Blender Documentation Volume II - Reference Guide: Last modified May 10 2004 S68
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# The FileWindow

## FileToolbar

### WindowType

As with every window header, the first button left enables you to set the window type.

### Full Window

The second button expands the window to full screen or returns to the previous window display size; returns to the original screen setting (CTRL-UPARROW).

### Sort Alpha

Files are sorted alphabetically. Directories are always sorted first.

### Sort Time

Files are sorted by creation date.

### Sort Size

Files are sorted by size.

### Action type

Indicates what type of FileWindow this is. It is extremely important to continually verify that the correct `Open` or `Save` option is selected.

### File list format

Indicates whether the file names are displayed in long or short format.

### Hide dot-files

The ghost button hides dot-files (filenames with a leading dot).

### Info

The header provides extra information about the status of the selected directory.

- Free: 81.106 Mb: the free disk space available

- Files: (0) 72: the number of selected files between parentheses, followed by the total number of files.

- (0.000) 8.600 Mb: the total number of bytes in the selected files between parentheses, followed by the total for the entire directory.

## FileWindow

The FileWindow is generally called up to read and write files. However, you can also use it to manage the entire file system. It also provides a handy overview of the internal structure of a Blender file, since it is the window used to browse a .blend file content when an append action SHIFT-F1 is called for.

There are 4 'modes' for the FileWindow

- FileManager: the standard mode.

- FileSelect: the FileHeader shows the action to be performed (Load, Save, etc.).

- DataSelect: display the Blender data system as files.

- DataBrowse: like DataSelect, but now as an alternative to a PopupMenu.

The FileWindow is optimised for reuse. The second and subsequent times the same directory is called up, the file system is not re-read. This saves considerable time, but can sometimes cause confusion if other processes have written files to the directory (the directory is always read again after Blender writes to it). If you have any doubts about the validity of the current display, press DOTKEY.

### button

Displays the parent directory. You can also use: PKEY.

### Directory Name

The text right to the shows the current directory. You can also create a new directory. When you leave the text line (with LMB or ENTER), you will be asked: "OK? Make dir".

### Preset Directories

The file $HOME/.Bfs contains a number of presets that are displayed in this menu. If a file is read or written, the directory involved is temporarily added to the menu.

### File Name

The file name can be entered here. This text line can also be used to select files using wildcards. Example: enter '*.tga', then press ENTER. All files with the extension '.tga' are selected.

## FileSelect

Blender commands such as F1 (read file) and F2 (write file) invoke a FileWindow in FileSelect mode. This mode is used to indicate a single file, i.e. the file in the FileName button. Press ENTER to initiate the action, e.g. read a Blender file. Use ESC to cancel the action. The FileManager functions also work in FileSelect mode. These only work on selected files. Standard functions in this window:

### LMB

Indicates the active file. Its name is placed in the FileName button.

### MMB

Indicates the active file and closes the FileWindow with the message OK.

### RMB

Select files. For functional reasons, a RMB Select here does not indicate the active file!

### ENTER

Closes the FileWindowperforming the desired action, returns with an OK message.

### ESC

Closes the FileWindow with no further action.

### PAGEDN

Scrolls down one page.

### PAGEUP

Scrolls up one page.

### HOME

Scrolls to the first file.

### END

Scrolls to the last file.

### NUM+

Automatic file-number increase. If there is a number in the active file name (such as rt01.tga), this number is incremented by one. This is quite handy when reading or writing sequential files.

### NUM-

Automatic file number decrease (see previous description).

### SLASH

Make the current directory the root directory: "/"

### PERIOD

Re-read the current directory.

### EKEY

For the active file: start the Unix editor defined in environment variable $WINEDITOR. For viewing text files.

### IKEY

For the active file: start the Unix image viewer definde in environment variable $IMAGEEDITOR . For viewing or Editing images.

## Read Libraries

Blender allows you to read in, append, or link (parts of) other files. If 'Load Library' is selected by invoking the File Whindow with SHIFT-F1 the FileSelect appears in a special mode. Blender files are now highlighted as directories. They are accessible as a directory as well; they then display a situation in much the same way as DataView displays the internal Blender structure. Now you can select any number of blocks you wish using RMB and append them to the current structure with a simple ENTER. The complete 'underlying' structure is included: thus, if an Object is selected, the associated Ipo, ObData, Materials and Textures are included as well. If a Scene is selected, the entire Scene is appended to the current structure, Objects and all.

You can specify how you want this to be appended in the FileSelect Header:

### Append

External blocks become a normal part of the current structure, and thus of the file as well, if the file is saved. Appending a second time causes the entire selection to be added again in its entirety. Since block names must be unique, the name of the appended blocks will differ slightly from the existing name (only the number in the name).

### Link

This is the 'normal' use of Libraries. The specified blocks are added to the current structure here as well, but Blender remembers the fact that they are Library blocks. When the file is saved, only the name of the Library block and the name of the file from which the blocks were copied are saved, thus keeping the original file compact. When you read the file again, Blender reads the original file and then reads all the Library blocks from the other file(s). The names of the files and the blocks must not be changed, however. Blender keeps track of what Library blocks have already been read. Appending the same blocks twice has no consequences.

This enables more animators working on a project. Therefore a linked Object cannot be changed from the scene it is imported in.

## FileManager

The FileManager function only works with selected files. The active file does not play a role here. Most of these commands do expect two FileWindows to be open. Commands such as RKEY (remove) and TKEY (touch) also work with a single Window. Note: when we say files here, we also mean directories.

### AKEY

Select/deselect all files.

### BKEY

Backup files to the other FileWindow. This allows files to be copied without changing the file date.

### CKEY

Copy files to the other FileWindow. (Unix: cp -r) read.

### LKEY

Link files to the other FileWindow. (Unix: ln)

### MKEY

Move files to the other FileWindow. (Unix: mv)

### RKEY

Remove files. For safety's sake: only empty directories. (Unix rm -f)

### SHIFT-R

Remove files recursively. This deletes the entire contents of directories. (Unix: rm -rf)

### TKEY

Update modification times of files. (Unix: touch)

## DataView and DataBrowse

The DataView window can be invoked with SHIFT-F4. It allows you to view the entire internal Blender structure as a file system. Each DataBlock is listed as a file name. They are sorted by type in directories.

Currently, the functions are limited to:

- Select Objects by name. Click RightMouse on the file name. A LeftMouse click on a name makes the Object active. Note that an activated Object can also reside in a hidden layer.

- Setting and deleting Fake Users. (Press FKEY). A Fake User ensures that a DataBlock is always saved in a file, even if it has no users.

- Link Materials (CTRL-L). The links to selected Materials are all replaced by a link to the active Material (LeftMouse, in the FileName button). This link option will be expanded to other DataBlock types.

PopupMenus that contain more than 24 items and are thus unmanageably large, are replaced by the DataBrowse windows. Standard functions in this window:

### LMB

Display the active DataBlock. This is placed in the FileName button.

### MMB

Display the active DataBlock and close the DataBrowse with an OK message.

### ENTER

Close the DataBrowse, return with an OK message.

### ESC

Close the DataBrowse with no further action.

### PAGEDN

Scroll down one page.

### PAGEUP

Scroll up one page.

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