# Asset Browser: 3.1 Targets :::success New version moved to [T94031: Asset Browser: 3.1 (and some 3.2) Targets](https://developer.blender.org/T94031) ::: :::info **Objective** Use 3.1 to further polish the basic Asset Browser experience, before moving to the next big goals. In a way this is a feature-fix release (like C\++14 was to C\++11 ;) ) ::: **In short:** * Add support for Collection assets * Handling of external file dependencies * Multiple Catalog Definition Files * Indexing of asset libraries & metadata * Placement Tool * Improved Preview Support * Allow Transforms After Linking * Grease Pencil Assets * Node Group Assets Order roughly reflects importance, so that towards the bottom, items become more nice-to-have targets - that is, in terms of asset project strategy. For each target there is a rationale explaining why this is something that should be addressed for the next release. **Bcon1:** 27 October 2021 **Bcon2:** 29 December 2021 **Bcon3:** 26 January 2022 ## Collection Support **Why:** The lack of collection support is a major limitation of the current Asset Browser. Collection support is very important, especially in more professional environments. **Status:** Needs design discussions (e.g. how to handle instancing?) and implementation. **Who:** Julian? ## External File Dependencies [T91252: As a user I want external files to be localized when appending an asset so they are part of the project I'm working on.](https://developer.blender.org/T91252) **Why:** It should be possible to import assets without causing dependencies on the asset library. So dependent external files should be copied over to where the .blend file is. **Status:** Needs design discussion ([T92315: API Design for `IDType::foreach_external_file`](https://developer.blender.org/T92315)). Patches exist, but may need to be reworked. **Who:** Jeroen ## Multi-CDFs [T93755: Support Multiple Catalog Definition Files](https://developer.blender.org/T93755) **Why:** Single CDFs ask for editing conflicts when asset libraries are shared across multiple users; Simple drop-in of asset .blend files together with CDFs isn't possible. **Status:** Basic design & code architecture support it, but details need to be figured out and actual support be implemented. **Who:** Sybren Note that there is no big issue with delaying this to 3.2 if needed. It's of stratigical importance that this gets dealt with before too long, but it's not really urgent. ## Indexing [T91406: AssetBrowser: Indexing Asset Library](https://developer.blender.org/T91406) **Why:** Asset library loading doesn't scale well currently. With a bunch of asset .blend files, loading time can be quite annoying; in production repositories it can take minutes. **Status:** Almost done. Basic indexing is merged but disabled, pending IDProperty support which is in late review stages. **Who:** Jeroen ## Object (& Collection?) Placement Tool [T90199: Placement Tool for Objects and/or Collections](https://developer.blender.org/T90199) **Why:** Current drag & drop with snapping is great, but limited. Give users quick access to important transforms and settings for object/collection placement. **Status:** Needs discussion and UI design proposal/discussion. **Who:** * Implementation: Campbell? * Design: ? ## Improved Preview Support **Why:** Current options for generating or loading previews are rather limited, and inconsistent between asset types. E.g. armature assets use the scene camera, while object and material assets have their own preview scene. **Status:** Needs design. Multiple improvements possible, it's a bit open ended. **Who:** ? ## Allow Transforms After Linking [T93010: Design discussion: Add object instancing to support transforming linked objects?](https://developer.blender.org/T93010) **Why:** Many users seem confused or annoyed when dragging in objects with linking enabled, because they can't transform the object, and the surface snapping doesn't work. **Status:** Needs design discussion. Feasibility depends a lot on that. **Who:** ? ## Grease Pencil [D13193: GPencil: Asset Manager support](https://developer.blender.org/D13193) **Why:** The Grease Pencil workflow could benefit a lot from the Asset Browser. Antonio is eager in working on that and already has a bunch of work done. But it needs design review. **Status** [Patch uploaded](https://developer.blender.org/D13193), needs design and code review. **Who:** Grease Pencil module ## Node Groups & Geometry Nodes [T92811: Support node groups in asset browser](https://developer.blender.org/T92811) **Why:** Node workflows could benefit quite a bit from the Asset Browser. Not much work should be needed to get it ready and the nodes module can take do the remaining bits (low overhead for the asset team). **Status:** Should be mostly there, but needs careful confirmation/testing and some nice-to-have features would be nice to have ;) **Who:** Nodes module / Geometry Nodes team
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Task List Harley :)

Main Topics Generally the idea is that Harley helps on small, preapproved tasks (which tend to be neglected) falling into the following categories. Triaging Assets:Asset browser polishing. Helping out with brush assets. UI module: UI project organization (classifying reports, organize workboard, organize meetings, etc.)

3/15/2023
Asset URIs

file:///home/guest/Blender/Assets library://MyMaterials/interior/couch.blend/Materials/leather addon://blender-cloud/HDRIs/5d08c2cb804c3eb269e42a43

3/7/2023
Asset System: Asset Library Loader

Moved to T103188: Asset System: Asset Library Loader. All loader methods should be expected to run in a thread. Loaders may instantiate and use other loaders. E.g. a CurrentFileAssetLibraryLoader. class AbstractAssetLibraryLoader { /** The asset library to load into. */ AssetLibrary &library_; public:

12/13/2022
Asset Types & Traits

Resolving a definite type for an asset is difficult. Instead, the following proposes a way to define type related characteristics (traits) of an asset, which can then be mapped to precise behavior. What is the Type of an Asset? The type of an asset is a vague concept. Some considerations: Is it the ID type? If so, we wouldn't be able to tell apart a compositor node tree from a geometry node tree. Or a mesh object from a curve object. So just ID type often isn't granular enough. Nor does that cover assets that are not IDs (files, USD assets, presets, etc.). How much should it matter to the user if an image is already a Blender data-block or just an image on the hard drive? Or if an object is already native Blender data or will go through an importer after dragging in. What matters most is the object itself, the format it happens to be stored in is irrelevant to a degree. An image could be a reference image, a bump map, a stencil texture, ... The fact that an asset is an image may not matter much to the user, what the image represents and thus what it can be used for does. So the proposal is to avoid the concept of a single static type. Instead, differentiate assets using type related characteristics, so called traits.

9/12/2022
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