File Browser Not Retaining Folder Order Changes #86351

New Issue

Bradley Lourie · 2021-03-07T01:02:51+01:00

Bradley Lourie commented

2021-03-07 01:02:51 +01:00

System Information
Operating system: Windows 10 (Home and Pro versions)
Graphics card: Nvidia GTX1070 and AMD RX580

Blender Version
Broken: Blender 2.92.0 - Version File: 2.92.15 - Hash: 02948a2cab - Date: 2021-02-25 - from Steam Distribution (also occurs in downloaded portables from Blender.org)
Worked: Unknown

Short description of error
When using Blender I rely on Recent Files and Favorites for opening projects or importing other data into scenes. When I change the order of the Areas - Area - Space File Browser - Folder stacks, when the File browser is closed and reopened, the File Browser does not retain the order change. Saving Preferences after a change also has no affect on the order change when the File Browser is reopened.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
The File Browser is a temporary screen and each time it is opened, it creates a new instance of itself called "temp" and appears to be built using default settings.
Walking through the Data API of an instance, it appears that there are no elements within the data types to permanently set the Areas - Filebrowser - Spaces parameters for the folders to retain the folder order change.

Based on the default startup or an attached .blend file (as simple as possible).

This is based on Blender Defaults, attaching a .blend file is not required.
I am not trying to access this through Python, I'm just trying to set the order of the File Spaces in a normal File Browser instance and have the Browser retain that order (even if it is only during the current session). I think the building of the "temp" File Browser Screen is a built_in function either in the main Blender.EXE or one of its .DLLs, I can not find a .PY file that builds it.

Request: The ability to change the File Browser Spaces and have Blender retain the order after closing the File Browser.

**System Information** Operating system: Windows 10 (Home and Pro versions) Graphics card: Nvidia GTX1070 and AMD RX580 **Blender Version** Broken: Blender 2.92.0 - Version File: 2.92.15 - Hash: 02948a2cab44 - Date: 2021-02-25 - from Steam Distribution (also occurs in downloaded portables from Blender.org) Worked: Unknown **Short description of error** When using Blender I rely on Recent Files and Favorites for opening projects or importing other data into scenes. When I change the order of the Areas - Area - Space File Browser - Folder stacks, when the File browser is closed and reopened, the File Browser does not retain the order change. Saving Preferences after a change also has no affect on the order change when the File Browser is reopened. **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** The File Browser is a temporary screen and each time it is opened, it creates a new instance of itself called "temp" and appears to be built using default settings. Walking through the Data API of an instance, it appears that there are no elements within the data types to permanently set the Areas - Filebrowser - Spaces parameters for the folders to retain the folder order change. Based on the default startup or an attached .blend file (as simple as possible). This is based on Blender Defaults, attaching a .blend file is not required. I am not trying to access this through Python, I'm just trying to set the order of the File Spaces in a normal File Browser instance and have the Browser retain that order (even if it is only during the current session). I think the building of the "temp" File Browser Screen is a built_in function either in the main Blender.EXE or one of its .DLLs, I can not find a .PY file that builds it. Request: The ability to change the File Browser Spaces and have Blender retain the order after closing the File Browser. ![Untitled Project.gif](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F9875084/Untitled_Project.gif)

Bradley Lourie commented

2021-03-07 01:02:51 +01:00

Added subscriber: @BradLourie

dupoxy commented

2021-03-07 09:24:53 +01:00

Added subscriber: @dupoxy

dupoxy commented

2021-03-07 09:24:53 +01:00

I can reproduce this.
0001-0898.mp4
As a workaround you can use the file browser when not in a new windows.

I can reproduce this. [0001-0898.mp4](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F9876681/0001-0898.mp4) As a workaround you can use the file browser when not in a new windows.

Bradley Lourie commented

2021-03-07 21:17:19 +01:00

Thank you for your quick reply dupoxy, however the I don't think the workaround described is not really a viable solution (for me anyway).
It merely opens a file browser window in the current window it was called from. Yes the areas retain their new positions, but you can't do anything with the contents in the browser.
For example, when I tried the workaround as you described, I double clicked a blend file to see if it would open... nothing. I tried dragging a blend file from the browser into a viewport window... nothing.
As I have never called the File Browser this way before, I may be doing something wrong in trying to invoke the contents from it but from my experiments so far the browser opened this way is just information and not really usable.

Thank you for your quick reply dupoxy, however the I don't think the workaround described is not really a viable solution (for me anyway). It merely opens a file browser window in the current window it was called from. Yes the areas retain their new positions, but you can't do anything with the contents in the browser. For example, when I tried the workaround as you described, I double clicked a blend file to see if it would open... nothing. I tried dragging a blend file from the browser into a viewport window... nothing. As I have never called the File Browser this way before, I may be doing something wrong in trying to invoke the contents from it but from my experiments so far the browser opened this way is just information and not really usable.

Harley Acheson commented

2021-03-07 21:40:06 +01:00

Added subscriber: @Harley

Harley Acheson commented

2021-03-07 21:40:06 +01:00

Of course this isn't the real solution you want, but the following might be a nice workaround for you.

Open ...\scripts\startup\bl_ui\space_filebrowser.py then scroll down to the very bottom and you will see a list of "classes" that looks a bit like this:

classes = (
    ...
    FILEBROWSER_UL_dir,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_volumes,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_system,
    FILEBROWSER_MT_bookmarks_context_menu,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_favorites,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_recents,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_advanced_filter,
    ...

Just rearrange the "bookmarks" items any way you wish. For example like this:

classes = (
    ...
    FILEBROWSER_UL_dir,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_favorites,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_recents,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_volumes,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_system,
    FILEBROWSER_MT_bookmarks_context_menu,
    FILEBROWSER_PT_advanced_filter,
    ...

And then you will find that they are in the order of "Favorites", "Recent", "Volumes", "System".

If want to have any of those lists be closed by default, look for those names in the script higher up and add "bl_options = {'DEFAULT_CLOSED'}". So for example to have the Volumes list be initially closed it would look like this:

class FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_volumes(Panel):
    bl_space_type = 'FILE_BROWSER'
    bl_region_type = 'TOOLS'
    bl_category = "Bookmarks"
    bl_label = "Volumes"
    bl_options = {'DEFAULT_CLOSED'}
    ...

Might get you what you want.

Of course this isn't the real solution you want, but the following might be a nice workaround for you. Open ...\scripts\startup\bl_ui\space_filebrowser.py then scroll down to the very bottom and you will see a list of "classes" that looks a bit like this: ``` classes = ( ... FILEBROWSER_UL_dir, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_volumes, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_system, FILEBROWSER_MT_bookmarks_context_menu, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_favorites, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_recents, FILEBROWSER_PT_advanced_filter, ... ``` Just rearrange the "bookmarks" items any way you wish. For example like this: ``` classes = ( ... FILEBROWSER_UL_dir, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_favorites, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_recents, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_volumes, FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_system, FILEBROWSER_MT_bookmarks_context_menu, FILEBROWSER_PT_advanced_filter, ... ``` And then you will find that they are in the order of "Favorites", "Recent", "Volumes", "System". If want to have any of those lists be closed by default, look for those names in the script higher up and add "bl_options = {'DEFAULT_CLOSED'}". So for example to have the Volumes list be initially closed it would look like this: ``` class FILEBROWSER_PT_bookmarks_volumes(Panel): bl_space_type = 'FILE_BROWSER' bl_region_type = 'TOOLS' bl_category = "Bookmarks" bl_label = "Volumes" bl_options = {'DEFAULT_CLOSED'} ... ``` Might get you what you want. ![FBOrder.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F9877881/FBOrder.png)

dupoxy commented

2021-03-07 22:08:30 +01:00

Sorry about that.The "full" workaround is:
0001-0881.mp4

In Edit>Preferences>Save & Load uncheck Load UI
For the file you want to open from the File browser click and drag from the icon
(In File>Defaults>Save Startup File)

Sorry about that.The "full" workaround is: [0001-0881.mp4](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F9877941/0001-0881.mp4) - In Edit>Preferences>Save & Load uncheck Load UI - For the file you want to open from the File browser click and drag from the **icon** - (In File>Defaults>Save Startup File)

Bradley Lourie commented

2021-03-07 22:09:48 +01:00

Thank you for the quick response and solution Harley.

We have been discussing this in the Blender Community Hub on Steam as well and have come up with a couple of solutions which also work. This method was also mentioned there.
However the best temporary solution (for now) was submitted by Dynamic Dragon a little while ago and is discussed here in Post #10.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/365670/discussions/0/3102389184724096860/

By adding the code they provided to Blender\2.92\scripts\addons_contrib, if we have to refresh local files or a new version is released, the code is not disturbed and will continue to work, I believe it will also be transferred to the new version if required and we can adjust the ORDER as required in the contributed code easily without digging into blender native py files.

Thank you for the quick response and solution Harley. We have been discussing this in the Blender Community Hub on Steam as well and have come up with a couple of solutions which also work. This method was also mentioned there. However the best temporary solution (for now) was submitted by Dynamic Dragon a little while ago and is discussed here in Post #10. https://steamcommunity.com/app/365670/discussions/0/3102389184724096860/ By adding the code they provided to Blender\2.92\scripts\addons_contrib, if we have to refresh local files or a new version is released, the code is not disturbed and will continue to work, I believe it will also be transferred to the new version if required and we can adjust the ORDER as required in the contributed code easily without digging into blender native py files.

Bradley Lourie commented

2021-03-07 22:13:21 +01:00

Thanks for the update dupoxy. I now understand that.

Germano Cavalcante commented

2021-03-09 16:14:11 +01:00

Closed as duplicate of #74611

Germano Cavalcante closed this issue

2021-03-09 16:14:11 +01:00

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File Browser Not Retaining Folder Order Changes #86351