BlendX

A real-time vertex streaming system that allows you to view and monitor Blender mesh deformations in a web browser. Perfect for visualizing vertex-level changes, mesh deformations, and live sculpting sessions.

Features

• Real-time vertex streaming - See mesh deformations as they happen in Blender
• Web-based viewer - No additional software needed, runs in any modern browser
• Multiple client support - Multiple browsers can connect simultaneously
• Live mesh updates - Captures vertex movements, not just object transforms
• WebSocket communication - Low-latency streaming at 10 FPS

Use Cases

• Sculpting visualization - Monitor sculpting progress in real-time
• Animation preview - Preview mesh deformations during rigging/animation
• Collaborative work - Share live Blender sessions with team members
• Educational demos - Show mesh topology changes to students
• Quality assurance - Monitor mesh integrity during complex operations

Installation

Blender Addon

1. Download blendx_addon.py
2. In Blender: Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Install...
3. Select the downloaded Python file
4. Enable "BlendX" in the add-ons list

Web Client

1. Download all web files: index.html, styles.css, app.js
2. Keep all files in the same folder
3. Open index.html in any modern web browser
4. No additional setup required

Usage

Starting the Stream

1. In Blender:

   • Open the 3D Viewport sidebar (N key)
   • Navigate to the "Stream" tab
   • Click "Start Vertex Stream"
   • Confirm the server starts on localhost:8765

2. In Browser:

   • Open index.html in your browser
   • Click "Connect"
   • Status should show "Connected"

Viewing Live Changes

• Create or select mesh objects in Blender
• Enter Edit Mode (Tab)
• Move, scale, or deform vertices
• Changes appear instantly in the browser
• Browser shows all visible mesh objects with random colors

Project Structure

BlendX/
├── blendx_addon.py      # Blender addon for vertex streaming
├── index.html           # Main web application
├── styles.css           # Application styling
├── app.js              # Three.js rendering and WebSocket logic
└── README.md           # This file

Data Format

The addon streams JSON data containing:

{
  "objects": [
    {
      "name": "Cube",
      "vertices": [[x, y, z], [x, y, z], ...],
      "faces": [[0, 1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6, 7], ...],
      "vertex_count": 8
    }
  ]
}

Coordinate System

• Blender: Z-up coordinate system
• Three.js: Y-up coordinate system
• Automatic conversion: (x, z, -y)

Performance

• Streaming rate: 10 FPS (100ms intervals)
• Data: Vertex positions and face topology
• Bandwidth: Varies with mesh complexity
• Latency: ~100-200ms typical

Web Client Components

• index.html: Main application structure and Three.js integration
• styles.css: UI styling with dark theme and responsive controls
• app.js: WebSocket handling, 3D scene management, and vertex processing

Debugging

Browser Console

Open developer tools (F12) to see:

• Connection status messages
• Received data logging
• Vertex/face count information
• Error messages

Blender Console

Check Blender's system console for:

• Object processing messages
• Client connection/disconnection
• Streaming errors

Common Issues

"Nothing appears in browser"

• Check if Blender has visible mesh objects
• Verify WebSocket connection (green "Connected" status)
• Look for console error messages

"Still seeing box shape after vertex changes"

• Ensure you're in Edit Mode when moving vertices
• Check that streaming is active (not paused)
• Verify objects aren't instanced or linked

"Connection failed"

• Confirm Blender addon is running
• Check firewall settings for localhost:8765
• Try restarting both Blender and browser

Requirements

Blender

• Blender 4.0+ (may work with 3.6+)
• Python libraries: ws4py, wsgiref (included with Blender)

Browser

• Modern browser with WebSocket support
• WebGL support (for Three.js)
• JavaScript enabled

API Reference

Blender Addon Classes

• StreamSocket: WebSocket handler for client connections
• STREAM_OT_start: Operator to start streaming server
• STREAM_OT_stop: Operator to stop streaming server
• STREAM_PT_panel: UI panel in 3D viewport sidebar

Key Functions

• stream_scene_data(): Main streaming loop, gathers and sends vertex data
• connect(): JavaScript function to establish WebSocket connection
• updateScene(): JavaScript function to update Three.js geometry

Development Setup

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/blendx.git
cd blendx

No build process required - direct Python and HTML files.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Built with Three.js for 3D rendering
• Uses ws4py for WebSocket communication
• Inspired by the need for real-time Blender visualization

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• Real-time vertex streaming
• Multi-client support
• Web-based Three.js viewer

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