Documentation

Multi Layer Exporter + Importer

Version 5.0 • Blender 5.1

A preview-first batch export and import workflow for managing multiple 3D assets with better naming, validation, presets, textures, transforms, folder organization, and result tracking.

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

1. Open Edit → Preferences → Add-ons in Blender.

2. Disable or remove any previous version of Multi Layer Exporter + Importer.

3. Click Install from Disk.

4. Select the addon ZIP file.

5. Enable Import-Export: Multi Layer Exporter + Importer.

6. Open the 3D Viewport Sidebar with N.

7. Select the Multi Export tab.

Important: Only one version of the addon should be enabled at a time.

📤 Batch Export

Select the Batch Export tab to export multiple assets.

1. Choose File Format

Select the format you need from the File Format menu.

Supported formats include:

• Alembic .abc

• USD .usd / .usda / .usdc / .usdz

• Grease Pencil SVG .svg

• Grease Pencil PDF .pdf

• Wavefront OBJ .obj

• Stanford PLY .ply

• STL .stl

• Motion Capture .bvh

• FBX .fbx

• glTF Binary .glb

• glTF Separate .gltf

Availability can depend on your Blender installation and enabled extensions.

🎯 Export Source

Choose what you want to export:

Selected Objects

Exports one file per selected object.

Choose Collection

Select a Collection and export its objects separately or as a Collection file.

All Visible Objects

Exports every compatible visible object in the active View Layer.

All Top-Level Collections

Exports each top-level Collection as a combined file.

👁️ Export Preview

The Export Preview lets you check your files before exporting.

You can:

• Enable or disable individual files

• Double-click filenames to rename them

• Use All / None / Invert

• Review validation status

• Check the destination folder

The preview automatically refreshes while preserving manually edited names.

Validation

Each file can show:

Ready — The file can be exported.

Warning — Export is allowed, but something expected may be missing, such as a UV map, material, or texture.

Error — The item is empty or incompatible and will be safely skipped.

Unchanged — Changed-only mode found no difference from the previous successful export.

✏️ Bulk Rename

The Bulk Rename section makes large export batches easier to organize.

Available tools:

• Find and Replace

• Remove .001

• Apply Numbering

• UPPER

• lower

• Reset Names

For example:

Chair, Chair.001, Chair.002

can be cleaned and numbered for a consistent delivery workflow.

📁 Save & Name

Choose where and how your exported files are saved.

Output Folder

Select the destination directory.

Prefix / Suffix

Add custom text automatically to generated filenames.

Overwrite Existing

Control whether existing output files can be overwritten.

Open Folder

Optionally open the destination folder after export.

By default, generated filenames use the exact Outliner object names.

🗂️ Folder Structure

Choose how your output should be organized:

Single Folder

All exported files are placed together.

Folder per Collection

Files are grouped according to their Collection.

Folder per Object

Each output receives its own folder.

🖼️ Texture Handling

Choose how detected image textures should be handled.

Reference Original

Keep the existing image paths.

Copy Textures

Copy detected image files alongside the export or into the specified texture folder.

Embed When Supported

Embed textures when the selected format supports it. Formats that cannot embed textures can use copied textures instead.

If an image node points to a missing file, the addon displays a warning. Packed Blender images are not reported as missing.

🔄 Safe Temporary Transforms

Transform options are designed to avoid permanently changing your original geometry.

The addon can create temporary geometry copies, apply the requested export transformations, export them, and then remove the temporary copies.

Available options include:

• Origin to Geometry

• Move Export to World Origin

• Apply Location

• Apply Rotation

• Apply Scale

Your original objects remain unchanged.

This temporary transform workflow is designed for geometry objects; armatures, cameras, lights, and other scene objects do not use this process.

🧠 Export Changed Only

For large asset libraries, Export Changed Only can reduce unnecessary exports.

After a successful export, the addon stores information about the asset and export configuration. Later batches can skip assets when their fingerprint and output file have not changed.

Tracked information includes geometry, topology, transforms, modifiers, materials, format, export settings, and output path.

Recommended workflow: Complete one full successful export first, then enable Export Changed Only for subsequent updates.

⚙️ Saved Presets

Built-in presets provide useful starting points for common workflows:

CLO OBJ

OBJ with modifiers, UVs, normals, materials, scale 1.0, Forward -Z and Up Y.

Unity FBX

FBX with unit scale and no leaf bones.

Web GLB

Binary glTF with materials, UVs, normals, modifiers and +Y Up.

Custom

Save your current export settings under your own preset name.

📥 Batch Import

Switch to Batch Import to bring multiple files into Blender.

Workflow

1. Click Choose Multiple Files.

2. Select the files you want to import.

3. Review the Import Preview.

4. Edit imported names if required.

5. Disable unwanted files.

6. Select the destination Collection.

7. Adjust Import Settings if required.

8. Click IMPORT ENABLED FILES.

9. Review Last Batch Results.

🗃️ Import Destination Collections

Choose where imported assets should go.

Existing Collection

Import into an existing Blender Collection.

Create New Collection

Create a new top-level Collection for the batch.

Active Collection

Use the active Collection in the current View Layer.

Collection Per File

Create a child Collection for each imported file.

⚠️ Import Name Conflicts

When an imported asset has a name that already exists, choose how the addon should handle it.

Keep Both

Import the new asset and allow Blender to add a numeric suffix.

Skip Existing

Do not import the file if a matching target name already exists.

Replace Existing

Delete matching objects before importing the new asset.

Update Geometry

Replace compatible object data while preserving the existing object's transform and Collection.

Warning: Replace Existing deletes matching Blender objects. Save your .blend file before using this option on important projects.

📊 Last Batch Results

After a batch operation, the results panel reports:

• Success — File completed normally.

• Skipped — File was disabled, invalid, unchanged, or blocked by the selected policy.

• Failed — Blender's importer/exporter returned an error.

• Cancelled — The remaining queue stopped after the current file.

The result list remains compact and can be selected to view detailed information.

🛡️ Recommended Workflow

For reliable production use:

1. Save your .blend file before large batches.

2. Review all warning and error indicators.

3. Test new presets with one asset first.

4. Confirm scale and axis requirements for your target application.

5. Check the Last Batch Results after exporting or importing.

6. Use Export Changed Only for repeated asset updates.

💡 Common Workflows

CLO / Garment

Use the CLO OBJ preset as a starting point.

Unity

Use Unity FBX as a starting point.

Web / Online Review

Use Web GLB with materials, UVs and normals enabled.

3D Printing

Use STL and verify model scale and watertight geometry.

Large Asset Libraries

Perform one complete export first, then use Export Changed Only for later updates.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Export Preview is empty

Check that:

• Compatible objects are selected.

• The selected Collection contains compatible objects.

• Objects are visible when required.

• The chosen format supports the object type.

Filename changes back

Double-click the filename, finish editing with Enter, and avoid renaming the source object while editing.

Export is skipped

Check the row checkbox, validation status, overwrite settings, and Export Changed Only.

Missing material or UV warning

Add the required material or UV map, or disable the corresponding export option.

Texture warning

Check the image path, pack the image, or provide a valid replacement.

Format unavailable

Enable the related Blender import/export extension or use Full Blender Export Options.

Update Geometry does not work

The existing and imported objects must have compatible object types and data.

📦 What This Add-on Gives You

Multi Layer Exporter + Importer v5.0 combines:

• Batch Export & Import

• Per-file selection

• Smart Bulk Rename

• Automatic validation

• Saved presets

• Texture management

• Safe temporary transforms

• Organized folder structures

• Changed-only exporting

• Import conflict handling

• Progress tracking

• Detailed batch results

All in one focused workflow for Blender 5.1.