Install

Before Install

Q: What do i need to get started ?

Disclaimer...

This guide describes the official installation process for Blender Add-Ons. If you use any other installation strategy you are completely on your own behalf. And we can not support you when you end up with broken functionality! If you fail to install as described here, first check with the SL Chat Group Blender Avastar and only if that does not help then please report back to us.

 

After Install

New to Blender? New to Avastar? Create Attachments Work with Deverloper Kits

 

Q: I got installation errors. What next ?

Installation & Update Issues

Installing an Add-on should be a straight forward and easy task. But despite our attempt to make things easy, sometimes things go wrong. This Guide is a collection of Issues which have been reported by others. Ok, we have only one issue by now, but we add them as they get reported.
Don’t Panic. Your problem can be fixed.

When the update fails

When you update an Add-on in Blender, then normally the following steps are performed:

  1. The installer disables the current version of the Add-on.
  2. The disabled Add-on is removed from the system (deleted from disk).
  3. The new Add-on version is installed.
  4. You now can enable the new version manually

However sometimes you can not enable the addon after a new version is installed. this can happen because the first step (disabling the Add-on) does not disable all of the software. So it may happen that the old Add-on leaves some traces in the running Blender, which may result in subsequent errors when you try to enable the new Addon Version.

When the above situation happens to you, then please go ahead as follows:

Step 1: Remove traces

  • Save Preferences at the bottom of the User Preferences Panel
  • Then close Blender
    Note: It is important that you really close blender.
    Just opening a new scene is not enough!
  • Open Blender and open the User preferences again
  • Type “Avastar” into the Add-on search field to locate your Add-on
  • Then Enable the Add-on

In most cases this is all that you need to do. The Add-on will enable without errors.

 

If the above procedure does not work for you, then you need to put blender into a clean state as follows:

Step 2: Remove Avastar

You find the Remove Button in the expanded Avastar Add-on Panel:

Step 3: Save User Settings

You find the Save User settings Button at the bottom of the User Preferences Window.

 

Step 4: Restart Blender and Install the new Avastar Add-on

Go ahead and install your Addon

Install

About this Document...

Content: Download Avastar Install Avastar Initial Check of operability
 The Video: The Video guides you through the process from downloading Blender up to verifying that you have installed the software.

What does Avastar provide?

Avastar basically supports the creation of animatable Models (Avatars&attachments) and the creation of animations. Therefore the tool adds various functions and user interface elements to Blender.
The full functionality of Avastar can be a bit overwhelming on first sight. You should be prepared to spend some time and patience to get it all working nicely for your projects.

What does this Document provide?

abstract: I show you how you can install Avastar on or newer. We provide a short video which shows the installation process step by step.

We expect that you have basic knowledge about Blender.

Download

Download your Addon

Download the Avastar zip file or the Avastar-bundle zip file and place it anywhere on your local disk, and remember where you placed this file.

Important: Do not ever unpack the zip file! Unpacking the zip file will result in installation failures! (See also below)

Q: Where is my download ?

During your purchase you have received a download link.

JASS Shop Purchase:

You received the Download link on the local Chat window.

Paypal purchase:

You received the download link via E-mail.

If you are a registered user …

then please login now. Then open the download link that you got from us. You will be automatically forwarded to your product download page and your new product will be listed there.

If you are not a registered user, …

then you still can open the given download link. You will then be redirected to a temporary download page from where you can download the software.

However, the download link will become invalid 8 days after purchase.

Q: Where does my software run?

The Avastar Add-on runs wherever Blender runs. You only have to ensure that Blender is installed properly. Then the Add-on will be working as well.

Q: Expand Add-on or keep the zip file?

Blender Add-ons are always installed in zip format. All attempts to install the unzipped files will fail. So to ensure that your computer does not unzip the file after download, please review your browser settings.

We suggest that you set your Browser to always ask you where to download, so you can specify where the zip file shall be placed. And then you also should set your Browser to never unzip your downloaded zip file after download.

For Mac Users:
If your Browser automatically expands the Zip file during download, then please do this:

  • Open the safari preferences
  • On the General tab:
  • Uncheck “Open safe files after downloading”

Q: Is there an Archive of older Releases?

Yes, we keep older releases available for the case where you find something broken in the newest product release. The older releases are collected in a the_archive sub folder within your Download Folder.

You can only see the_archive folder when you have registered an account on the Machinimatrix Blog and when you are logged in to your machinimatrix account!

Q: What does the Avastar Filename say?

We are often asked why the zip file is named as it is named. There is a reason. Here is the explanation:

avastar-M-m-rrrr_blender-B-bb.zip

  • avastar: the product name
  • M: The major product release
  • m: The minor product release
  • rrrr: The product revision number
  • B-bb: The earliest version of blender supported by this particular Add-on version

Usually you are safe to download the zip file with the highest available product revision number.

Only if you encounter a bug in Avastar you should consider to switch back to an older Avastar release by installing that over your current release. There is no need to uninstall first!

Finally install your Add-on as explained below

Install

We expect that you have successfully installed Blender and Blender works properly. Now start Blender and…

  • Navigate to Edit -> Preferences
  • proceed to the “Add-Ons” Tab
  • In the Top menu Bar locate and click “Install…”
  • A file selector opens.
  • Navigate to where you have stored the avastar zip file or avastar-bundle zip file
  • Select the zip file (must be a zip file!)
  • Finally click “Install Add-on”

  • Back in the Addon Tab type “avalab” into the search field. As you type you will see that the list of displayed Add-Ons shrinks and quickly to a list of Add-ons all published by Avalab. When you have installed the avastar-bundle zip file, then you may now see 2 or more add-ons from the Avalab.
  • Select the appropriate Add-on (‘Avastar’ or ‘docuontop’, or …) and enable the module
  • and finally Save Preferences
  • Done!

Some details ...

  • If the Avastar Add-on Panel is collapsed, then please expand it now to see the Add-on details. Please take a closer look! You find some important information here.
Note: You find a link to the Avastar Documentation and to the Bug tracker here. And you can set some Add-on preferences for your convenience. Important: Please make use of the documentation! This will save you (and us) a lot of time!
  • To enable the Add-on you must check the checkmark at the top left corner of the Avastar Panel
  • In the last step you Save User Settings as your new default settings
Note: If Blender sends out any error messages after you saved the user settings, then please restart Blender now. In most cases the error messages stop showing up then.

Verify

You can verify that Avastar has been successfully installed by navigating to the new Avastar menu entry in the Add section. Please ensure that you are in Object mode as that is the only mode from where you can add new Avastar characters. When you click on Avastar, a new Avastar mesh character will open up for you. Hint: The grey cube in the Center of the Screen can be removed. It is not needed for our purpose. If you do not yet know how to remove objects, please visit our Avastar Newbie page, then return here.

Welcome to Avastar

welcome to your new Add-on!

Now after you have successful installed the Add-on, we suggest to proceed with the First Steps Tutorial. But Please keep patient with yourself, you might need some time to get things to work properly.

Note: The whole world of rigging, skinning and animation is certainly one of the most complex tasks in 3D design. Please do not expect to get good meshes and perfect animations within 10 minutes. You have to get used to the tools first. Otherwise you will end up in a big mess!

Where to go next ?

New to Blender?
New to Avastar?
Create Attachments
Work with Deverloper Kits