by atrxi·Modeling
Images © atrxi. Used for product review; image policy.
Stands out in the blender_extensions library for tuneable topology-based selection: the F9 rigor factor lets you dial in how closely elements must match before they are picked up.
Smart Selection Propagation is a Blender add-on that handles topology-based selection of geometrically similar mesh elements. Rather than matching only identical geometry, it works from vector features, so it can gather repeating elements that vary slightly in shape. Its selection criteria draw on connected edges, the length and angle of edges, and the area, perimeter, and normals of faces.
The add-on covers several operations from one set of tools. You can select features similar or dissimilar to the current selection, grow or shrink that selection by similar topology, and isolate just the boundary of a complex selection. It also selects mirrored features and similar island meshes, which helps when picking out repeating parts across a mesh.
How strictly elements must match is controlled by a factor of selection rigor, adjusted by pressing F9 after running an operation. The tools live in Edit Mode under a Smart Select menu and in the right-click dropdown, with a pinwheel selection available in the keybinds. Smart Selection Propagation is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer.
Smart Selection Propagation is best for selecting repeating or near-identical mesh elements, finding matching geometry with slight shape variations, and quickly growing, shrinking, or isolating the boundary of a selection.
Smart Selection Propagation is completely free to download and use.
Smart Selection Propagation is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, so any current LTS or later release should run it. The add-on installs by drag and drop into Blender, or you can download it and install from disk through the extensions preferences. It requires no special permissions to run. It is currently at version 1.0.0, so confirm your Blender version meets the 4.2 minimum before installing to avoid compatibility problems.
Smart Selection Propagation appears in Edit Mode as a dedicated menu called Smart Select, and its operations are also available from the right-click dropdown list. If you prefer keyboard-driven workflows, a pinwheel selection is available in the keybinds. From there you can run each operation on your current selection, and then press F9 to tune the factor of selection rigor for that action.
Smart Selection Propagation lets you tune how strict the matching is through a factor of selection rigor, which you adjust by pressing F9 after running an operation. Tuning this factor changes how closely elements must match to be selected. This lets you select similar repeating elements that do not have to be identical, or find matching geometry with only slight shape differences, and it applies across the tool's operations for growing, shrinking, or refining a selection.
Smart Selection Propagation is listed as free here and is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. You can get the add-on directly from its blender_extensions page or from the developer's GitHub repository. For the current licensing terms and any usage conditions, check the developer's page. The add-on also states that it requires no special permissions once installed in Blender.
Smart Selection Propagation bases its selection criteria on several geometric properties: connected edges, the length and angle of edges, and the area, perimeter, and normals of faces. Using these vector features, it can select similar islands quickly, expand or contract a current selection, or isolate just the boundary of a complex selection. It also includes options to select mirrored features and similar island meshes across a mesh.
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