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User Interface

Main Window

Main Window is a face of Blender Launcher where all main features can be accessed.

The top horizontal menu bar contains following buttons from left to right:

  1. Settings Menu
  2. Documentation
  3. Minimize to taskbar
  4. Minimize to tray

Main Window layout consists of three main tabs with corresponding pages:

  • Library - list of local builds ready to use
    • Stable
    • Daily
    • Experimental
  • Downloads - list of available official builds
    • Stable
    • Daily
    • Experimental
  • User - list of favorite and custom builds defined by user
    • Favorites
    • Custom

Tip

Use Scroll Wheel while hovering tabs to quickly switch between them.

Note

By default Library and Downloads pages will be automatically matched between each over. To change this behavior toggle Sync Library & Downloads Pages checkbox in settings.

The bottom status bar shows following information from left to right:

  1. Status of application
  2. Blender Launcher version number

Library Tab

Screenshots

Library Tab, Daily Page

Library tab is a place where all local builds are shown based on category. Each category contains a list of items which represents a build information. Library build item shows following information from left to right:

  1. Launch button

    Note

    Play icon on the right side of button indicates that build set to quick launch.

  2. Version number including subversion or phase (Alpha, Beta)

  3. Branch name

  4. Date and time of build commit target

    Note

    Take in mind that builder.blender.org shows when build was uploaded to server.

    Tip

    Left Button click on date and time label will show hash number and vice versa.

  5. Number of running instances / new build indicator

Tip

2x Left Button click on library build item will automatically launch build.

Library Build Context Menu

Screenshots

Library Build Context Menu

Build context menu can be accessed via right click on build item.

Open previous file

Open the last closed file

Add To Quick Launch

Sets selected build to be accessed from tray icon context menu.

Add To Favorites

Add selected build to Favorites page of User tab.

Debug

Multiple option to investigate and debug the program

Register Extension [Windows only]

Silently register blend-file extension (show thumbnails in file explorer and use selected build as default to open *.blend files).

Known Issues

Registering may fail if *.blend files not already associated with Blender or associated with different unrelated application.

Create Shortcut

Create shortcut for selected build on desktop.
Create symbolic link for selected build pointing to %Library Folder%/blender_symlink.

Install Template

Install template for selected build (check template for more details).

Show Release Notes [Stable and LTS builds only]

Reveal page with release notes for the selected build in a web browser.

Show Folder

Reveal the folder containing the selected build in the system file explorer.

Edit Build

Edit the build info used to display the installed build.

Delete From Drive

Delete the selected build from the drive and remove it from the Blender Launcher.

Downloads Tab

Screenshots

Downloads Tab, Experimental Page

Downloads tab is a place where all available official builds are shown based on category. Each category contains a list of items which represents a build information. Downloadable build item shows following information from left to right:

  1. Download button
  2. Version number including subversion or phase (Alpha, Beta)
  3. Branch name

  4. Upload date and time of build to server

    Tip

    Left Button click on date and time label will show hash number and vice versa.

  5. New build indicator

Tip

2x Left Button click on downloadable build item will automatically start downloading.

Download Build Context Menu

Build context menu can be accessed via right click on build item.

Show Release Notes [Stable and LTS builds only]

Reveal page with release notes for selected build in web browser.

User Tab

User tab is a place where favorite and custom builds can be defined.

Favorites Page

Screenshots

User Tab, Favorites Page

Favorites page contains builds added from Library tab using context menu Add To Favorites action. It has the same context menu as Library tab build item except possibility to rename branch title:

Rename Branch

Rename branch title (Enter to submit new title, Esc to reject editing).

Custom Page

Screenshots

User Tab, Custom Page

Custom page contains builds that placed under custom directory of library folder. It acts the same way as the Library tab build item. After adding new builds inside the custom folder make sure to press the Reload button in the top left corner to force Blender Launcher to read it from the disk and show in the list.