What is Variant Switch?

Variant Switch is the ultimate tool for Blender users who want to quickly switch between materials and collections with ease and efficiency. Designed to enhance your creative process, this addon empowers you to seamlessly switch between design variations, organize your assets, and focus on bringing your ideas to life.

Install the addon

Key Features:

     1. Collection Switcher

• First, add a collection group, name the group and then add collection rows. The eye icon can toggle the viewport visibility and camera icon can toggle the render visibility.

• Check "Show One Collection At A Time" option will only display one collection for the collection group, click loop through button will toggle among the collections. And hotkeys can be assigned to loop through the models.

• Hotkey can also be assigned for each collection row to toggle the visibility for that row. The hotkey options are the ones pre-validated without conflicts with Blender system keymaps. Don't forget to click Set Hotkey button after choosing certain hotkeys. 

• Click the " - " icon at the end of each row to delete the corresponding collection row. And the " - " icon at the end of group name row will delete the whole collection group. Once the collection row or  group is deleted, the corresponding hotkeys will be removed from Blender keymap.

• The triangle icon at the end of group name row can hide the detailed content of the collection group to save interface space.

• If you are trying to assign a hotkey that is already in use, a warning window will pop up.

• If the collection used in one of the collection row is deleted, when you try to toggle that collection, a warning will show up to remind you that collection cannot be found.

     2. Material Switcher

• First, add a material group, name the group. Then, assign the objects to the group. Add a material row, select the wanted material, click Apply button will set the material to the objects.

• Loop through button will switch the materials to the assigned objects. And hotkeys can be assigned to loop through the materials.

• One thing is to make sure the the active material in the material slots is the one assigned to the object. Otherwise, you will change the inactive material which will not be reflected on the model.

• Hotkey can also be assigned for each material row to apply the corresponding material. Don't forget to click Set Hotkey button after choosing certain hotkeys. The addon will check if the hokey is already in use to avoid repeated hotkeys assignment across the collection switcher and material switcher.

• Click the " - " icon at the end of each row to delete the corresponding material row. And the " - " icon at the end of group name row will delete the whole material group. Once the material row or  group is deleted, the corresponding hotkeys will be removed from Blender keymap.

• The triangle icon at the end of group name row can hide the detailed content of the material group to save interface space.

• If the material used in one of the material row is deleted, when you try to apply that material, a warning will show up to remind you that material cannot be found. 

     3. Export Hotkey Lists

• The "Export Hotkey Lists" button located on the top row of Collection and Material Switcher will allow you to export the hotkey list as a .txt file. The benefit of that is, when you hide the side bar to present your model, you can have the list on another screen or print out to remind you of the assigned hotkeys.

Important Notes:

• Organize the objects that will be presented with the addon in collections first, then you will be able to assign it to each collection row.
• Blender’s undo system Ctrl + Z will not fully restore changes in this addon and is not recommended to use. You will need to manually click Set Hotkey again and re-assign hotkeys for loop through function.

Benefits:

    1. Enhanced Workflow Efficiency

• Quickly toggle between different collections or materials without manually searching or reconfiguring settings.
• Streamline your design review process with intuitive tools for visibility and material assignment.

    2. Improved Design Comparisons

• Easily compare multiple design variations, such as different models or material styles.
• Use the loop-through feature to focus on one variant at a time for detailed analysis.

    3. Better Presentation Experience

• Utilize full-screen mode with hotkeys to present designs effectively, whether in meetings or VR setups.
• Export hotkey list option to allow the hotkey setup be shown at a different place to remind the user in a full-screen presentation mode.

Thank you and hope you enjoy this addon!