User Documentation v1.0

What is Iris?

Iris is a powerful Blender addon that transforms Blender into a professional 3D presentation tool. Create stunning slide presentations with 3D models, animations, text, and images - then present them live or export as high-quality renders and PDFs.

Perfect for:

• Product presentations - Showcase 3D products from multiple angles
• Architecture visualization - Present building designs slide by slide
• Portfolio presentations - Display your 3D work professionally
• Client pitches - Impress clients with interactive 3D presentations
• Education - Teach concepts using 3D models and visualizations

 Installation

1. Download the iris addon folder
2. Open Blender 4.5 or later
3. Go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
4. Click Install... and select the iris folder
5. Enable the addon by checking the box next to "Iris - Presentation Slides for Blender"
6. The addon panel appears in the 3D Viewport sidebar (press N to open)
7. Look for the "Iris" tab

 Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Create Your First Slide

1. Open the Iris panel in the 3D Viewport sidebar (press N)
2. Click "Create First Slide"
3. A new slide is created with its own camera and collection

Step 2: Add Content

With a slide selected, add content:

• Add Text - Creates 3D text objects
• Add Image - Import images as planes
• Add Shape - Add cubes, spheres, cylinders, etc.

All content is automatically organized in the slide's collection.

Step 3: Create More Slides

1. Click the + button to add more slides
2. Each slide has its own:
   • Camera view
   • Object collection
   • Background color.
   • Duration setting.

Step 3: Present Your Slides

1. Click "Start Presentation"
2. Use arrow keys to navigate:
   • → Next slide
   • ← Previous slide
   • ESC Exit presentation
3. Enable Auto Advance for automatic slide progression

🎨 Interface Overview

Presentation Controls

• Start Presentation - Enter Fullscreen presentation mode
• Stop Presentation - Exit presentation mode
• Previous/Next - Manual slide navigation (also available in presentation mode)

Slide Manager

• + - Add new slide
• - - Remove selected slide
• ↑ ↓ - Reorder slides
• Slide List - Click any slide to switch to it

Active Slide Settings

• Name - Rename the current slide
• Duration - Set duration for auto-advance (in seconds)
• Background - Choose slide background color

Content Tools

• Add Text - Insert 3D text with emission material
• Add Image - Import image files as textured planes
• Add Shape - Add 3D primitives (Cube, Sphere, Cylinder, Cone, Torus, Plane)
• Remove Selected - Delete the currently selected object

Export & Render

• Output Path - Where to save rendered slides
• Resolution - Choose from presets (HD 1080p, 4K, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
• Format - Select image format (JPEG, PNG, OpenEXR)
• Render Current Slide - Render just the active slide
• Batch Render All Slides - Automatically render all slides

PDF Export

• Page Size - Choose A4, Letter, or Slide (16:9)
• Include Titles - Add slide names to PDF pages
• Export to PDF - Create PDF from rendered slides

Presentation Settings

• Auto Advance - Automatically progress through slides
• Transition - Choose transition effect (None, Fade, Slide Left/Right)
• Duration - Transition animation length.

📖 Detailed Features

Slide Management

Creating Slides: Each slide is an independent scene setup with:

• Dedicated camera
• Isolated collection for objects
• Custom background color
• Configurable duration

Organizing Slides:

• Drag slides to reorder (use ↑ ↓ buttons)
• Rename slides for easy identification
• Delete unused slides (removes all content)

Switching Between Slides:

• Click any slide in the list to view it
• Camera automatically switches
• Only that slide's content is visible

Content Creation

Text Objects:

• Automatically centered and scaled
• Emission material for visibility
• Editable in Edit Mode (Tab key)

Images:

• Maintains aspect ratio
• Emission shader for proper display
• Supports PNG, JPEG, and common formats

3D Shapes:

• Random colored materials
• Ready to customize
• Scale, rotate, move as needed

Best Practices:

• Keep slides organized with clear names
• Use consistent styling across slides
• Position objects for optimal camera view

Live Presentation Mode

Starting a Presentation:

1. Create at least one slide with content
2. Click "Start Presentation"
3. Viewport goes fullscreen (if supported)
4. Overlays and UI elements hidden

Navigation:

• Right Arrow (→) - Next slide
• Left Arrow (←) - Previous slide
• ESC - Exit presentation

Auto-Advance:

1. Enable "Auto Advance" before starting
2. Set duration for each slide
3. Presentation automatically progresses
4. Manual navigation still works
5. Timer resets on manual advance

Presentation Features:

• Clean fullscreen view
• Progress indicator in sidebar
• Smooth camera switching
• Background color transitions

Rendering Slides

Render Setup:

1. Save your .blend file (required for relative paths)
2. Set Output Path (where images will be saved)
3. Choose Resolution preset
4. Select Image Format (JPEG recommended for PDF export)

Render Current Slide:

• Renders just the active slide
• Quick preview of single slide
• Uses current render settings

Batch Render All Slides:

• Automatically renders every slide in sequence
• Shows progress in console
• Files named: Slide_01_SlideName.jpg, Slide_02_..., etc.
• Can take several minutes depending on scene complexity

Resolution Presets:

• HD 1080p (1920x1080) - Standard full HD
• HD 720p (1280x720) - HD ready
• 4K UHD (3840x2160) - Ultra high definition
• Square 1080 (1080x1080) - Square format
• Instagram (1080x1350) - Instagram 4:5 ratio
• YouTube (1920x1080) - YouTube standard

Image Formats:

• JPEG - Compressed, smaller files (recommended for PDF)
• PNG - Lossless, transparency support
• OpenEXR - HDR, professional workflows

PDF Export

Workflow:

1. Batch Render All Slides first (as JPEG format)
2. Click "Export to PDF"
3. Choose save location and filename
4. PDF is created from rendered images

Important Notes:

• PDF export requires pre-rendered images
• Works best with JPEG format
• PNG support is limited
• Always render before exporting PDF

PDF Settings:

• Page Size:
  • A4 - Standard document size (landscape)
  • Letter - US letter size (landscape)
  • Slide - 16:9 presentation format
• Include Titles - Adds slide names to PDF pages

PDF Output:

• One page per slide
• High-quality embedded images
• Viewable on any device
• Perfect for sharing presentations

💡 Tips & Best Practices

Workflow Tips

1. Save Often: Always save your .blend file before rendering
2. Test First: Render current slide before batch rendering all
3. Use JPEG: For PDF export, always use JPEG format
4. Organize Content: Keep related objects in their slide's collection
5. Preview Slides: Click slides to preview before presenting

Performance Tips

1. Optimize Geometry: Use low-poly models when possible
2. Limit Lights: 2-3 lights per slide is usually enough
3. Reduce Resolution: Test with 720p, render final at 1080p/4K
4. Close Other Apps: Free up RAM for rendering

Presentation Tips

1. Practice Navigation: Test arrow keys before presenting
2. Set Durations: Adjust auto-advance timing for content
3. Use Backgrounds: Match background colors to your theme
4. Test Fullscreen: Ensure fullscreen works before important presentations

Content Creation Tips

1. Text Visibility: Use emission materials for bright text
2. Image Quality: Use high-resolution images
3. Camera Position: Adjust camera for each slide's content
4. Lighting: Add lights to each slide's collection

🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"No slides to present"

• Solution: Create at least one slide with the + button

"Output directory doesn't exist"

• Solution: Save your .blend file first, or use an absolute path

"No JPEG images found" (PDF Export)

• Solution:
  1. Set Format to JPEG
  2. Batch Render All Slides first
  3. Then Export to PDF

Presentation won't start

• Check if you have at least one slide created
• Ensure 3D viewport is active

Images not showing in slides

• Verify image file path is correct
• Check that image format is supported
• Try re-adding the image

PDF has blank pages

• Solution:
  • Use JPEG format only
  • Re-render all slides
  • Try exporting again

Render path shows red warning

• Solution: Save your .blend file first (required for // paths)

ESC crashes Blender

• This has been fixed in v1.0 - reinstall the addon

Getting Help

Before Contacting Support:

1. Check this documentation
2. Verify Blender version (4.5+)
3. Try reloading the addon
4. Check the system console for error messages

Contact Support:

• Email: [email protected] or Inbox via Superhive.
• Include:
  • Your Blender version
  • Description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Any error messages from console

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts

Presentation Mode

• → (Right Arrow) - Next slide
• ← (Left Arrow) - Previous slide
• ESC - Exit presentation

Blender Shortcuts (Still Available)

• N - Toggle sidebar
• Tab - Edit text objects
• G - Move objects
• R - Rotate objects
• S - Scale objects

 System Requirements

• Blender: 4.5.0 or later
• OS: Windows, macOS, or Linux
• RAM: 8GB minimum, 16GB recommended
• Storage: Space for rendered images

 Example Workflows

Product Presentation Workflow

1. Create slides for each view:
   • Slide 1: Front view
   • Slide 2: Side view
   • Slide 3: Detail close-up
   • Slide 4: Features breakdown
2. Add content to each slide:
   • Position camera for optimal view
   • Add text labels
   • Set background colors
3. Render and export:
   • Batch render all at 4K
   • Export to PDF for clients

Architecture Visualization Workflow

1. Create slides:
   • Exterior day view
   • Exterior night view
   • Interior living room
   • Interior kitchen
   • Floor plan
2. Present live:
   • Enable auto-advance
   • Set 8-10 second duration per slide
   • Present to client in Blender

Portfolio Showcase Workflow

1. One project per slide
2. Add title text to each
3. Render at HD 1080p
4. Export to PDF
5. Share on social media or send to clients

- Egret.