Mirror Match - Addon for Blender

Mirror Match Addon for Blender

What is Mirror Match?

Mirror Match is an addon developed by Rob Neary using Blender 4.0, designed to simplify the process of mirroring objects in 3D space while retaining their original transforms. This tool is particularly useful for people who often need to create symmetrical scenes or objects in Blender.

Installation:

1. Download and save the Mirror Match_v1.0.zip in a suitable location on your computer.
2. Extract Zip and read user manual.
3. Open Blender and go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
4. Click Install, navigate to the saved MirrorMatch.zip file, and select Install Add-on (Located within the main zip file downloaded).
5. Enable the addon by checking the box next to its name in the Add-ons list.

Features:

• Create Empty at Centre: Generates an Empty object at the centre of a selected object, which acts as a pivot point for mirroring.
• Create Link: Duplicates selected objects and parents these duplicates to the chosen Empty, ensuring their relative positions are maintained.
• Mirror Match: Mirrors the parent Empty (and its children) across a specified axis, keeping the original object transforms intact.
• Cleanup: Unparents objects from the Empty, maintains their transformed positions, and deletes the Empty, leaving a clean and organized scene (this cannot be undone by the addon, use Ctrl + Z to undo if required).

Why use Mirror Match?

The Mirror Match addon provides a streamlined and intuitive way to create symmetrical arrangements in Blender, preserving the original object transformations. Whether for architectural visualisation, character modeling, or any other symmetrical design, this tool enhances efficiency and accuracy in the 3D creation process.

Traditional Mirror:

Mirror Match:

Similar to an array modifier, Mirror Match offers even more control over the mirroring process. Users can define a specific pivot for mirroring, ensuring that mirrored objects relate accurately to a chosen reference point while maintaining their original transforms.

Usage:

• Object Origins
  • Ensure all object origins are aligned to their own geometry.
  • Right click on an object or multiple objects, Set Origin, Origin to Geometry.

2. Creating the Pivot Point
   • Select an object in the scene (this should be the base object you want every other object to be relative to – can be the same object).
   • In the Mirror Match panel in the 3D View sidebar, click Create Empty at Centre. This action places an Empty at the object’s centre.
3. Preparing for Mirroring
   • Select the objects you wish to mirror.
   • Click Create Link in the Mirror Match panel. This duplicates the selected objects and links them to the previously created Empty
   • A collection of the duplicated objects is also created at this point.
4. Mirroring the Objects
   • Choose the axis (X, Y, or Z) you want to mirror across in the Mirror Match section.
   • Click Mirror Match. The linked objects will be mirrored across the chosen axis, maintaining their original orientations and scales.
5. Cleanup
   • After mirroring, you can clean up the scene by clicking Cleanup. This unparents the mirrored objects from the Empty and deletes the Empty.

Notes:

• The addon was designed to work in Object Mode.
• Ensure the active object is suitable for creating an Empty at its centre.
• The mirrored objects are placed in a new collection named MirrorMatch_X (X being a number) with a blue colour tag for easy identification in the outliner.
• See images below for more guidance and information.

Please see User Manual included in zip.