Location of Blender Addons in Windows

[JCPalmer]

I am beginning documentation changes for Blender.  One of them is the new code base will not write over prior versions of the exporter.  Was going to add a brief section for the inevitable form question: "How do I un-install the old version".  The answer is based on your OS.  I only have Linux & OSX.  Can someone with windows report the directory addons get installed.

Noticed you can now specify markdown in code segments.  Here is an early draft of the changes to see how it comes out.

##New in 5.0##
- Now distributed as a .ZIP file.  This format allows the addon to be multiple files / directories, as well as enables other types of files to be included (even .BLEND files).
- Meshes can now be directed to ignore that they have a skeleton for export purposes.
- Base classes for meshes may have `postConstruction()` method.  This is so you can automatically run code as part of the construction process which depends on the geometry already existing.  This cannot be located in the constructor of the base class, since this must be run as the first line of the sub-class.
- Certain things will now prohibit the generation of an export file, in order to reduce reports of known problems / un-necessary support:
    - Minumim Blender version checking.  Current minimum is 2.76.
    - Meshes with un-applied rotation or scale which also have skeletons.
- Leading 0's from numbers have been removed.  This can reduce a source file up to 10%, given that exports are mostly floating point numbers and types like normals, matrix weights, UV, & shape keys values are all less than 1 (or -1).  JSON does not allow this (pussies), so this only applies to .JS format.
- The `This Layer Only` checkbox on the Light data properites tab is now used.  When checked, the `includedOnlyMeshesIds` property of the light is now exported with the values of those meshes that are also on the same layer as the light.
- Maximum Simultaneous Lights property has been added to the mesh data properties tab.  This is applied to all materials of the mesh.
- There are few changes for Shape Key Groups:
    - A group, identified by as text prior to a '-' in the key name, no longer contains a basis key.  This is derived on load using the `positions` of the mesh it is part of.  This reduces file size.
    - There are 2 operators (buttons), `Archive Shapekeys` and `Restore Shapekeys`, on the Mesh data properties tab.  These facilitate the transfer of shape keys between different .BLEND files by writing / reading a `.TOB` file of the shapekeys of all selected meshes.  This is very useful for deriving shapekeys using a specific skeleton, then using them in a different version of the mesh & skeleton.
    - There are 2 operators (buttons), `Pose lib to Shape keys` & `Pose to Shape Key`, on the Armature data properties tab.
- In support of Skeleton pose interpolation in `Queued Interpolation` extension:
    - There is an operator (button), `Export`, on the Armature data properties tab.  This makes a separate .JS export file of all the poses of the Blender Pose Libraries in the .BLEND, represented as a `QI.SkeletonPoseLibrary`.
    - If you do not specify a base class for a mesh, it will assign the class `QI.Mesh` when it has either shape keys or an armature.

##Fixed in 5.0##
- Cycles exports now works for Blender 2.77.  There was a syntax change for 2.77.  The exporter detects the version of Blender and makes API calls appropriately.
- When there are multiple meshes with actions in a .BLEND, it is not possible to determine which meshes participate in which actions.  When there is an action which is only done by one Mesh, place the mesh name then a '-' in the name of the action to isolate it.

 

[gryff]

1 hour ago, JCPalmer said:

"How do I un-install the old version".

@JCPalmer: it will depend on how you installed the add on Jeff.

1. Using the "Preferences" panel (see image below) To delete an old version uncheck the box and hit remove button, To then install a new version, hit the "Install from File" button and navigate to where the file is.

This method does not place the file with all the addons that came with Blender. To find it,  Drive C and search for "Blender Foundation" (without "s). Then drill down to "addons" - you will find your new addon.

2. Manual install. Go to your Blender installation directory and again drill down to "addons" directory  then manually copy/paste the exporter into that directory. I don't use this method - but I believe it may have to be removed manually too.

This is for Windows XP -> 7. No idea what happens in Windows 10 as I have not installed Blender on my laptop. (And you are on your own with Windows 8 )

cheers, gryff

 

[JCPalmer]

@gryff, thanks.  Should have looked there.  If there is a button for something, you can be sure it will exist on all platforms.

Looking at the first draft a few days later, it definitely needs a 2nd round of work.  Markdown implementation is disappointing though.  No header fonts (using ## stuff ##).  Worse no wrapping, except on Safari.

Your picture reminded me that another change was the Exporters now have their own category, like MakeHuman.  Should make it easer to delete the version (the one in Import-Export) when ready.

[V!nc3r]

I'm on windows 10, it seems that default addons are on C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.77\scripts\addons

and user addons are on C:\Users\AccountName\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.77\scripts\addons

There is a remove button too for user addon in the Blender User Preferences.