S4D Loop — Hover Loop & Ring Preview For Blender

LaoMa 3D in Modeling

S4D Loop — User Documentation

S4D Loop brings a seamless, visual selection workflow to Blender's Edit Mode. This documentation explains how to launch, use, customize, and make the most out of S4D Loop.

1. How to Launch S4D Loop

You can launch S4D Loop in Edit Mode using three convenient entry points:
  1. N-Panel: Open the sidebar ( N  key), go to the S4D Loop tab, and click Loop Select or Ring Select.
  1. Select Menu: Go to the top of the 3D Viewport and click Select > Loop Select (Preview) or Ring Select (Preview).
  1. Hotkeys:
  • Press  Alt + U  in the viewport to open the S4D Loop Quick Menu, then select your tool.
  • (Optional) Enable  Alt + Left Mouse (LMB)  inside the plugin's N-panel settings to trigger loop selection directly in the viewport.

2. Core Tool Controls & Hotkeys

Once the modal tool is active, S4D Loop will highlight edge loops or rings dynamically as you hover your mouse over the mesh.
  • Confirm Selection: Click  Left Mouse Button (LMB) .
  • Add to Selection: Hold  Shift  and click  LMB .
  • Remove from Selection: Hold  Ctrl  and click  LMB  (the preview color will change to warn you).
  • Deselect All: Click  LMB  in empty space.
  • Toggle Style: Press  R  to switch to Ring, or  L  to switch to Loop (Vertex and Edge modes only).
  • Toggle 4D Mode: Press  C  to toggle 4D Style Loop walking.
  • Exit the Tool: Press  Esc ,  Right Click (RMB) ,  Enter , or  Tab  to finish. Your confirmed selection will remain active in Blender.

3. 4D Style Loop walking

Blender's native loop selection often stops abruptly at triangular poles (such as the top of a UV sphere). When 4D Style Loop is enabled (default), S4D Loop runs a side-aware loop walker that can intelligently cross pole vertices on symmetrical triangle fans. If you prefer Blender's traditional topological strictness, you can turn off 4D Mode by pressing  C  or disabling it in the Settings box.

4. Instant Modeling Handoff (Fast Workflow)

S4D Loop is designed for speed. You do not need to press  Esc  to exit S4D Loop before you model. Once you click to select a loop, you can immediately press:
  •  E  — Extrude
  •  Alt + E  — Extrude Menu
  •  I  — Inset
  •  Ctrl + B  — Edge Bevel
  •  Ctrl + Shift + B  — Vertex Bevel
The plugin will automatically commit your selection, close the preview HUD, and hand off the action to Blender’s interactive modeling operator in one single stroke.

5. Draggable HUD Position

A heads-up display (HUD) is shown in the viewport to track your selection stats.
  • To move the HUD, simply click and drag the HUD panel with your mouse inside the 3D Viewport.
  • The customized HUD position is saved per scene. If you ever want to reset it, you can find a reset button in the N-panel under Settings.

6. Customizing S4D Loop Settings

To keep your N-panel clean and readable, all advanced options are tucked away inside the Settings box. Click the arrow next to Settings in the N-panel to customize:
  • Interface Language: Switch between English and Chinese.
  • Preview Colors: Change hover colors, Ctrl (remove) warning colors, and vertex dot colors.
  • Line & Point Sizes: Adjust the thickness of preview lines and the size of vertex dots.
  • HUD Display: Toggle HUD visibility, adjust font size, and change HUD text/background colors.
  • Performance Control: Enable warnings on high-density meshes and define your custom face-count threshold.
  • Blender Keymaps: View, customize, or disable the default  Alt + U  menu keymap and  Alt + Left Click  selection keymaps.
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Details
Blender Extension Compatible Yes
Dev Fund Contributor
Published about 2 months ago
Blender Version 5.0 - 5.2
Extension Type Add-on
License GPL

LaoMa 3D

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