Applinks in 3DCoat

Every AppLink will work in similar way. At first, you should read installation notes, then install corresponding AppLink.
After installing you should run your App, then run 3D-Coat. There should appear the new menu in “3DCoat – File-> Open in -> Your app name”.

You may use this item to bring 3DCoat’s models from any room (Paint, Retopo, Voxels) to your app with color, normal, displacement and specular, but you should choose what you need -displacement or normalmap- not both at once.

Also you may bring your models from your app to 3DCoat using plugin. In this case you will get new item in menu “File -> Open in original app”. In so way you may bring model back to your app.

Making installer for AppLinks

Andrew: I made very simple and easy to use script for NSIS to make AppLinks installer (Windows).
NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) is a professional open source system to create Windows installers. It is designed to be as small and flexible as possible and is therefore very suitable for internet distribution.

Please read notes and you will understand everything easily.

• Download NSIS from: http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page
• Open file AppLink.nsi and read text neat IMPORTANT tags.
• Replace “YourApp” to the name of your application.

• Open files 3DC-Vxxx-Loading.psd [optionally, may leave as is] and header-MyApp.psd, modify them [if need] and save as BMP files.

• Open do.bat, set correct path to NSIS.
• Place plugin files to the “files” folder.
• Run do.bat, you will get EXE file of installer.

It could be good to make installer for all AppLinks to make user’s life easy .

AppLinkInstaller.rar

To create a 3DCoat AppLink installer, you generally package the necessary plugin files (often Python scripts, configuration files like .mcr for Max, and textures) and provide clear instructions for placing them in the host application’s folders, especially within the user’s Documents\AppLinks directory, with newer versions often requiring just enabling the built-in plugin in the host app’s preferences (like Blender) after an initial 3DCoat prompt.

Key steps involve defining the exchange folder, enabling the add-on, and running scripts to set up materials and toolbar buttons, ensuring both 3DCoat and the external app (Blender, Max) communicate via shared folders.