Scene Collections Manager is a utility addon for Blender designed to streamline the management of complex scenes. Its primary function is to allow users to easily save the exclusion state (visibility) of all collections within a scene to an external configuration file and then load these states back at any time.

This is particularly useful for projects with numerous collections, where you might need to switch between different visibility setups for tasks like rendering, modeling, or animation, without the tedious process of manually toggling each collection on and off.

The addon integrates directly into Blender's UI, providing a simple panel in the Scene Properties tab. From this panel, you can specify a file path to save your current collection setup or load a previously saved configuration. The addon stores the collection names and their exclude status in a human-readable .scm file (using JSON format). As a safeguard, it checks if the configuration is being loaded into the same scene it was saved from, warning the user of potential mismatches.

Installing the addon is straightforward. You only need to install the .zip file downloaded from the marketplace.

1. Download the latest .zip file from product page (Gumroad, Blender Market, etc.).
2. Open Blender and go to Edit > Preferences.
3. Navigate to the Add-ons section and click the Install... button.
4. In the file browser, locate and select the .zip file you downloaded. Do not unzip the file. Click Install Add-on.
5. Blender will install the addon. In the search bar, type addon name to find it.
6. Enable the addon by clicking the checkbox next to its name. ✅

Scene Collections Manager is designed for immediate use and does not require any initial setup in Blender's Preferences window.

All operations and settings, such as specifying the file paths for saving and loading configurations, are handled directly within the addon's dedicated panel located in the Scene Properties tab. The functionality of this panel will be covered in detail in the Features section of the documentation.

The core functionality of the Scene Collections Manager is accessible through its main panel. This panel is the central hub for all operations.

You can find the panel in the Properties Editor, within the Scene Properties tab, under the name Scene Collections Manager.

The panel contains the following tools:

• Save collections settings to file: This is a file path field where you specify the destination for your configuration file.
• Save Collections Settings (Button): This operator executes the save process. It analyzes every collection in the current view layer and writes its name and its exclude (visibility) status into the specified .scm file. The addon automatically appends the .scm extension if not provided and also saves the current scene's name for reference.
• Load collections settings from file: This file path field allows you to select a previously saved .scm configuration file.
• Load Collections Settings (Button): This operator reads the selected configuration file and applies the stored visibility states to the collections in the current scene by matching their names. It includes a safety check that prints a warning to the console if the configuration was saved from a different scene.

This section demonstrates a practical workflow for using the Scene Collections Manager in a project with multiple visibility requirements.

Scenario

Imagine you're working on an architectural visualization project. Your Blender scene is complex and organized into several collections:

• Arch-Walls
• Arch-Furniture
• Veg-HighPoly (for final renders)
• Veg-LowPoly (for viewport performance)
• Lights
• Characters

You need to switch between a lightweight setup for modeling and a full-detail setup for rendering.

Step 1: Create a "Modeling" Preset

First, set up the scene for optimal modeling performance. You want to see the architecture and low-poly vegetation but hide the heavy assets.

1. In the Outliner, manually disable (exclude) the Veg-HighPoly, Lights, and Characters collections by unchecking the box next to their names.
2. Navigate to the Scene Collections Manager panel in the Scene Properties.
3. In the Save collections settings to file: field, name your file modeling_setup.scm.
4. Click Save Collections Settings. You have now saved your first preset.

Step 2: Create a "Render" Preset

Next, configure the scene for the final render. You need the high-poly assets and lights enabled.

1. In the Outliner, enable the Veg-HighPoly, Lights, and Characters collections.
2. For performance, you might now want to disable (exclude) the Veg-LowPoly collection.
3. In the addon panel, change the save file name to render_setup.scm.
4. Click Save Collections Settings to save your second preset.

Step 3: Switch Between Presets

Now you can instantly switch between these two configurations.

• To return to your modeling setup, simply select modeling_setup.scm in the Load collections settings from file: field and click Load Collections Settings. The addon will automatically hide the heavy assets according to your saved preset.
• When you're ready to render, select render_setup.scm and click Load Collections Settings again to bring all the high-detail collections back into view.

This workflow eliminates the need to manually manage collection visibility, saving time and preventing errors in complex projects.

This tutorial will guide you through your very first save and load operation using the Scene Collections Manager. We will use a very simple scene to demonstrate the core functionality.

1. Scene Setup

First, let's create a simple test environment.

1. Open a new Blender project.
2. In the Outliner, you will see a default "Collection". Rename it to Collection_A. It should contain the default Cube.
3. Create a new collection by right-clicking in the Outliner and selecting New Collection. Name it Collection_B.
4. Select Collection_B, and add a new mesh (e.g., Shift + A > Mesh > UV Sphere).
5. Ensure both collections are visible (the checkbox next to their name is checked).

Your scene is now ready.

2. Saving a Collection State

Now, let's save a specific visibility configuration.

1. In the Outliner, hide Collection_B by unchecking the box next to its name. Your scene now shows only the cube.
2. Go to the Properties Editor and select the Scene Properties tab.
3. Find the Scene Collections Manager panel.
4. In the Save collections settings to file: field, click the folder icon. Choose a location, name the file my_test_state.scm, and confirm.
5. Click the Save Collections Settings button in the panel. A message "saving completed" will appear in Blender's system console, confirming the save.

You have successfully saved a state where Collection_A is visible and Collection_B is hidden.

3. Loading the Saved State

To see the addon in action, let's first alter the scene and then load our saved state.

1. In the Outliner, manually change the visibility: hide Collection_A and make Collection_B visible again. Your scene now shows the sphere, not the cube.
2. In the Scene Collections Manager panel, click the folder icon next to the Load collections settings from file: field.
3. Find and select the my_test_state.scm file you just saved.
4. Click the Load Collections Settings button.

4. Verifying the Result

Look at the Outliner. You will immediately see that the visibility has been restored to your saved state: Collection_A is now visible, and Collection_B is hidden.

Congratulations, you have completed the basic save and load cycle!

Q: Where can I find the addon's panel?

A: The panel is located in the Properties Editor, inside the Scene Properties tab. It is named "Scene Collections Manager".

Q: I loaded a settings file, but some collections didn't update. Why?

A: The addon works by matching the exact names of the collections. If you have renamed any collections since you saved the configuration file, the addon will not be able to find them, and their state will not be changed. Make sure the names in your scene correspond to the names stored in the .scm file.

Q: Can I use a configuration file in a different Blender project?

A: Yes. Since the addon relies only on collection names, you can use a saved .scm file in any project that has collections with matching names. The addon will print a warning message in the console if the scene name is different from the original, but it will still attempt to apply the settings.

Q: What format does the addon use for its files? Can I edit them?

A: The addon saves configurations in a .scm file, which is a standard, human-readable JSON file. You can open and edit it with any plain text editor if you need to make manual adjustments.

Q: Does the addon save the individual visibility of objects inside a collection?

A: No. The addon is designed to manage only the exclude property of the collections themselves (the main visibility checkbox in the Outliner). It does not save or load the properties of the individual objects contained within them.

If you believe you have found a bug or are experiencing an issue not covered in this documentation, we encourage you to report it. Your feedback is essential for improving the addon for everyone.

Please use the official contact method or support ticket system on the marketplace where you purchased the product (e.g., Blender Market, Gumroad, etc.).

What to Include in Your Bug Report

To help us resolve the issue as quickly as possible, please include the following information in your report:

• Addon Version: The version of the addon you are using (e.g., 1.5.0).
• Blender Version: The version of Blender you are using (e.g., 4.1, 3.6 LTS).
• Operating System: Your operating system (e.g., Windows 11, macOS Sonoma, Linux).
• A Clear Description of the Problem: Please describe what happened and what you expected to happen.
• Steps to Reproduce: A numbered list of the exact steps needed to trigger the bug. This is the most important part of the report.
• Error Messages: If any error messages appear, please open Blender's System Console (Window > Toggle System Console) and copy and paste the entire message into your report.
• Sample .blend File (Optional but very helpful): If possible, attaching a simple .blend file that demonstrates the issue is the best way for us to quickly identify and fix the problem.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a report. We appreciate your help in making our tools better!