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I noticed that bpy.props.CollectionProperty and bpy.props.PointerProperty can both be used to collect custom properties (as is shown here: http://www.blender.org/api/blender_python_api_2_75_release/bpy.props.html).

There are also other examples on the internet, but I still can't figure out the difference between these two properties.

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A collection is an array of a set of properties. Every element in the array has the same properties (with individual values).

A pointer property is used to organize properties. The sub-attribute the pointer property is stored at will hold a set of properties. It is not an array of properties however.

Scene.collection
  Scene.collection.add()
  Scene.collection.remove()
  Scene.collection ...()
  Scene.collection[0]
    Scene.collection[0].name # Foo
    Scene.collection[0].val # 123
  Scene.collection[1]
    Scene.collection[1].name # Bar
    Scene.collection[1].val # 234
  Scene.collection[...]
    Scene.collection[...].name # Baz
    Scene.collection[...].val # 345

Scene.pointer
  Scene.pointer.name # Foo
  Scene.pointer.val # 123
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    $\begingroup$ Worth noting that you can use collections for UI-Lists (as used for vertex-groups, UV-layers... etc) $\endgroup$
    – ideasman42
    Commented Jul 15, 2015 at 1:27
  • $\begingroup$ Where can I find all the methods applicable for a collection, like add() and remove() and their documentation? Thank you for you answers! $\endgroup$
    – user15546
    Commented Jul 29, 2015 at 12:21
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    $\begingroup$ They are unfortunately not documented, you'll need to use dir(...) on an actual collection or use auto-complete of the Python Console. There are actually just two more important methods however, clear() and move(). $\endgroup$
    – CodeManX
    Commented Jul 29, 2015 at 17:03

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