by thornydre·Workflow
Images © thornydre. Used for product review; image policy.
Path Maker earns its place in the Blender extensions library by making output paths tag-driven, with the same tags usable in interface renders and command-line runs through the --addons flag.
Path Maker is a Blender add-on from thornydre that replaces custom tags in output paths when a render runs. Instead of typing a fixed path, you place a tag, and Path Maker swaps it for a generated string. The value can come from a single-line Python expression, a hardcoded path, or a separate Python script.
The add-on covers three places paths are set: the Output Path in the output properties panel, the Base Path on file output compositor nodes, and the filepath on collection exporters, where the Path Maker buttons are needed to enable it. A Tag Type dropdown selects how each tag resolves. For the script option, the file defines a run function that returns a string, so a value like the current Blender version can be pulled in at render time.
Path Maker can also be loaded from the command line through the --addons flag. It runs on Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, requires no special permissions, and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
Path Maker is best for blender artists who want output paths assembled from dynamic values such as the scene name or file name, using Python expressions or scripts rather than fixed strings.
Path Maker is completely free to download and use.
Path Maker is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, so it runs on the current long-term-support release and later builds. The extension is small, around a few kilobytes, and requires no special permissions when installed. You can add it by dragging the downloaded file into Blender or installing it from disk through the extensions preferences. For versions older than 4.2, compatibility outside the stated range isn't confirmed here, so check the developer's page before relying on it.
Path Maker supports command-line use through the --addons flag, for example blender -b /path/to/file.blend --addons blender_path_maker. The add-on handles tags in the Output Path, the Base Path on file output compositor nodes, and the filepath on collection exporters, with the collection exporter case requiring the Path Maker buttons. This means the same tag setup can be loaded when running Blender from a terminal. Full command syntax and further detail are available on the developer's page.
Path Maker offers a Tag Type dropdown with three options. Expression takes a single-line Python expression, such as bpy.context.scene.name. Path uses a hardcoded string. Script points to a Python file that is interpreted at render time; that file needs a function named run which returns a string. As an example, the tag (filename) can be resolved through bpy.path.display_name_from_filepath, turning an Output Path like C:/hello/(filename)/world into C:/hello/file_name/world when the render runs.
Path Maker version 1.4.5 removes prints that appeared during rendering and fixes a Blender crash that could occur during render, even when the add-on was not in use. These are the changes listed for this release. The add-on remains compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, and version history for earlier releases is available on the developer's page for anyone tracking specific fixes.
Path Maker is listed as free in this catalog. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, and the extension reports that it requires no special permissions. For the current licensing terms, the download, and any updates, refer to the developer's page. Licensing can change over time, so the developer's page is the best place to confirm the latest details before you build it into a project pipeline.
Also in Workflow for Blender.
by softyoda
Animation Transform Offset is a Blender add-on that transforms objects and offsets their entire animation in one action. Bind Shift+G, Shift+R, or Shift+S to move, rotate, or scale while shifting animation curves by the same amount.
by Community
Property Chart is a Blender add-on for editing properties simultaneously across multiple selected objects or the sequencer, accessible from the View3D sidebar under the Item tab. It installs without requiring special permissions.
by xdanic
Select panel is a Blender add-on that gathers all of Blender's built-in selection tools, plus a few extras, under a single panel. It also adds selection shortcuts for the viewport.
by Athina-Syntychaki
Two-Point Perspective is a Blender add-on that replaces the active camera with a copy using two-point perspective. It converts a three-point perspective camera to two-point and supports manual setting of the target angle.
by pablovazquez
Auto Switch Theme is a Blender add-on by pablovazquez that sets light and dark themes based on your system's appearance, checking at startup and also triggerable from Preferences.
by Salt Media
BlenderAe2 by Salt Media transfers 3D data and objects between Blender and After Effects in both directions, covering vertices, 3D layer transforms, camera data and layer synchronization.
by MACHIN3
Machin3Tools is a continuously evolving collection of tools and pie menus for Blender, gathered in a single customizable package. It ships in two base variants, Prime and DeusEx, with the DeusEx variant adding more advanced tools.
by MikhailRachinskiy
3D Print Toolbox is a Blender add-on with utilities for 3D printing. It analyzes mesh volume and surface area, checks and fixes geometry, hollows shapes, aligns models to the print bed, and exports to STL, PLY, and OBJ.
by glukoz
UVPackmaster 4 is a UV packing engine for Blender that packs UV maps on the CPU and GPU, using the Cuda and Vulkan APIs, and can run on the CPU and all system GPUs at once.
by MMD
MMD Tools is a Blender add-on for editing MikuMikuDance (MMD) models. It handles importing and exporting model, motion and pose data, along with chopping and joining parts, plus rigid body, material and motion editing.
by HaughtyGrayAlien
SimpleBake brings PBR and traditional texture baking to Blender from a single panel. Select objects, choose maps, and bake — no special node groups or new workflow, working with whatever materials you've already built.
