Floating Panel Editor¶
Floating Panel arranges actions and settings in rows and columns to create a panel you can use while working. Gather several settings in one working panel or embed it in a Vector Menu.
Adding rows and columns, then placing slots inside them, follows the same approach as Popup Dialog Editor. Use Popup Dialog layout editing as a starting point for building a working panel.
Feature in development
Floating Panel uses GPULayout, PME’s system for drawing Blender UI layouts on the GPU. Vector Menu uses the same system.
Floating Panel and GPULayout are in development. Editing resembles Popup Dialog, but supported widgets, layout APIs, display, and interaction are not identical. See the configuration guide below for current support.
Configuration guide — build a working panel (for AI)
Name: Floating Panel / Type ID: FPANEL. Place Command / Property / Menu / Hotkey / Custom in a row-and-column layout. Parts of layout editing are shared with Popup Dialog; runtime display and supported UI differ.
Property: place a setting by its RNA path. In Custom, use the layout APIs supported by
L; do not assume every Blender UI can be drawn unchanged.Menu: reference another customization. Use Expand Panel when placing it in Vector Menu.
Uses: adjust colors and numbers in a working panel, collect frequent actions, or place groups of settings in Vector Menu’s directional or extra top/bottom slots.
Design choice: decide whether to open the panel on its own or expand it in another menu. Width and position for each placement belong to the destination slot.
See rows and slots for layout, Advanced settings for alignment, and usage for embedding.
Interface and editing workflow¶
Choose a name and hotkey, then add slots to rows to build the panel. Open it in the intended editor and check that its controls address the intended data.
Name and basic controls¶
Shared controls include enabled state, preview, name, and tags. See selected menu settings for each button.
Advanced settings¶
In addition to Description and Poll, configure how property labels and input fields are displayed.
Added in version 2.1: Added Property Split support for aligning property names and input fields.
Property Split separates labels and values into aligned columns. Property Decorators controls animation-related decorations and becomes available when Property Split is on. Also check each item’s display options. See advanced settings for the shared description and availability controls.
Keymap / Hotkey¶
Use Keymap to choose where the panel is available, and Hotkey for the trigger key and modifiers. See the shared Hotkey settings.
Rows and slots¶
Add rows and place actions or properties in them. Combine columns and subrows—for example, to show status above a row of action buttons.
Command: Python code executed when selected.
Property: a widget displaying and changing an existing RNA property.
Menu: a reference to another customization.
Hotkey: finds and invokes an operator from the key assignment at runtime.
Custom: UI drawn with Python. Do not change data while drawing.
Row and column editing shares features with Popup Dialog layout. See Code Input and Execution for code constraints.