Render Back Add-on Documentation

The Render Back add-on is a Blender extension that enables faster rendering by using command line rendering instead of direct rendering from within Blender. It provides a panel in the output properties section where you can specify various rendering options and execute the rendering process.

Add-on Information

• Name: Render BackAuthor: Elton Matiwane
• Version: 2.1
• Blender Version: 2.80 and above
• Location: Output properties panel
• Description: Faster renders using command line instead of direct renders from Blender
• Category: Output

Installation

To install the Render Back add-on, follow these steps:

1. Download the add-on file (.zip format) from the provided source.
2. Open Blender.
3. Go to Edit > Preferences to open the Blender preferences window.
4. Switch to the Add-ons tab.
   Click on the Install button located at the top right of the preferences window.
5. Browse and select the downloaded add-on file.
6. Click the Install Add-on button.
7. Once installed, enable the add-on by ticking the checkbox next to its name.

Usage

After installing and enabling the Render Back add-on,

• open the Output properties panel in Blender.
• Locate the Render Back panel, which should be visible in the Output panel list.
• Within the panel, you will find the following options:
• Blender Location: Specify the location of the Blender program. By default, it is set to the path of the currently running Blender instance.
• Project File: Set the project file to render. If left empty, the active project file will be used.
• Render Type: Choose the type of rendering: Animation or Image.
• Open Directory on Completion: Optionally open the file directory where the rendered files are saved upon completion.
• Completion Action: Choose an action to perform upon rendering completion: None, Hibernate, Sleep, or Shutdown.
• Adjust the desired options according to your rendering needs.
• Click the Render button to initiate the rendering process using the specified options.
• Note: Save the project before rendering—it will use the last saved version of the project to render.
• Optionally, close Blender to free up computing resources. The render will continue using the command system.

Pros

• Allows for faster rendering by utilizing command line rendering.
• Provides a user-friendly panel in the Blender interface to specify rendering options.
• Supports both animation and single image rendering.
• Includes system notifications and completion actions such as hibernate, sleep, and shutdown.

Cons

Windows only

Contribution

If you find this add-on useful, please consider contributing. Your support will help in the continued development and improvement of the add-on. If you encounter any problems with the Render Back add-on, feel free to leave a comment or inbox me.

Road Map for Future Plugin Features

• System Notification When Rendering Is Done
• Support for other operating systems

Please note that this documentation is updated for version 2.1 of the Render Back add-on.

New Features and Changes in Version 2.1

Completion Actions:

• Completion Action Property: A new property (completion_action) has been added that allows the user to specify an action to be taken after rendering completes. The available options are None, Hibernate, Sleep, and Shutdown.

Batch File Commands:

• The add-on now generates a batch file that includes commands to perform the selected completion action. Batch File Creation:Batch File Execution: The add-on now creates a batch file (renderback.bat) to handle the rendering process and any post-render actions, instead of directly executing the render command. This improves flexibility and allows for additional system commands.

Open Directory on Completion:

• New Property: A open_directory property has been introduced, which allows the user to automatically open the file directory where the rendered files are saved once the rendering is complete.

System Notification:

• A simple system notification (using msg *) has been added to the batch file to alert the user when rendering is complete. The notification includes the project name.

Improved OS Handling:

• Windows-Specific Commands: The add-on has streamlined the rendering process for Windows, using a batch file to handle command execution in a new console window.