Hi -

I was watching a tutorial by Andrew Price (Blender Guru) and he briefly touched on linking rather than amending objects.

I take it that "linking" an object exentually is creating an "instance" of that object in the scene as in other programs but with out actually having the object in the scene. Am I correct on this?

If so... I have questions as to the more of the capabilities of "library Linking"

So say I have an object on a server.
I have 10 workstations -

Can all ten workstations "link" to the same object at the same time?

Can I set it up to prevent acidentally on purpose opening the "object blend" file with some form of permissions? ie: setting permissions to the Blend file to where only XYZ can actually make a change to it while others can link to it unless permission is added to let xyz works station to open and make a change to the master blend file/object.

Can make dynamic changes to the object - while all ten stations are linked to the object and using it in a scene - and have changes to the object show up as they are saved to the blend file?

If I'm correct im my understanding of some of the capabilites of "library linking" - this is just soo cool!

And if correct - you could have say ten people anywhere in the world - link to a server any where in the world - use the object by linking to it and... if correct... the master file of the object could be worked on - changes made - and changes will instantly show up in the scene for all those linked to the object...?

Do I have that correct?

What else can it do? Please expound on the capabilities and limitiations of "library linking" if you don't mind.

tia
chase
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“Linking” is done by including a reference to the parent .blend file where the object actually resides.

Yes, you should be able to have any number of links to the same .blend file, and even to the same object in that .blend file. There’s nothing in the parent .blend file to indicate anything is linked to it, and each link won’t know about the others. The parent .blend file can be read-only, why not.

I don’t think .blend files containing links will receive automatic notification of changes to the parent file—you will need to manually reload the linked objects.

ldo wrote:

“Linking” is done by including a reference to the parent .blend file where the object actually resides. Yes, you should be able to have any number of links to the same .blend file, and even to the same object in that .blend file. There’s nothing in the parent .blend file to indicate anything is linked to it, and each link won’t know about the others. The parent .blend file can be read-only, why not. I don’t think .blend files containing links will receive automatic notification of changes to the parent file—you will need to manually reload the linked objects.

Thanx for helping me understand the linking library function a little more.

As far as the permissions - if the parent .blend file is read only - that would prevent even amending it from being modified...? And is not really a true way to set permissions.

I guess what i mean by this is - There is no way [currently] to set a Master .blend file that can only be opened and changed by a set user id is there? Where all others could only link to the object or group with no ability to change it. Just use it. Modifications would only be allowed to be made by the person with permission to do so. Hope you follow what i mean by that...

And currently the update to the linked group/object is not realtime. Is that correct? So you'd have to re-link it or re-pen the file that has groups/objects linked with-in to see the changes to the parent object /group.

I was hoping it would be realtime... that would be so cool!

One other thing - Am I correct in thinking once you link to an object or group. And say you make 10 duplicate copies of the linked object in your scene - and you want to make one of those duplicates red - one blue or change a texture of this one or that one. This is not possible unless you amend the object/group. Right?

Or is it you can change say a texture or color - but it is not a perminent change?

Or is it nothing can be changed to the instances or dups of those instances of the linked object/group? Changes can only be made to the Parent .blend file?

I may be confusing myself here... lol and you with these questions though I hope you can understand what I'm asking.

Now is there a difference between "linking" to an object / group and "dynamic linking" to an object / group? or are they both the same thing?

thanx again
chase
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