the current key frame. And not to the whole object. That's why the keying set menu down right stays empty when you add a key frame this way. And the insert keyframe menu also misses the Whole Character keying set.

Delete Key frame

Removes the current active key frame for the selected object. You will get a confirmation dialogue.

Clear Key frames

Clears all animation, and removes all key frames for the selected object.

Change Keying set

Calls the set active keying set menu in which you can change the active keying set.

Bake Action

Bake Action bakes the object animation to a new action. Bake action calls a panel adjust the settings for the new action.

The upcoming panel has the same settings than the last operator panel.

Last Operator Bake Action

Bake Mesh to Grease Pencil

Bakes mesh animation to grease pencil strokes.

Bake Mesh Animation to Grease Pencil

When you use the Bake Mesh to Grease Pencil tool then a menu pops up with further settings.

Last Operator Bake Mesh Animation to Grease Pencil

In the last operator you can again adjust the settings. It is the same settings than in the settings dialog. So we won't cover it again.

Bake Object Transform to Grease Pencil

Bakes grease pencil object transforms into single grease pencil keyframes. You need to have a keyframe animation recorded already. The result can then be found in the dopesheet editor in grease pencil mode.

When you perform this tool then an option panel will open up.

Bake Transform to Grease Pencil panel

Last Operator Bake Transform to Grease Pencil panel

The last operator contains the same settings than the settings panel.

Replace Action

Swap all users of one action to another one. The normal action slot assignment rules apply. This ignores the NLA and Action Constraints

Replace Action New

Swap all users of one action to a new action. This ignores the NLA and Action Constraints

Rigid Body

Rigid Bodies belongs to physics. And can be added and modified in the physics tab in the Properties editor. This menu items here is just a quick way to add and modify the most basic things from within the 3D view.

The greyed out menu items becomes active when a rigid body is at the object.

Add Active

Add Active adds a rigid body to the selected object. The type of this rigid body is active. This is useful for any

actively moving object. Characters, bullets, etc.

Add Passive

Add Active adds a rigid body to the selected object. The type of this rigid body is passive. This is useful for any static object, like ground for example.

Last Operator Add Rigid bodies

The rigid body type is a drop-down box choose if the type of the rigid body is active or passive.

Remove

Remove simply removes the rigid body from the current object.

Change shape

Change Shape opens a pop-up menu change the shape of your rigid body.

Last Operator Change Collision shape

Rigid Body Shape is a pop-up menu change the shape of your rigid body again.

Calculate Mass

Calculate Mass does NOT calculate the mass. But gives you a long pop-up menu list choose between different predefined mass set-ups. The corresponding value will then be set in the physics settings in the Rigid Body settings.

Last Operator Calculate Mass

Quick Effects

The quick effects menu contains some predefined basic Particle effects. They can be tweaked further in the Properties editor then.

You need to have a mesh object selected.

Quick Fur

Adds a particle system with Fur settings.

Adust last operator Quick Fur

Density

You can choose between low, medium and high.

Quick Explode

Adds a particle system that lets the selected object explode into pieces.

Hit play to play the animation.

Adust last operator Quick Explode

Explode Style

Explode

Explodes the current object.

Blend

Blends into another object. You need to have two objects selected.

Quick Smoke

Adds a particle system with a simple smoke.

Hit play to play the animation.

Adust last operator Quick Smoke

Smoke Style

The smoke style. Just the smoke, just fire, or both.

Render Smoke Objects

Render the parent geometry

Quick Liquid

Adds a particle system with liquid settings. Note that the viewport rendering jumps to wireframe so that you can see the geometry.

Hit play to play the animation.

Adust last operator Quick Liquid

Render Liquid Objects

Render the parent geometry.

Subdivide

Subdivide is a menu where you can quickly set the subdivision level of the selection. What it does is to add a SDS modifier in the Properties Editor if required. And set the SDS level to the needed value. Crtrl 0 sets SDS to level 0. Ctrl 1 sets SDS level to 1 , and so on.

SDS happens at Object mode level. Even when you apply it in the Edit Mode! And it happens at the whole object.

Last Operator Subdivision Set

Convert to

Convert to is a menu to convert object types to other object types. Not every object type can be converted to every object type though. A mesh cannot be converted to a grease pencil for example.

Note that different objects shows different content.

General

Mesh

Converts a selected object to a Mesh Object.

Image object

Hair curve

Particle System

Convert a curves hair object to a particle system.

Last Operator Convert to

Target

Target is a drop-down box that allows you to choose the convert method again.

Target Point Cloud, Mesh, Curve

Keep Original

With this option ticked the original object gets kept. And a new object gets created.

Merge UV’s

Merge UV coordinates that share a vertex to account for imprecision in some modifiers.

Show/Hide

Sub-menu with shows or hide selection, unselected or hidden operators.

Show Hidden

Makes all geometry in the scene visible again.

Hide Selected

Hides the selected geometry.

Last Operator Hide Selected

Select

Select revealed objects.

Clean Up

Sub-Menu with clean up operators to help do some house keeping when it comes to vertex groups, weights and material slots.

Clean Vertex Groups

Remove vertex assignments that are not required. This will delete any zero influence vertex groups.