Bool Tool

Changelog

Bool Tool v2.0 comes with updates exclusively to Carve tools. Everything mentioned below refers to those tools.

Added

• Surface Alignment - cutters can be drawn on mesh surfaces.
• Manual depth option - control the extrusion of the cutter during the modal.
• 3D Cursor & Grid alignment.
• Advanced settings for surface alignment in the "Shape" dropdown menu.
• The display type of the cutter can be changed on the tool level in the "Cutter" dropdown menu.
• Bevel Profile property in tool settings.
• Property for choosing the cutter's origin point in the "Cutter" dropdown menu.

Changed

• Bevel & Array are now non-destructive (added on the cutter as modifiers). Found in the new "Effects" dropdown menu.
• All three tools are now non-destructive by default.
• Improved behavior of setting rotation, bevel, and array gap during modal.
• Circle Carve tool now creates perfect circles by default (fixed aspect and center origin).
• More accurate auto depth and 3D cursor depth.
• "Auto Smooth" is no longer destructive and adds a "Smooth by Angle" modifier on the cutter.
• Destructive mode applies modifiers based on the "Apply Order" add-on preference.
• Created cutters keep their rotation unapplied.
• Improved tool settings UI in Properties editor and 3D Viewport's sidebar.
• Status bar displays icons instead of just text.
• Having objects selected is now required for the tool to initialize.

Removed

• Snapping to grid with Ctrl was removed. It will be replaced with more complex snapping options in future versions.
• The "Closed Polygon" option for the Polyline tool is removed. It's always closed now.
• Array rows and columns use the same "Gap" property now, instead of separate ones.
• "Direction" properties for array rows and columns removed. It's automatically set now.

Known Issues

• Array columns and rows might go in the wrong direction. Try drawing the shape from a different direction if that happens.
• Rotation changes the cutter position if the Circle Carve tool uses "Edge" origin.
• If "Fade Inactive Geometry" is enabled in edit mode, the cutter overlay is much darker red.

See full release notes at https://github.com/nickberckley/bool_tool/discussions/57
Check out Blockout too for more cool features

Changelog

• Blender 5.0 support.
• New add-on preference "Faster Destructive Booleans": 30-50% faster, but doesn't support material transfer.
• Performing a destructive Boolean with multiple cutters at the same time is more optimized.
• New confirmation window for applying modifiers on objects with shape keys (wasn't allowed before).
• "Pin Boolean Modifiers" and "Apply Order" preferences now affect slice objects as well.
• Improved poll messages for disabled operators.
• 5 bug fixes.

Changelog

Update for Blender 4.5 LTS

• Option for Manifold solver for Boolean operators (in add-on preferences), and Carver tools
• Curves that have evaluated mesh from geometry nodes modifiers can be used as cutters (they're converted to mesh)

This version doesn't support older Blender versions, as it uses the new API introduced in 4.5 LTS. From now on, main add-on development will not be compatible with 4.4, 4.3, and older versions. However, 4.2 LTS will still receive maintenance as long as it's supported by Blender and will receive critical bug fixes if they arise.

Changelog

• Blender 4.4 support.
• Instanced object handling: When applying modifiers on objects with instanced data pop-up will appear where users can confirm whether to make objects single-user or cancel (previously it was throwing an error).
• Add-on operators now have Online Manual links (right-click menu, or F1 when hovering).
• Boolean cutters are now excluded from grease pencil line art by default.
• Modifier keys for Carver tools are now written in status bar (instead of toolbar).
• 9 bug fixes.

Changelog

• Automatic collection for cutters is now user preference, as well as collections name (if you choose name that other add-on is using, collections will be merged).
• Boolean operators now have redo panel, in which user can specify solver options, such as material transfer mode.
• 4 bug fixes.

Changelog

• Clicking selects objects when Carver tools are active (or drag in case of Polyline)
• Cutters children are transferred to canvas when applying them, or using auto boolean
• Linked objects can no longer be cut or used as cutters
• Objects can not cut objects that are cutting them (avoids cutter/canvas dependency cycle)

Fixes:

• Fixed Python errors in the properties panel
• Fixed incorrect number of vertices issues with the Circle Carve tool

Changelog

Bool Tool 1.1 is released with tons of new features, including Carver tools which were ported from old "Carver" add-on and adapted, modernized, and enhanced with tons of new features and UI/UX.

Carver

• Three workspace tools in object and edit modes: Box, Circle, and Polyline Carvers that can create cutter objects and support destructive and non-destructive workflows (currently only view-aligned).
• Designed and modeled after modern built-in Blender tools to be intuitive and natural to use for users.
• Support multiple modes; affected by Bool Tool utility operators, share user preferences, and more. You can read all about workflows here.
• You can create multiple shapes in multiple different ways. You can bevel, rotate, and move shapes around. Read more about shape properties here.
• Carver shapes can be arrayed in rows and columns, inside the modal too! Read more about arrays here.
• Carver tools can support multiple hard-surface modeling workflows by allowing modifier pinning, smoothing cutters by angle, parenting to canvas, and more. Read about cutter properties here.
• Carver supports grid snapping, and modal operators play well with existing Blender UX. Read more about modals here.

Check out to ever-expanding Carver documentation for everything all together!

Additions:

• Preference for modifier apply order (4.1 behavior restored by default). #doc
• Ability to pin boolean modifiers for brush booleans (in preferences). #doc
• Newly created faces are selected after booleans are applied.

Changes:

• Better handling of objects with shape keys. No more errors. #doc
• Unused data is purged after auto booleans.
• New modifiers can not be created for objects that are already cutting mesh.
• Dbl-click to select boolean modifier object now optional, off by default.

Fixes:

• 7 bug fixes.

Changelog

Additions:

• Preference for boolean solver (now defaults to Fast).
• Dbl-clicking on the boolean modifier selects its cutter object.
• Curves and Texts can be used as cutters if they're beveled or extruded.
• Cutters are added to "boolean_cutters" collection.
• "Select Boolean Cutters" & "Select Boolean Canvas" operators.
• Cutter objects get parented to canvas (can be disabled in preferences).
• Boolean modifiers have "Show in Edit Mode" enabled (can be disabled from preferences).

Changes:

• Bool Tool is renamed to Boolean in UI, Brushes are called Cutters.
• Improved Slice operation and handling of slices by utilities.
• Userless cutters are removed when applying modifiers with Bool Tool.
• "Toggle All Cutters" replaces "Hide Bool Objects" checkbox.

Removals:

• Fast Transformation feature was removed for time being.

WARNING: Add-on now uses new, better data-structure that no longer depends on exposed custom properties which were easy to mess up. Because of that if you have files saved with unapplied Bool Tool modifiers you need to enable "Versioning" in preferences to update your files to new version of add-on.

Read more detailed changelog here: https://github.com/nickberckley/bool_tool/releases/tag/v1.0

Changelog

Bool Tool as it was in Blender 4.1