Packed Data

Blender has the ability to encapsulate (incorporate) various kinds of data within the blend-file that is normally saved outside of the blend-file. For example, an image texture that is an external image file can be put «inside» the blend-file. This allows to share a full project as a single file, instead of e.g. an archive containing the blend-file and all of its dependencies.

You know that a data is packed when see a little «gift box» icon displayed next to its path.

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Not all external files can be packed

Some typically heavy external files, like video ones from the Sequence Editor or Movie Clips, cannot be packed in a blend-file.

Pack Data

Pack All

Reference

Panel

File ‣ External Data ‣ Pack All Into .blend

Mark all eligible external files used by the blend-file as packed. Actual packing will happen on next save of the blend-file.

Automatically Pack

Reference

Panel

File ‣ External Data ‣ Automatically Pack Into .blend

When enabled, this option will ensure that all eligible external files, existing or added later, are systematically marked as packed. As with Pack All Into .blend, the blend-file must be saved to drive for this to have an effect.

Disabling that option won’t unpack anything, but future external files won’t be automatically marked as packed anymore.

Selective Packing

A single file can be packed by clicking on the little «gift box» icon to the left of its file-path UI widget.

Unpack Data

Unpack All

Reference

Panel

File ‣ External Data ‣ Unpack All Into Files

Unpack all external files stored into a blend-file.

Options

Use files in current directory (create when necessary)

Unpacks all files in the same directory // as the blend-file, grouping them in proper folders (like “”textures”” for instance). However, if the final file exists already, it will use that file, instead of unpacking it.

Write files to current directory (overwrite existing files)

As with previous option, but if the final file exists already, it will overwrite it.

Use files in original location (create when necessary)

Unpacks all files in their original location. However, if the final file exists already, it will use that file, instead of unpacking it.

Write files to original location (overwrite existing files)

As with previous option, but if the final file exists already, it will overwrite it.

Disable AutoPack, keep all packed files

Only deactivates the Automatically Pack Into .blend option.

Selective Unpacking

A single file can be unpacked by clicking on the little «gift box» icon to the left of its file-path UI widget.

Options

Remove Pack

Just mark the file as unpacked, without actually writing it or reloading it from drive.

Create <local file path>

Unpack the file at proposed path, which is local to current blend-file.

Use <original file path> (differs)|(identical)

If original file path still exists, mark it as unpacked. Note that it won’t be automatically reloaded from drive. (differs) or (identical) show difference status between packed version and on-drive one.

Overwrite <original file path>

If original file path still exists but differs from packed version, mark it as unpacked and overwrite on-drive file with packed version.

Create <original file path>

If original file path does not exist, mark it as unpacked and write it to drive.