Render Back Add-on Documentation

The Render Back add-on is a Blender extension that allows you to perform 'command line rendering' (console/batch rendering) without the hassle of writing a script for each project. This method can make rendering faster and is less likely to crash. This is particularly beneficial if you're working with limited hardware resources.

Add-on Information

• Name: Render Back

• Author: Elton Matiwane

• Version: 2.6

• Blender Version: 4.1 and above, older versions of Blender use the older v2.1 add-on

• Location: Output properties panel

• Description: Faster renders that are less likely to crash.

• Category: Output

Usage

For Blender version 4.4.1 install the extension.zip not the add-on

1. After installing and enabling the Render Back add-on, open the Output properties panel in Blender.

2. Locate the Render Back panel, which should be visible in the panel list.

3. Within the panel, you will find the following options:

   • Blender Location: Specify the location of the Blender program. By default, it is set to the path of the currently running Blender instance.
   • Project File: Set the project file to render. If left empty, the current active project file will be used.
   • Render Type: Choose the type of rendering: Animation or Image.
   • Open Directory on Completion: Optionally open the file directory where the rendered files are saved upon completion.
   • Keep Terminal Open: This will keep the terminal open so you can see the rendering stats.
   • Completion Action: Choose an action to perform upon rendering completion: None, Hibernate, Sleep, or Shutdown.

4. Adjust the desired options according to your needs.

5. Click the RenderBack button to start the rendering process using the specified options.

   Note: Save the project before rendering (now made mandatory), as it uses the last saved version of the project to render.

6. Optionally, close Blender to free up computing resources. The render will continue using the command system.

Contribution

If you find this add-on useful, please consider contributing by leaving a review, reporting bugs, or requesting new features. Your support will help in the continued development and improvement of the add-on. Feel free to inbox me.

Road Map for Future Plugin Features

• System Notification When Rendering Is Done. Completed

• Standalone Rendering App
  

  • Support for other operating systems

Please note that this documentation is updated for version 2.6 of the Render Back add-on.

New Features and Changes in Version 2.6

• New "Keep terminal open" feature, when enabled, keeps the terminal window open after rendering finishes. This allows you to review useful information such as render time and any messages displayed during the rendering process.