[Blender] Summary of how to install / update / uninstall add-ons

Blender is a powerful 3DCG production software by itself, but by introducing add-ons (extensions, also called plug-ins), you can add functions that are not in Blender or make Blender easier to handle. .. However, when I searched for "Blender add-on" on Twitter, Google, etc., it seems that many people do not know how to install the add-on, so I decided to summarize it here. If you have been having trouble installing add-ons, we hope that this article will lower the threshold for introducing add-ons.

We will also show you how to update and uninstall add-ons that have already been installed, so please refer to this as well.

What you need to know before commentary

Before the explanation, I will explain what you should remember before reading the following explanations. It's a way to determine if an add-on consists of multiple source codes, but be sure to read it as problems with installing Blender add-ons are often caused by not understanding this. stay here.

How to determine if an add-on consists of multiple source codes

Whether or not an add-on consists of multiple source codes can basically be determined by whether or not it contains a file called __init__.py. As an example, I will introduce the add-on that I actually created.

Example 1: Add-on consisting of multiple source codes

The source code body of the following add-ons is everything under the uv_magic_uv directory.

.Among multiple files with the extension py,__init__.There is a file called py.



https://github.com/nutti/Magic-UV/archive/develop.zip

### Example 2: Add-on consisting of a single source code

 The source code body of the following add-ons is only ``` mouse_click_merge.py```.

#### **`__init__.The file py does not exist.`**
```The file py does not exist.


https://github.com/nutti/Mouse-Click-Merge/archive/master.zip

 Thus, to determine if an add-on is composed of multiple source codes or a single source code, whether the add-on contains the source code ``` __init__.py```. You just have to remember that you can check with.

# Installation

## Method 1: Use Blender's installation function

 How to install the add-on from the Blender Preferences window.
 This is the standard way to install add-ons, but ** there is a fatal problem that add-ons consisting of multiple source codes cannot be installed this way **.
 If you want to install an add-on that consists of multiple source codes, you need to install the add-on as described in Method 2.

 The installation method of the add-on using the installation function of Blender is as follows.

 1. Execute "File> User Settings" in the information area ("Blender User Settings" window opens)
 ![1.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/10701aa6-6112-fcf1-f4eb-464099b6676b.png)
 2. Click the tab "Add-ons"
 ![2.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/85421ec4-6a65-66f6-9226-ac8648aec70f.png)
 3. Click the "Install from file" button
 ![3.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/433795a6-c540-bc04-01e1-fb854a5d1631.png)
 4. Select the source code of the add-on to be installed on the file selection screen and click the "Install from file" button.
 ![4.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/83b7db1e-2445-3c74-5450-9d9930ef0e1b.png)
 5. Installation complete
 ![5.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/0aa93326-421a-800d-439e-bb1070b7f9e8.png)


### Supplement

 Even if the add-on consists of multiple source codes, if the directory where ``` __init__.py``` is located is compressed in zip format and exists as one file, it can be installed by this method. Is possible.


## Method 2: Place the add-on source code directly in the add-on directory

 This is a method to place the add-on source code directly in the directory where the add-on is located.
 ** It can handle both when the add-on is composed of a single source code and when it is composed of multiple source codes **.

 The procedure is as follows.


 1. Place the source code or a set of directories containing the source code including ``` __ init__.py``` in the add-on directory.
 * Add-on (Windows) consisting of a single source code
 ![10.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/9657774c-05f8-d0ae-201a-5a4dd64f6870.png)
 * Add-on (Windows) consisting of multiple source codes
 ![11.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/ba458ef3-2d4a-8345-658e-a45791b0f6a6.png)
 2. Make Blender recognize the add-on placed in the add-on directory by one of the following methods.
 * Restart Blender
 * Click the "Update" button on the "Add-ons" tab of the "Blender Customization" window of Method 1.
 ![12.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/7b89c048-0cb8-b0ac-b469-91860528a10c.png)

 I wrote it as an add-on directory here, but the add-on directory differs depending on the OS and Blender version.
 The add-on directory for each OS is shown below.

 |OS|Add-on directory|
 |---|---|
 |Windows|```C:\Users\<User name>\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\<Blender version>\scripts\addons```|
 |Mac|```/Users/<User name>/Library/Application Support/Blender/<Blender version>/scripts/addons```|
 |Linux|```/home/<User name>/.config/blender/<Blender version>/scripts/addons```|


# update

## Method 1: Use Blender's installation feature

 You can update the add-on in the same way as install-on installation method 1.
 Select the source code of the add-on you want to update on the file selection screen to complete the update.
 As mentioned in the installation section, ** add-ons consisting of multiple source codes cannot be updated this way **. (*)

 (*) Similar to installation, even if the add-on consists of multiple source codes, if the directory where ``` __init__.py``` is located is compressed in zip format and exists as one file. Can be installed by this method.

## Method 2: Place the add-on source code directly in the add-on directory and restart Blender

 By placing the add-on source code directly in the directory where the add-on is located, ** it can handle both cases where the add-on is composed of a single source code and cases where it is composed of multiple source codes. Masu **.

 1. Place the source code in the add-on directory
 * If the add-on consists of multiple source codes, place a set of directories containing `` `__ init__.py```
 2. Restart Blender and make Blender recognize the add-on placed in the add-on directory.

 Please note that if you click the "Update" button on the "Add-ons" tab of the "Blender User Preferences Window", Blender will not be able to recognize that the add-on source code has been updated.

## Method 3: Use Blender's function "Reload Scripts"

 Method 2 requires you to restart Blender every time you update an add-on that consists of multiple source codes.
 The Blender function ** "Reload Scripts" ** introduced here solves the trouble of restarting.
 By using the "Reload Scripts" function, you can update add-ons without restarting Blender.
 The following shows how to update the add-on using the "Reload Scripts" function.

 1. Place the source code in the add-on directory as in 1. of Method 2.
 2. Press the "Space" key to display the search box
 3. Search and execute "Reload Scripts" ("Reload Scripts" in Japanese)
 ![6.png](https://qiita-image-store.s3.amazonaws.com/0/38888/50a5efbb-403c-fcb9-50b0-c6927f911724.png)


 By default, the "Reload Scripts" function is assigned the "F8" shortcut key.
 The Reload Scripts feature is a very useful feature for add-on developers who update their add-ons frequently, so it might be worth remembering.

### Supplement

 Depending on the add-on, it may not be updated correctly even if you use the "Reload Scripts" function.
 This is a problem caused by not loading the submodule imported by ``` __init__.py``` even when using the" Reload Scripts "feature.
 If you want to load the submodule when using the "Reload Scripts" function, you need to add the module reloading process as follows.


#### **`reload_submodule.py`**
```python

if "bpy" in locals():
    import imp
    imp.reload(submod1)
    imp.reload(submod2)
else:
    from . import submod1
    from . import submod2

(Reference: [Blender] Split Blender script into multiple files)

Uninstall

Method 1: Use Blender's uninstall function

How to remove an add-on from the Blender Preferences window. This is the standard way to uninstall an add-on, but ** add-ons that are included in the add-on itself from the beginning (add-ons whose support level is Release or Contrib) cannot be removed **.

Here's how to remove an add-on from the Blender Preferences window.

  1. Execute "File> User Settings" in the information area ("Blender User Settings" window opens)
  2. Click the tab "Add-ons"
  3. Click the arrow to the left of the add-on you want to uninstall to see detailed information about the add-on 7.png
  4. Click the "Delete" button 8.png

Note that this method allows you to uninstall the add-on ** regardless of whether the source code consists of multiple files.

Method 2: Remove the add-on source code from the add-on directory

This is a method to remove the add-on source code from the add-on directory and uninstall it. Follow the steps below to remove the source code of the add-on you want to uninstall directly from the directory where the add-on is located.

  1. Execute "File> User Settings" in the information area ("Blender User Settings" window opens)
  2. Click the tab "Add-ons"
  3. Click the arrow to the left of the add-on you want to uninstall to see detailed information about the add-on
  4. Delete the source code of the file path shown in "File"

With this method, you can also delete ** add-ons that are included in the add-on itself from the beginning **, which could not be deleted by method 1.

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