Save Hamster - Documentation

1. Install

1. Download save_hamster_v1.0.1.zip. Do not unzip it.
2. In Blender: Edit > Preferences > Add-ons, click the drop-down arrow at the top right and choose Install from Disk...
3. Pick save_hamster_v1.0.1.zip and tick "Save Hamster" in the list.
4. If Auto-Save Preferences is off, click Save Preferences (bottom left).

2. Where to find it

• He sits in the bottom corner of the lowest editor (the Timeline in the default layout), or in the 3D Viewport corner if that editor is too short (Lives In: Auto).
• Settings: 3D Viewport > Sidebar (press N) > Save Hamster tab, or Edit > Preferences > Add-ons > Save Hamster (expand it)

3. How to use it

• Edit your scene: the unsaved clock starts and he starts running.
• He sweats at 10 min, panics at 20 and faints at 30 min of unsaved work (your own thresholds in the settings).
• Press Ctrl+S (or File > Save): jump of joy, the clock goes back to 0.
• A file that was never saved shows him holding a "?" sign. Click him for a squeak.

4. Settings

• Hamster / Mute: hide him (the clock keeps running), silence him.
• Size 1 to 6: whole pixels, multiplied by Blender's UI scale.
• Volume: for squeaks and the jump.
• Sweats at / Panics at / Faints at: minutes for each mood (default 10 / 20 / 30).
• Only Count Changes: the clock starts at your first unsaved change (default) or right at the last save.
• Lives In: Auto, Lowest Editor or 3D Viewport. Corner: bottom-right or bottom-left.
• Show Minutes: a small "12 min" label next to his wheel, plus a status box and a save counter.

5. Troubleshooting

• Check the Hamster toggle in the Save Hamster tab or Window > Save Hamster.
• Default Timeline too short? Drag its top edge up a little, or set Lives In to 3D Viewport.
• Clock not starting? Some script-only changes don't mark the file as unsaved: turn off Only Count Changes.
• No sound? Volume and Mute are in the settings. Sounds use Blender's own audio system: if Blender has no audio device (Edit > Preferences > System > Sound), it stays silent.
• Install error? Make sure you picked the .zip itself, not an unzipped folder, and that you are on Blender 5.2 or newer.

6. Updating

• Download the new zip from your Superhive library, uninstall the old version in Edit > Preferences > Add-ons, restart Blender, then install the new zip.

7. Uninstall

• Edit > Preferences > Add-ons, expand Save Hamster and choose Uninstall. It never writes anything into your .blend files.

Support

• Have a question, a bug or an idea for a new feature? Mail me at [email protected]. Please include your Blender version and operating system.