BlenderExec

BlenderExec for VS Code
Supercharge your Blender Python development with IntelliSense, hot-reload, and seamless script execution.

BlenderExec provides syntax highlighting, snippets, and full auto-completion powered by Blender Python API stubs (from fake-bpy-module) — plus commands for sending scripts directly to a running Blender instance.

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✨ Features

• 📦 Bundled Blender API Stubs
  Provides IntelliSense, type hints, and docstrings for Blender’s Python API.
  (Stubs are generated using fake-bpy-module.)

• ⚡ Auto-Enable IntelliSense
  Automatically injects the Blender API stub path into python.analysis.extraPaths when opening a Python file in a workspace.

• 🛠 Manual Command Support
  Enable Blender IntelliSense on demand via
  BlenderExec: Enable Blender API IntelliSense.

• 🚀 Direct Script Execution
  Send your Python scripts or selections from VS Code directly to a running Blender instance.

• 🔄 Hot-Reloadable Development
  Instantly test scripts in Blender without restarting, perfect for fast iteration.

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🛠 Commands

Command	Description
BlenderExec: Select Blender Instance	Select a running Blender instance to target for script execution.
BlenderExec: Send Full File to Blender	Sends the current .py file to Blender for execution.
BlenderExec: Send Selection to Blender	Sends only the currently selected code to Blender.
BlenderExec: Enable Blender API IntelliSense	Injects the Blender API stub path into workspace settings.

🔑 Keybindings

Keybinding	Action
Ctrl+Alt+E	Select Blender Instance
Ctrl+Shift+E	Send Full File to Blender
Ctrl+Shift+S	Send Selection to Blender
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+B	Enable Blender API IntelliSense

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🚀 Workflow

0. Install Blender Addon (Required)

Before using script execution features, install the BlenderExec Bridge addon in Blender:

1. Download: BlenderExec.Bridge.Addon.zip
2. In Blender: Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Install... → Select the zip → Enable addon

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1. Enable Blender IntelliSense

Run BlenderExec: Enable Blender API IntelliSense (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+B).
This automatically injects the bundled Blender stubs into VS Code, giving you full autocomplete and type hints.

⚠ Works only inside a workspace folder. Single-file editing without a workspace will not enable IntelliSense.

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2. Select Blender Instance

Run BlenderExec: Select Blender Instance (Ctrl+Alt+E) to choose which Blender process will receive scripts.
Multiple Blender instances? No problem — just select the desired one from the list.

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3. Send Python Scripts

• Full File: BlenderExec: Send Full File to Blender (Ctrl+Shift+E)
• Selection Only: BlenderExec: Send Selection to Blender (Ctrl+Shift+S)

Your code executes immediately inside Blender’s Python environment.
Perfect for rapid testing and iterative development.

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⚙ How It Works

1. Stub Path Injection
   On activation or when opening a Python file, BlenderExec injects the bundled stubs into python.analysis.extraPaths.

2. Instance Management
   Detects running Blender instances and lets you pick one as the execution target.

3. Script Execution
   Sends the full file or selection to Blender using a TCP/IPC-based connection for immediate execution.

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📦 Requirements

• Blender installed on your system (any recent version supported by fake-bpy-module).
• VS Code 1.60.0+
• Python extension (Pylance) for IntelliSense.
• BlenderExec Bridge Addon installed in Blender for script execution.

Installing the Blender Addon

To send code from VS Code to Blender, you need to install the BlenderExec Bridge addon:

1. Download the addon: BlenderExec.Bridge.Addon.zip
2. Install in Blender:
   • Open Blender → Edit → Preferences → Add-ons
   • Click Install... and select the downloaded .zip file
   • Enable the BlenderExec Bridge addon

📥 Latest Release: Release
🏪 VS Code Marketplace: BlenderExec Extension
🔗 Source Code: BlenderExec Bridge

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🧪 Troubleshooting

• ❌ No IntelliSense: Ensure your workspace is a folder (not just a single .py file).
• ⚠ Wrong stub path: Run BlenderExec: Enable Blender API IntelliSense.
• 🔄 Scripts not executing: Ensure you have selected a running Blender instance.

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🙏 Acknowledgments

Special thanks to:

• Blender Foundation for creating an amazing open-source 3D suite.
• nutti/fake-bpy-module for the Blender API stubs used in IntelliSense.

BlenderExec wouldn’t exist without their incredible work. 💙

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