These are real PME setups from the forum. Each card names the idea worth reusing and links to the source thread.
Group the controls for one task
Transform Preset
Open the showcase · shared by Pluglug (maintainer’s own example) in reply to mcjamall07
Borrow this: put the controls for one task in one menu instead of adding more separate shortcuts.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Sculpt Brush Palette
Open the showcase · question by you16_0823, solution by Motiomancer
Borrow this: reuse Blender’s own icons so the menu looks like part of Blender.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Sidebar Panel Group
Borrow this: group a sidebar panel by job, not by which add-on each control comes from.
Show state in the control
Keyframe-aware Property control
Open the showcase · question by Nanomanpro, solution by Pluglug (maintainer’s own example)
Borrow this: one small control can read a value, edit it, key it, and show whether it is keyed.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Property slider where you need it
Open the Property slider guide
Borrow this: put a Blender value next to the action that uses it.
Readable Pie spacing and colour
Open the spacing and colour guide
Borrow this: trim the menu, then use spacing and theme colours to make its groups readable.
Adjust without leaving the viewport
PME Preferences in a full window
Borrow this: open PME Preferences in a full window with one command.
One hotkey, three Node Editors
Borrow this: keep one hotkey and give each Node Editor its own menu.
Put controls where you use them
Properties under the pointer
Open the showcase · shared by fiendish55, with roaoao
Borrow this: open a large panel only when needed, and let the selection decide what it shows.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Modifier Preset Shelf
Open the showcase · shared by Metin_Seven, with StroBlend
Borrow this: keep modifier presets next to the modifier stack they add to.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Workspace controls in Blender headers
Open the showcase · shared by Gregg_Hartley
Borrow this: put a control next to the area it changes.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Design around how you trigger it
A context-specific right-click toolkit
Open the showcase · shared by felipetorrents
Borrow this: keep one right-click habit while the tools change with object type and mode.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Sculpt from one pen-display button
Open the showcase · shared by AlfredBaudisch
Borrow this: design around the device you actually hold; here, one pen button.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Large layouts and authoring aids
A 42-button Popup Dialog
Open the showcase · shared by emboo2
Borrow this: a Popup Dialog in an empty window can hold a large labelled panel. This example contains about 42 buttons from the Physics panel.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Context Browser as authoring material
Open the showcase · shared by Pluglug (maintainer’s own example), based on roaoao’s Context Browser
Borrow this: find the property path and its real values first, then build the control.
Historical · current compatibility unverified
Using a historical example
The historical cards preserve an idea, its author, and the original material. When rebuilding one, read the showcase for any known version or add-on dependency, test imports or keymap changes in a copy of your Blender profile, and recapture commands or property paths from the Blender version you use.
Start with the smallest part that would help your own work. If it behaves correctly in the editors and modes where you need it, add the next part.
More patterns to explore
- Cycle several related actions with a Stack Key.
- Borrow a property value while a key is held, then restore it.
- Put Blender’s familiar header menus inside a Pie Menu.
- Compose a large Popup Dialog from framed child sections — Historical · current compatibility unverified.
- Open a temporary Blender editor in a popup.
- Follow eight resolved conversations from shortcuts to stateful workflow tools.