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Files

Basic editing

Saving and loading files

Use hotkey F1 to load files, F2 to save files. The active window then changes into a FileWindow.
  • Use LeftMouse to activate files or to enter directories.
  • Press MiddleMouse at a file to load or save it immediately.
  • Press ENTER to load or save the active file (displayed in the filename button).
  • Press ESC to cancel the action and restore the previous window type.
The top two buttons in a FileWindow display the directory and the file name respectively. Use LeftMouse to activate a button; press ENTER to assign the text entry to the button.

There are two ways Blender protects the user from software failures and saving errors:
  • File versions: in the UserMenu (top header, pull down the edge) there's a "Versions" button. With this option, before a file is saved, the old file(s) will first be renamed.

    For example: the file rt.blend becomes rt.blend1.

  • Auto save: with this option, located in the UserMenu as well, a temporary file will be written every 'x' minutes. The file name has a unique number (the process id). After successfully quiting Blender (press QKEY), this file will be renamed as 'quit.blend'.
Blender has a - sometimes frustrating - preservative memory management.

Deleting an Object for example, doesn't mean everything that has been linked (Meshes, Materials...) is immediately released in memory. After a few hours of working, you may have a lot of zero-user data blocks.

This feature can be used effectively to 'undo' a deletion: use the browse button in the headers to restore a link.

Data blocks that have zero users are NOT written in files.

Only when a Blender file is loaded, will memory be released and re-organized.