Batch Render Cameras Addon for Blender

Overview

The Batch Render Cameras addon for Blender allows you to automate the rendering process of multiple cameras within your scene. It renders all visible cameras (those not hidden from rendering) and saves the images to a timestamped directory. This addon is especially useful for projects requiring multiple camera angles or perspectives to be rendered efficiently.

Features

• Renders all visible cameras in the scene.
• Saves rendered images to a subdirectory named cameras-<datetime> for easy organization.
• Accessible directly from Blender's Render menu.

Installation

Follow the steps below to install the Batch Render Cameras addon in Blender:

1. Download the Addon Script

• Save batch_render_cameras.py on your machine.

2. Install the Addon in Blender

1. Open Blender.
2. Go to Edit > Preferences.
3. Select the Add-ons tab on the left panel.
4. Click on the Install... button located at the top of the window.
5. Navigate to where you saved batch_render_cameras.py and select it.
6. Click Install Add-on.
7. After installation, the addon should appear in the list with a checkbox next to it.
8. Enable the addon by checking the box next to its name.
9. Save Preferences (optional) to keep the addon enabled in future sessions.

Usage

Accessing the Addon

1. Open your Blender project that contains multiple cameras.
2. Ensure that the cameras you want to render are not hidden from rendering (the camera icon in the Outliner is enabled).

Running the Addon

1. Go to the Render menu located at the top of the Blender interface.
2. Select Batch Render Cameras... from the dropdown menu.

Setting the Output Directory

1. A dialog box titled Batch Render Cameras will appear.
2. Set the Base Output Directory:
   • Click on the folder icon next to the input field.
   • Navigate to the directory where you want the rendered images to be saved.
   • Select the directory and click Accept.
3. Confirm that the path is correct in the input field.

Starting the Render

1. Click OK to start the rendering process.
2. The addon will:
   • Create a subdirectory named cameras-<datetime> inside the base output directory.
   • Render each visible camera and save the images into the subdirectory.

Monitoring the Rendering Process

• Progress Bar:
  • A progress bar will appear in Blender's status bar, indicating the rendering progress.
• Console Output:
  • Detailed information about the rendering process will be printed in the system console.
  • To view the console output:
    • Windows:
      • Go to Window > Toggle System Console.
    • macOS and Linux:
      • Run Blender from the terminal to see the console output.

Viewing the Rendered Images

1. After the rendering is complete, navigate to your specified output directory.
2. Open the subdirectory named cameras-<datetime>, where <datetime> corresponds to the date and time when the rendering was initiated.
3. View your rendered images, which are named after the cameras.

Additional Information

Camera Visibility

• Only cameras that are visible in the render (i.e., their camera icon in the Outliner is enabled) will be included.
• To exclude a camera from the batch render:
  • Disable the camera's render visibility by clicking the camera icon next to it in the Outliner.

Render Settings

• Before running the addon, configure your render settings (resolution, samples, output format, etc.) in the Render Properties panel.
• The addon uses the current scene's render settings for all cameras.

Customizing Image Format

• By default, images are saved as .png files.
• To change the image format:
  • Modify the addon code where the file extension is specified.

    scene.render.filepath = os.path.join(output_dir, cam.name + '.png')

  • Replace '.png' with your desired format (e.g., '.jpg', '.exr').

Date and Time Format

• The subdirectory is named using the current date and time in the format YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.
• To customize the format:
  • Modify the following line in the addon code:

    current_datetime = datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d-%H%M%S')

  • Refer to Python's strftime directives to adjust the format.

Error Handling

• The addon includes error handling to notify you of any issues during the rendering process.
• Error messages will appear in Blender's status bar and the system console.

Uninstallation

If you wish to uninstall the addon:

1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
2. Search for "Batch Render Cameras" in the search bar.
3. Uncheck the box next to the addon name to disable it.
4. Click the Remove button to uninstall the addon from Blender.

Troubleshooting

• Addon Not Appearing in Render Menu:
  • Ensure that the addon is enabled in the Preferences.
  • Restart Blender if necessary.
• Permission Issues:
  • Make sure Blender has write permissions to the specified output directory.
• No Cameras Rendered:
  • Verify that your cameras are not hidden from rendering.
  • Check that there are cameras in your scene.
• Console Output Not Visible:
  • On Windows, toggle the system console via Window > Toggle System Console.
  • On macOS and Linux, run Blender from the terminal to see console messages.

License

This addon is provided under the MIT License. You are free to use, modify, and distribute it as per the license terms.

Acknowledgments

• Blender Foundation: For creating and maintaining Blender.