RealUI Documentation
Release Notes / Blender 5.1 Add-on / UI and Feature Reference

RealUI 5.1 Add-on Documentation

This page documents the RealUI add-on UI, current feature areas, module-facing icon actions, lower-level Blender operators, and planned/upcoming work tracked in the repository.

10Modules
97UI icon actions
143Operator classes

Addon UI

RealUI is built around fast visual controls for Blender workflows. The add-on combines a 3D View overlay, optional sidebar/property panels, module tabs, edit-mode category tabs, operator popups, and a Node Editor overlay.

3D View Overlay

The main overlay exposes module actions as icon buttons. Object-mode modules include Create, Modifiers, Material, Generators, Particles, Scatter, Fracture, Renders & Previews, and Actions.

Edit Mode UI

Edit Mode switches into category tabs for Primitives, Modifiers, Selection, and Actions. Current tools include primitive placement on active faces, Bend/Twist, Move, Repeat, selection helpers, recording, and Edges To Curve.

Settings Panel

The RealUI settings panel controls overlay scale, panel location, default minimized state, module visibility, and reset controls for module preferences.

Node Editor Overlay

The Node Editor overlay has tabs for NodeGroups, Favorites, Recipes, Geometry, Shaders, Textures, and Images. Some entries are dynamic, such as node group library files and loaded image folders.

Current Features

  • UIModule tabs expose icon actions and detailed panels for object-mode workflows.
  • UIEdit-mode categories expose mesh creation, deformation, selection, record, and conversion tools.
  • NodesNode Editor tools add common shader/geometry nodes, recipes, node groups, HDRIs, and image textures.
  • MaterialsMaterial UI supports shader presets, saved materials, AmbientCG loading, PBR application, and thumbnail cache controls.
  • ParticlesParticle system management supports Particle Pile, Contact Reactor, Sticky Particles, and Follow Curve creation from the overlay.
  • RenderRenders & Previews provides preset management, viewport preview renders, final renders, render playback, and history controls.

Upcoming Features

This roadmap is based on docs/FEATURE_IDEAS.md, docs/TASKS.md, and placeholder/tabled features found in the source.

Near-Term Work

  • PlannedShared operator readiness and warning system so tools can explain missing selection, mode, object type, or module state requirements before/after execution.
  • BugRepair Edit Mode Curve Detail. It appears in the Modifiers category today but is reserved and does not yet perform useful work.
  • In ProgressFinish Edges To Curve: spline type controls, convert-to-mesh-after-apply behavior, and validation for complex branching selections.
  • PolishImprove Edit Mode Move with stronger visual geometry preview, selection restore/preserve polish, and richer orientation controls if viewport testing calls for it.

Planned Tool Families

  • Edit ModeBisect Mesh: interactive cut plane/line with popup controls for position, rotation, noise, flip side, clear inner, and clear outer.
  • FractureAdd Cracks: boolean-cutter fracture workflow with random and user-generated crack modes, crack manager, cutter visibility, and noise controls.
  • ScatterExpanded scatter types: Surface, Volume, Pile, Brush, and Spread & Drop, sharing target/source/instance controls and per-system point data.
  • Particle tools Cluster Particles and Voronoi Collapse remain registered for saved-scene compatibility but are hidden from creation for a future release.

Module Reference

The reference below lists each module's RealUI icon actions and the registered Blender operator classes backing the UI.