Layouts (2.8)

[Ronnie42]

So basically noticed the layouts for Blender 2.8 'layouts are quite different to the ones you have when creating 'new' files so is there any quick way to just change this without having to export/import them?, I'm used to 2.7 so trying to get my bearings with the new update.

[*P0P$*FR3$H3NM3Y3R*]

I m not sure if i understood correctly. But you could always just customize your startup file so that it suits your pipeline.

[Ronnie42]

Originally posted by *P0P$*FR3$H3NM3Y3R*:

I m not sure if i understood correctly. But you could always just customize your startup file so that it suits your pipeline.

I'll try to make it clear:

-Basically I have files that have 3d models that I've built in previous builds in 2.7 or less

-When opening those up in 2.8 they will have unique layouts

- I've noticed when creating new files I have new unique layouts
(Very different to the ones that I have when loading older files)

So basically I'm trying to figure out if there is a quick way to change the 'layouts' from the default 'new' layout choices instead of needing to export files into 'new files'

Also to be clear I don't mean changing the 'startup file' but changing the files current layout to an already existing layout that maybe only be created by creating a new file.


The new layouts can be found when selecting 'file', then 'new' with a selection of options like 'general' and 'sculpting' so what I'm trying to figure is how to apply these layouts to existing files that I've previously created without having to 'reimport' each file to achieve the same result.

[still__alive]

I believe he is talking about the layout tabs on the top of the screen, for quickly changing between an animation workspace or I’ve unwrapping workspace.

I have a suspicion he might be saying that if you create a new file with the new button in blender that changes what layout tabs are available, but I don’t have access to my home pc so I can’t launch 2.8 and clarify.

I’m not really sure, beyond my first guess there, what he is asking either.

You can still split windows and switch them to the uv editor or any of the other screens and create your own layout in the way you see fit, just like you could in 2.7. Layouts are just premade layouts they have included for you.

You could go and create your own layout and save it up there with all their premade layouts too if you’d like.

Edit: I was writing this and posted it before your new post showed up, Ronnie. So this post might be irrelevant.

[still__alive]

Originally posted by Ronnie42:

The new layouts can be found when selecting 'file', then 'new' with a selection of options like 'general' and 'sculpting' so what I'm trying to figure is how to apply these layouts to existing files that I've previously created without having to 'reimport' each file to achieve the same result.

Okay, so you import a 2.7 file, and the sculpting or the animation layout tabs are not there. Or any of the tabs that you will see when you just open Blender 2.8 fresh. I got that right?

You can create any of those layouts by hand, or your own whole custom layout, in both 2.7 and 2.8. Just 2.8 seems to have made these layouts more clear then they were in 2.7, because I think the functionality was there in 2.7.

I can’t test and see exactly how it works in 2.8 right now, but I think I saw that there was a + tab on the row of layout tabs. For creating/ saving your own layouts I’d assume. Try clicking it in your migrated 2.7 saves and see if there is some option in there for adding the new layouts to your old files.

[Ronnie42]

Originally posted by still__alive:

I believe he is talking about the layout tabs on the top of the screen, for quickly changing between an animation workspace or I’ve unwrapping workspace.

I have a suspicion he might be saying that if you create a new file with the new button in blender that changes what layout tabs are available, but I don’t have access to my home pc so I can’t launch 2.8 and clarify.

I’m not really sure, beyond my first guess there, what he is asking either.

You can still split windows and switch them to the uv editor or any of the other screens and create your own layout in the way you see fit, just like you could in 2.7. Layouts are just premade layouts they have included for you.

Yeh that's what I'm looking at. Yeh I believe importing/exporting into new files would work but I was hoping for a way to resort to those defaults when loading up the files instead of import/exports. Just trying to set them to the new 'general' so I can understand the UI better.

[The Renderer]

You can click on the plus sign next to the tabs and add the ones missing? Not sure I understand the question.

[Sersch]

The layouts are linked to your .blend file. Because Blender 2.79 didn't have layouts, Blender 2.8 tries to convert the old file to the new way layouts are handled. That's why old files show different layout tabs than newly created ones.

However, there's a way to circumvent that. First, start Blender or create a new empty file with the layout preset you'd like to use - for example "General". Then, navigate to File - Open and select (just select, not double click) your old .blend file. Deselect the "Load UI" option on the left side. Your old .blend file will be opened with the new 2.8 layout tabs from the previous empty scene. If you save and load your file, the new 2.8 layouts will always be there right from the start (at least for this file).

[Ronnie42]

Originally posted by The Renderer:

You can click on the plus sign next to the tabs and add the ones missing? Not sure I understand the question.

I believe I'm getting the hang of it.

I was mainly wishing to 'load' up a 'default' general layout similar to when creating a new file but for replacing them within existing projects that I've already built pre-2.8 since the UI layouts were kind of random for me compared to what the defaults showed for me. I think I'm getting the hang of it so might not need the option to load a 'pre-set'....though it is odd that I can't seem to move the tabs around.

[Ronnie42]

Originally posted by Sersch:

The layouts are linked to your .blend file. Because Blender 2.79 didn't have layouts, Blender 2.8 tries to convert the old file to the new way layouts are handled. That's why old files show different layout tabs than newly created ones.

However, there's a way to circumvent that. First, start Blender or create a new empty file with the layout preset you'd like to use - for example "General". Then, navigate to File - Open and select (just select, not double click) your old .blend file. Deselect the "Load UI" option on the left side. Your old .blend file will be opened with the new 2.8 layout tabs from the previous empty scene. If you save and load your file, the new 2.8 layouts will always be there right from the start (at least for this file).

Yes that actually helps. I hadn't noticed that previously. Thanks. :)

[The Renderer]

Yeah, it's a bit odd. In the beginning I always used an old file to work on and always wondered why everything looked different than in the tutorials and screenshots I saw.

Great tipp with the deselection of UI loading, Sersch, didn't know that.