Save with Versioning - Blender Extension Link

Description

The "Save with Versioning" Blender add-on provides a convenient way to save your Blender files with automatic versioning and publishing functionality. This add-on helps you keep track of your project's progress and easily share the latest version with your team or clients.

Location

The increment and publish buttons can be found in two locations:

1. View3D > Header, beside the viewport render modes.
2. View3D > Sidebar > Tool > Save with Versioning panel.

Key Features

• Automatic Versioning: The add-on automatically increments the version number in the file name when you save your Blender file, making it easy to keep track of changes.
• Publish Functionality: The published version of the file will always be the newest, up-to-date version. This allows you to link assets to the published file, while you can continue working on different incremental versions.
• Automatic Asset Linking: When you publish the current file, all the files that are linked to the published version will automatically get the updated version.
• Customizable Suffixes: You can customize the version suffix and publish suffix in the add-on preferences.
• File List: View a list of all versioned and published files in the current directory.
• Open Files: Easily open any version of your file directly from the file list.
• Open Current Directory: Quickly access the directory of your current file.
• Auto-refresh: The file list automatically updates when you load or save a file.

Extension Preferences

You can customize the add-on's behavior by accessing the "Save with Versioning" preferences:

• Version Suffix: Specify the suffix used for the incremented version numbers (e.g., '_v001').
• Publish Suffix: Specify the suffix used for the published file (e.g., '_published').
• Panel Category: Choose the category where the "Save with Versioning" panel will appear in the 3D Viewport sidebar. Options include:
  • Item
  • Tool
  • View
  • Edit

Usage

1. Save Increment: Save the current file with an incremented version number.
2. Save Publish: Save the current file as the published version, which will be the newest, up-to-date version. Any files linked to the published version will automatically update.
3. View File List: Use the file list in the sidebar to see all versions of your file.
4. Open Files: Click the folder icon next to a file in the list to open it.
5. Open Current Directory: Use the "Open Current Directory" button to access your file's location.
6. Change Panel Location: Adjust the panel's location in the 3D Viewport sidebar by changing the Panel Category in the add-on preferences.

Versioning Example

v001 -> v002 -> v003 -> v004 (Current) -> ... -> v00x
         |
         └─> v002_001 -> v002_002 -> ... -> v002_00x

published (Can be updated from any version)

File naming:

• Main: scene_v001.blend, scene_v002.blend, etc.
• Branch: scene_v002_001.blend, scene_v002_002.blend, etc.
• Published: scene_published.blend