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BLBlender

Variant Switch Blender Addon

by YU_Design·Workflow

Images © YU_Design. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Note that Blender's Ctrl + Z undo will not fully restore changes made with this addon, and hotkeys for the loop-through function may need to be re-assigned via the Set Hotkey button.

What is Variant Switch Blender Addon?

Variant Switch is a Blender addon built around two switchers. The Collection Switcher lets you add a collection group, name it, and add collection rows, with an eye icon to toggle viewport visibility and a camera icon to toggle render visibility. A "Show One Collection At A Time" option displays a single collection per group, and a loop-through button toggles among them. Hotkeys can be assigned to loop through models or to toggle individual rows.

The Material Switcher works in parallel: add a material group, assign objects to it, then add material rows and select the materials. An Apply button sets the material to the objects, and a loop-through button switches materials on the assigned objects, with hotkeys available for both. The addon validates hotkeys to avoid conflicts across both switchers and with Blender's system keymaps, and warns when an assigned collection or material cannot be found.

An "Export Hotkey Lists" button exports the assigned hotkeys as a .txt file, so the list can be shown on another screen or printed while the side bar is hidden. A triangle icon on each group row hides its detailed content to save interface space.

Who is Variant Switch Blender Addon best for?

Variant Switch Blender Addon is best for blender users comparing design variations and running design reviews or full-screen presentations who need quick switching between collections and materials.

How much does Variant Switch Blender Addon cost?

Variant Switch Blender Addon is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Collection Switcher with eye and camera icons to toggle viewport and render visibility, plus a "Show One Collection At A Time" option
  • Material Switcher that assigns objects to groups, applies materials, and loops through them
  • Loop-through buttons and assignable hotkeys for both collections and materials
  • Hotkey validation that warns when a hotkey is already in use across both switchers
  • Warning prompts when a referenced collection or material cannot be found
  • Export Hotkey Lists button that saves assigned hotkeys as a .txt file
  • Triangle icon on group rows to hide detailed content and save interface space

Tags

#Blender#addon#materials#collections#workflow#hotkeys#presentation

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up the Collection Switcher in Variant Switch?

Variant Switch asks you to organize the objects you'll present into collections first. In the Collection Switcher, add a collection group, name the group, then add collection rows. The eye icon toggles viewport visibility and the camera icon toggles render visibility. Enabling "Show One Collection At A Time" displays only one collection per group, and the loop-through button toggles among them. You can assign hotkeys to loop through models or to toggle individual rows, and must click Set Hotkey after choosing them.

How does the Material Switcher apply materials in Variant Switch?

Variant Switch handles materials by first adding a material group and naming it, then assigning objects to the group. Add a material row, select the wanted material, and click Apply to set it on the objects. The loop-through button switches materials on the assigned objects, and hotkeys can be assigned for this. Make sure the active material in the material slots is the one assigned to the object, otherwise you may change an inactive material that isn't reflected on the model.

Does Variant Switch avoid hotkey conflicts in Blender?

Variant Switch validates hotkeys before they're assigned. The hotkey options offered are pre-validated to avoid conflicts with Blender's system keymaps, and the addon checks whether a hotkey is already in use across both the Collection Switcher and Material Switcher. If you try to assign one that's already in use, a warning window pops up. Deleting a row or group removes its corresponding hotkeys from the Blender keymap. Remember to click Set Hotkey after choosing your hotkeys.

Is Variant Switch free?

Variant Switch is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing details and any terms attached to the Blender addon, check the developer's page on Superhive. The addon includes documentation covering its Collection Switcher, Material Switcher, and Export Hotkey Lists features, and a demo video is available if you want to see how the tools are organized before installing it in Blender.

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