Sort Mesh Faces By Vertex Groups
Follow these steps to install:
- Download the zip file to anywhere on your hard drive, do not unzip it (and re-zip if it is automatically unzipped by your browser).
- Open a new instance of Blender
- Go to Edit>Preferences. The Blender Preferences window opens.
- Click the Addons button on the left-hand panel.
- At the top, click Install.
- Locate to the download zip file and double click it to install.
- If the add-on does not immediately appear, look for it under the "Mesh" category.
- Click the check box to enable the add-on.
To use the Add-On:
- In 3D View, switch your model to EDIT view.
- Ensure that the mesh is manifold (i.e. has no loose pieces - this will stall the algorithm that finds a path from the start to end faces - at least each face must be connected to another.). You can use SHIFT-CTRL-ALT-M to highlight any vertices of non-manifold parts. Either delete or join these into the model until it is fully manifold.
- Clear the face selections.
- Select the face you want the build modifier to start on.
- With that face selected (you can pick more than one but only the first will be used) create a vertex group called "SortStart" and assign that face to it.
- Clear the face selections.
- Select the face you want the build modifier to end on.
- With that face selected (you can pick more than one but only the first will be used) create a vertex group called "SortEnd" and assign that face to it.
- Go back to OBJECT mode and save the blend file to ensure your changes are set.
- Go back into EDIT mode for the mesh, and under the Face menu (in the 3D View), select "Sort Mesh by Specified Faces". This can take a while if the mesh is really big.
- Go back to OBJECT mode and add a Build modifier to the mesh. Try it out. The selection of the start and end faces can make for some interesting effects.