Skip to content

6. Collaborative Workflow

Core Concepts#

Linker is designed with ccollaborative workflow in mind. One of downfalls of collaborative workflows are discrepencies in local environments. Linker helps to overcome this through:

  • Relative Paths Support
  • Environmenal Variables

Relative Paths#

| Absolute | D:\Project\Models\chair.fbx | Local experiments or fixed machine paths |

| Blend-relative | //Models/chair.fbx | Files stored beside a source-controlled .blend |

| Variable-based | %PROJECT_ROOT%/Models/chair.fbx | Different local roots for different users |

The panel displays the raw stored path and resolved disk location. Path editing and

Open File Location use the active linked model as context. Make Relative (N)

converts paths for all selected linked models and requires the .blend to be saved.

![[linker_relative_path.png]]

Environmental Variables#

Local Paths#

In cases of absolute path being a requirement, ore complex sub directory ambiguity across machines. Local environment can be set up with partial paths as env variables.

  1. Open Edit > Preferences > Extensions > Linker.

  2. Under Local Path Variables, click Add.

  3. Enter a name without percent signs, such as PROJECT_ROOT.

  4. Enter the machine-specific directory.

  5. Reference it as %PROJECT_ROOT% inside linked paths.

Values live in each user's Blender preferences and do not pollute the source-controlled

.blend. Operating-system environment variables also work. A Linker preference with

Info

The same name takes precedence over the operating-system value

Naming Convention#

The addon's variable list can be predefined with custom env variables ensuring export naming convention is respected - increasing pipeline reliability on large projects.

Presets#

Import and Export have independent named preset selectors. Presets are format-specific

and belong to the current Blender scene. Preset definitions and each model's selected

preset IDs are stored in the .blend file.

Save a preset#

  1. Select linked models with one format and matching values in the relevant section.

  2. Click + beside the Import or Export preset selector.

  3. Enter a descriptive name and confirm.

  4. Linker creates the preset and selects it for every selected linked model.

Saving is disabled while the section contains mixed values. Saving with an existing

name replaces that preset. Models outside the selection that referenced the previous

payload are marked Custom, preventing a stale preset label.

Load a preset#

  1. Select linked models with the same current preset selection.

  2. Open the Import or Export preset selector.

  3. Choose a compatible preset.

  4. Linker applies it to every distinct selected linked model.

When current preset selections differ, the selector is disabled and shows **Multiple

values**. Narrow the selection until it is unambiguous, then load the preset.

Custom settings and shared values#

Changing a parameter manually marks affected preset selections as Custom. Import

and Export presets remain independently selected when shared parameters—such as scale

or OBJ axes—still match both preset payloads. Loading an incompatible shared value

marks only the affected opposite selection as Custom.

The On Reload material, UV, and transform options belong to Import presets. Use

- to remove the selected preset. Removing one marks all referencing models Custom

without changing their current parameter values.