Where’d that button go?
Posted on 25. Nov, 2009 by Andrew Price in Articles
When you open the brand new Blender 2.5 Alpha version, you will notice that a lot has changed. For one, buttons are now vertical, and most of them have new icons and names.
When they rebuilt Blender from the ground up, a few things were moved for the better. You know all those “industry professionals” that complain how awful the Blender interface is? Well these changes were designed to keep them happy. Most of your favourite functions are still there, just hiding.
This 2.5 interface guide should get you back on the straight and narrow. I have tried to include all the frequently used functions, as well as common blunders encountered when using Blender 2.5 for the first time.
Set Smooth/Solid
Previously…

Now…

Add Menu
Previously…
Now…

Join screen
Previously…


Now…


(similarly, dragging the cursor in the opposite direction splits the screen)
Spin/Screw/Flip Normals/Rem Doubles
Previously…

Now…

Background Image
Previously…

Now…

Logic buttons
Previously…

Now…


IPO Curve
Previously…

Now…

Move Header
Previously…

Now…


Buttons
Side-by-side comparison…

Window type
Side-by-side comparison…
Radiosity buttons
Previously…
Now…

Missing something?
There’s a chance that the button you’re looking for is not actually hardwired into blender yet. But fear not! Because a useful function has been added that lets you create your own button.
For example, I use the ‘Center New’ button constantly, but strangely it’s missing from Blender 2.5.
Here’s how to add it to your toolbar:




You can do this for virtually any function in Blender. So if you’re tired of looking for a lost button, this can provide a temporary fix.
That concludes the Blender 2.5 interface guide. Was it useful? Is it missing something? It is by no means complete, so if you think something should be on the list, drop a comment below and I’ll see if I can help!
196 Responses to “Where’d that button go?”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
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26. Nov, 2009
[...] y si son de los que le gusta leer tambien hay informacón en ingles aqui http://www.blenderguru.com/whered-that-button-go/ [...]
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27. Nov, 2009
[...] Guida illustrata: le principali differenze tra la GUI attuale e la nuova [...]
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29. Nov, 2009
[...] fica um tutorial do BlenderGuru para facilitar a transição para a nova versão: Where’d that button go? (e mais um tutorial em [...]
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04. Dec, 2009
[...] mais comuns encontrados ao se utilizar esta versão pela primeira vez. Visite o site BlenderGuru (clique aqui) e confira ótimas dicas ilustradas pelo autor, que vão lhe ajudar a entender um pouco mais sobre [...]
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04. Dec, 2009
[...] Price, escreveu um pequeno guia para a migração de versões anteriores para a interface do 2.5. O guia mostra como era apresentado e como e onde [...]
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04. Jan, 2010
[...] http://www.blenderguru.com/whered-that-button-go/ [...]






Keith
16. Mar, 2010
Where’d it go tutorial was excellent and very much appreciated by this user. I am a Blender noob. I decided not to waste my time becoming a V2.4x expert when V2.5x, with its radically different learning curve, is in the pipeline and right around the corner. I learned where’d it went the hard way.
Ergonomically, the new GUI is much better as it is dark, cutting down on the total light energy hitting the user’s eyes over a long period of time. Using V2.4x is like staring into the sun. I have very little trouble using my V2.5x knowledge and going back to V2.4x in my learning trials to use features not yet ported to V2.52, like the “knife” tool. I would much rather deal with the deficiencies in the current implementation of V2.5x than the poor ergonomics of 2.4x and the headaches they caused after long periods of use. To me, the V2.5 GUI is pure “eye candy”, and after using Blender since V2.50, Blender on the trail to becoming a dynamite product!
Question: The embedded tutorial: “Adding the “Set Center” functionality” using the Add Tool feature really caught my attention. I wanted to add the exact same functionality to Blender 2.52. How did you create the pull-down list giving the selections you have in your tutorial. When I clicked Add Tool, I got the following list: Duplicate Window, Reload Start-up File, Save User Settings, Toggle Fullscreen, Exit Blender, Open Blender File, Link/Append from Library, Recover Last Session, Recover and Auto Save, Save as Blender File. None of the selections in the tutorial matched any selections in the pull down list. I was never able to add “Set Center” to my tool list.
Thanks for a much needed tool during this painful transitional period.
Keith
17. Mar, 2010
By accident I found the answer to my own question preparing the question. I think it is a bug as it requires both the mouse and keyboard to use it.
1. Here is a work-around. Use the mouse to select “Add Tool”.
2. There is no widget in the “Add Tool” control to expand the list using the mouse. The only widget on the pull-down list closes it.
3. At this point you use the down arrow on the keyboard to scroll through the list.
Andrew
20. Mar, 2010
When you click “add tool” Blender brings up a list. When you have the list open you can simply search for an item “or function” that you want to add, by simply typing the functions name into the search bar, which is placed at the bottum of the list. Hope this will spare you alot of time!
The Blendmaster
20. Mar, 2010
i “don’t emphasize” with “quotation marks”!
Cedal
22. Mar, 2010
do you know where in edit mode of a curve the ‘Poly’ button is?
i don’t know where to find it but i have an image which i want to make 3d, but editing a curve is a hell right now!
Benjamin Bailey (Banor)
23. Mar, 2010
Use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C to bring up the Set Center options.
cdm
25. Mar, 2010
Where has the physics buttons gone i really can’t find it.
smash
26. Mar, 2010
when you hit “B” twice in the older versions you get the round box selection , how do i get to it ?
Articles
27. Mar, 2010
Great article, I drop by often to check the updates and comments.
Someone
29. Mar, 2010
To get the round box selection press ‘c’.
Gopinath
09. Apr, 2010
how do i use offset in the NLA after creating a loop.
Spender
09. Apr, 2010
I need to ask.
At 2.49b I press Ctrl+Cmd to move my Blender object in to side Left-Right
At 2.50Alpha 2 nothing happen with Ctrl+Cmd.
Can you advice me how to do
Thanks
gopinath
10. Apr, 2010
In Blender 2.52 how do i use offset in the NLA after creating a loop.
yogyog
10. Apr, 2010
One thing I’m still missing is the that one in the material and texture buttons that looks like a little car and automatically names your textures and materials.
I really liked this button. Will it return?
Other than that I’m really enjoying the new interface, and have found a new button in the NLA editor with a square snowflake on it that’s even more useful!
Spender
11. Apr, 2010
Very good. Thank you.
Today I made my first animations with 2.50 Alpha2.
I have some trubble to find buttons.
Look at my screenshot and advice me.
Thank you.
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af353/Spender19/Skrmavbild2010-04-11kl013502.png
Yudhi Kurnia
16. Apr, 2010
Thank’s for this tutorial, finally i find what i looking for.. thank’s
Tony Jenkins
27. Apr, 2010
Hi, I’m using Blender 2.5 Alpha 2.
The Smooth button is not where you state. It seems to be the only button missing from the Object View buttons. Could you please let me know if it is in this version ?
Thank’s Tony.
Tony Jenkins
27. Apr, 2010
Oops. I was in the wrong mode. Clicked to Object mode and the Smooth and Flat buttons appeared where you state.
satriya mujung
29. Apr, 2010
on blender 2.49 i can do right click on the button window to add Insert Alpha Keyframe. how about blender 2.5 version?
anyone, please..
riftmaster
20. May, 2010
how do you use an image as an environment map,
i used to use them a lot in 2.4x
thanks,
riftmaster
Ken Bates
21. May, 2010
When I load a file created in Blender 2.49 into 2.5, the outliner and properties appear at the bottom of the screen. How to I get it to move to the far right as in the default position?
FU
23. May, 2010
AWWWWWWWW MANNNNNNNNN
tonurs
25. May, 2010
What happened to the PAttr button ? How to I control the emission of particles using a texture in 2.5 ?
Daffy Duck
27. May, 2010
haha, the “new center” was exactly why I came to this article and you answered it beautifully! Thanks!!
guru
28. May, 2010
Hi, I’m using Blender 2.5 Alpha 2.i cant find the ACTOR button.anybody…plz.
Richard
06. Jun, 2010
Where did “rebuild Proxy” end up?
Very much appreciated
cdm
06. Jun, 2010
How do you make Textures into nodes in 2.5???????
prabu
08. Jun, 2010
blenderguru prafaciltay super and the fill toolbar in pdf file and used some
Leo
08. Jun, 2010
What happened to making textures, where is that???
Cheatsguy777
10. Jun, 2010
Just a question, but I’m using Blender 2.5.2, and I can’t find the logic editor physics buttons. where did they go? I’ve checked repeatedly under the physics panel where they should be and they just aren’t there. can anyone help?
Daniel Fernandes
26. Jun, 2010
I came here because of the “Center New” missing button. After your great help, I just tried to move an object with the arrow keys and it was ALL messed up… After many loads of patience, welcome back Blender 2.49b!
2.5 sucks, in many aspects… 8 or 9 years of perfect blender for me, and they messed up it all…
copperplate
29. Jun, 2010
Wow, thanks for sharing this! With the “Center New” reference, you saved me a lot of potential headache–before it started!!
BTW, FANTASTIC animation in the Smoke Tutorial!! The camera mapping technique was really cool!
Chan
29. Jun, 2010
How do I bring up the scene panel to render my animation to a video format in 2.5?
Rizz
12. Jul, 2010
Question: I am new to blender and was learning 2.49 with CGTUTS tutorials, and have tried to start learning on the 2.5 alpha 2 version. With respect to the Mirror function, i noticed it is moved, but it seems to behave strange. When I apply the mirror modifier to a cube that has been cut in half, it places the mirrored part of the object about the distance of the removed section away. Leaves a big space, instead of essentially attaching it to the place which I cut off. Please advise, is there something i am not doing correctly, or is it work in progress? Cheers
pdf-xchange документ не может быть распечатан на данном принтере
20. Jul, 2010
ок неплохо
Mr. Smith
22. Jul, 2010
is it possible to delete a new tool if made incorrectly?
Bishop
26. Jul, 2010
I still don’t know the hotkey and interface on 2.53b, so my way around it. Use both 2.49 AND 2.53b
?Q?U?E?S?T?I?O?N?
27. Jul, 2010
it doesnt say how to change from rigid body, soft body ect. Can someone help me out?
stib
30. Jul, 2010
I was going nuts trying to join screens. I could split them, but not join them, so I ended up with a zillion panels. Turns out that to join screens you click on the widget in the lower left and drag left, not the upper right + drag right. This is for 2.53 BTW.
I’m loving how you can multiple top-level windows. Good for dual monitor setups.
tonurs
30. Jul, 2010
stib,
You can close windows from either top right or bottom left. Hold down for a second at the top right, when the “+” appears, then move the cursor right.