19

Using Add-Ons

Introduction

Add-ons are additional Blender functions which you activate when required. Blender comes with

a variety of Add-ons hidden away in the User Preferences Editor and there are literally

hundreds available for download from the Internet. Add-ons are pieces of computer code written

in the Python programming language (Python Scripts).

The Blender website contains a link to the scripts repository where a great number can be found,

however, since the Grease Pencil is a relatively new development, Add-ons specific to the

Grease Pencil are limited.

When you download an Add-on (Python Script), you have to install it into Blender, then before

you can use it, you have to activate the script. The best way to demonstrate this process is to

work through an example.

One such script is named Blender_PLANEX. Using this script as an example will show you how

to download the compressed (.zip) file and install the script into Blender. This is an exercise in

manipulating files to add functionality to Blender.

Before conducting the exercise it is advisable to know where you will find the script to activate it.

Add-ons are housed in the Preferences Editor which is accesed from

the Edit Button in the Blender Screen Header (Figure 19.1).

Clicking Edit – Preferences opens the Blender Preferences Editor.

Figure 19.1

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