How to add a custom object entry to the add menu?

Question

Hello I am creating an addon for blender. I have rigged a character, with controller handlers, sliders to control the rig, etc.

I need now to understand how to create a custom 3D menu to append the whole scene in my viewport, just a way to make it less boring than appending it everytime.

I learned how to add a custom object, but I am encountering difficulty in making a custom menu to append an entire scene.

To be clear I want to add a custom button under the bone and armature section when you hit ⇧ ShiftA to append in the 3D scene.

Answer 1

Blender 2.8x

def menu_func(self, context):
    self.layout.operator("YOUR OPERATOR BL_IDNAME")
    # bl_idname should be in form of "something.something"
    # or YourClass.bl_idname

def register():
   # register classes so blender knows about them
   bpy.utils.register_class(MyOperatorClass)
   # this adds your menu to shift-a add object menu
   bpy.types.VIEW3D_MT_add.prepend(menu_func)
   # if you want to add to mesh menu use INFO_MT_mesh_add
   # other menu classes you can find in \scripts\startup\bl_ui\
   # by looking into the files there (i.e.: space_view3d.py)

def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(MyOperatorClass)
    bpy.types.VIEW3D_MT_add.remove(menu_func)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

Blender 2.7x

def menu_func(self, context):
    self.layout.operator("YOUR OPERATOR BL_IDNAME")
    # bl_idname should be in form of "something.something"
    # or YourClass.bl_idname

def register():
   # register classes so blender knows about them
   bpy.utils.register_module(__name__)
   # this adds your menu to shift-a add object menu
   bpy.types.INFO_MT_add.prepend(menu_func)
   # if you want to add to mesh menu use INFO_MT_mesh_add
   # other menu classes you can find in \scripts\startup\bl_ui\
   # by looking into the files there (i.e.: space_view3d.py)
 
def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_module(__name__)
    bpy.types.INFO_MT_add.remove(menu_func)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

Answer 2

There are some small picky details you need to get right for your script to work.

Your class bl_idname should be

bl_idname = "mesh.addsubmarine"

Notice the mesh. prefix and the all lowercase in the name. This also needs to be copied to the name used in menu_func. You could use OBJECT_OT_addSubmarine.bl_idname in menu_func so that it always matches your class setting.

In register and unregister you need to register/unregister your operator class. Either with bpy.utils.register_class(OBJECT_OT_addSubmarine) or bpy.utils.register_module(__name__). Jerryno may have confused you as he was highlighting the lines you need to add for the menu entry.

The use of bpy.types.INFO_MT_add is incorrect. This refers to the top menu which contains categories like mesh curve etc. You want to use

bpy.types.INFO_MT_mesh_add.append(menu_func)

Answer 3

Thanks, guys.I had to register again hence I lost my mail_password. so I can add the answer for now rather than comment. I have been testing the changes that sambler proposed.Now I get an error in the console

Traceback >Most recent call last>: File "testsubmarine4.py", line54, in File "testsubmarine4.py",line47, in register Name Errror:mame menu_func is not defined

Here is the code I used http://pastebin.com/5izAYFwH

I also tried using bpy.utils.register_class(OBJECT_OT_addSubmarine) to register unregister but I get the same error in console.

Thanks Chris.I fixed that.I put menu item also in register. now I just get one in the console that is

line 43, in menu_item NameError:

I Also tried to write it either way as was suggested:

self.layout.operator(mesh.addsubmarine.bl_idname, text="yellowsubmarine", icon="PLUGIN")          

If I interpret well what I had to do, but still the same error in line 43. This is the error that I get in console. here is the last code I used trying to make the changes also in line 43 http://pastebin.com/f9LSTUcd