multiple Blender installations?

Can I have more then one installation of Blender, each with its own completely separate settings?

Can I have more then one installation of Blender, each with its own completely separate settings?

Yes! You can even launch multiple instances of the same Blender.exe at once, e.g. modeling with one while another
renders, especially if you are using GPU rendering. :smiley:

E.g., I will download the latest Blender, install it on an external HD…create a config file in the Blender folder, e.g. G:\2.76b\config

Then copy the whole contents of the folder to another folder, e.g. 2.76bCycles, 2.76bLuxRender, 2.76bOctane
and set up each for each renderer, or however you want to create a special Blender.

Each one will have it’s own config file…you can color code each version’s GUI, too.

Here’s my setup…I don’t use all the older versions, but you
get the idea of how to create & use multiple versions if you want, for whatever you want.
Have it your way…whatever works for you. :wink:

Attachments


That’s the ticket! Thanks!

3dcal, I think I get it. Is the part where you install it on an external HDD neccessery? I can just use my regular hdd, right?
Also do you actually install blender or do you use the zipped version as IkariShinji suggested? Whenever I try to run the installer with blender already installed I get the options to repair/remove blender but not to add a fresh installation.

soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…

I unzipped a version of blender, played around with it, even had my main installation running alongside it. Everything seemed fine…
Then I closed both and later opened my main installation. Surprise, surprise all my customization were wiped out, everything is back to factory default. I think I used the Restore factory settings on the unzipped version… and it override the settings of my installed version? Really?

My advice: unless you know what you’re doing, don’t try to install another blender!!!

Toshi-san,

LOL! That’s true, but it’s no big deal. It will not eat your computer. :smiley:

Try again.

  1. Create a folder anywhere you want, and put the downloaded
    installer in it. (I put it on an external drive just to keep
    it safe in case my HD goes bad, but it’s up to you).

  2. Install Blender…when it asks where you want to put it, just tell
    it to install in the same folder (to keep things together).

  3. In the folder, e.g. 2.76, create a config folder.

  4. Before you do anything else, create another folder on the same external drive
    (or where ever you want, even an SD card).

  5. Give the new folder a distinctive name, e.g. Blender2.76Testing.

  6. Copy all the files in the first Blender folder into the new folder.

You now have 2 Blenders you can set up anyway you want…different addons,
different renderers, different prefs, GUI colors, whatever.

Just make sure to use the blender.exe in each folder & save to each Blender folder so
you don’t put your blends in the wrong folder. You don’t have to, but it may
be easier to keep it straight.

If you want to try other builds from GraphicAll.org, e.g. Blender2.76Yafaray,
also install it where you want.

The way you organize it is completely flexible and up to you.

There may be a reason to install on your main HD, but so far I haven’t had
any problems with my method, and it’s completely portable to any computer
I want to use.

I hope I haven’t made it too complicated…the more you do it, the easier it will be.

It works for me. :smiley:

BTW, this is the way I do it, but not the only way. Others may have
a better way.

3dcal-san :smiley: (just for the record I’m not Japanese)
It’s kinda is a big deal when it erases all your custom shortcuts, installed add-ons and interface customization (I customize a lot). I’d say it’s a huge deal :slight_smile:
Luckily that wasn’t on my main PC (phew).

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I think I get it now, it seems the crucial point is adding that config folder.
I think when you say “install” you mean “unzip”, right?

Gyatso! & Crab machine! =O

You are artist samurai! :wink:

re: not Japanese…Hai! Yes, I know. :wink:

re: I think the reason your main config was overwritten is because there was no config in the 2nd Blender. But if you keep the Blenders in separate folders, each with its own config, should be no problems.

It didn’t remove your addons, just the prefs…the addons folder should still be intact…I think.

BTW, I also backup my external drives to another external drive. I like the Toshibas…color coded,
reasonable price. :smiley:

re: installing…I don’t know what’s in the zipped download,
but I always download the installer and click on the .msi file.

BTW, just PM’d you.

Thanks man, but these are old and not made with Blender.
I look forward to making cooler stuff in Blender. :wink:

Thanks for all the help. I’ll check out your PM.