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This guide takes you from a fresh installation to your first safe Rigger Aids session. Use a copy of a Blender file while learning the batch tools.

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1. Confirm the Add-on Is Ready

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  1. Open Blender.
  2. Go to Edit → Preferences.
  3. Search for Rigger Aids and confirm that it is enabled.
  4. Close Preferences.
  5. Move the pointer over the 3D Viewport and press N.
  6. Select the Rigger Aids tab in the Sidebar.

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You are ready when the Rigger Aids tab opens without an error and displays its tool sections.

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2. Start with a Safe Test File

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Before trying batch operations:

  1. Open a simple rig or a copy of a production file.
  2. Save it under a new name.
  3. Confirm the active object and current Blender mode.
  4. Begin with inspection, selection, visibility, or filtering tools before using rename, delete, parenting, driver-apply, or constraint-apply operations. </aside>

3. Understand the Main Work Areas

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Work area Use it for Typical starting context
Advanced Bone Collection Armatures, bone collections, bone sets, constraints, colors, selection, visibility, and action access An armature in the scene
Advanced Vertex Groups Panel Checking, filtering, assigning, renaming, mirroring, locking, copying, and deleting vertex groups An active mesh object
Advanced Shape Key Panel Inspecting and managing shape keys across mesh data, including driver-related workflows A mesh with shape keys
Advanced Action Panel Actions, Blender 5.1 action slots, naming, sorting, and fake-user workflows An animated object or existing actions
Driver Nodes Creating, inspecting, previewing, and applying drivers with a node graph An object with a driven property or existing driver
Quick Tools Collecting frequently used Rigger Aids commands into custom categories Configured from Rigger Aids preferences
Script Library Registering folders of trusted Python scripts and running them inside Blender A trusted local scripts folder

Advanced Bone Collection

Advanced Bone Collection

Advanced Vertex Group Panel

Advanced Vertex Group Panel

Utility/Quick Tools

Utility/Quick Tools

Advanced Shape Key Panel

Advanced Shape Key Panel

Utility/Script Library

Utility/Script Library

Driver Nodes

Driver Nodes

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4. First Advanced Bone Collection Workflow: Inspect an Armature

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This is a safe way to learn the interface without immediately changing rig data.

  1. Add or open an armature.
  2. Open 3D Viewport → Sidebar → Rigger Aids.
  3. Expand Advanced Bone Collection.
  4. Locate the armature list and choose the armature you want to inspect.
  5. Browse its bone collections.
  6. Select a collection to view its bones.
  7. Try selection, visibility, or solo controls while watching the armature in the viewport.
  8. Return any visibility or solo state to its original value when finished.

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The armature stored in the Rigger Aids list can remain accessible while you work with other objects or modes, which reduces repeated context switching.

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5. First Mesh Workflow: Inspect Vertex Groups

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  1. Select a mesh object that has vertex groups.
  2. Expand Advanced Vertex Groups Panel.
  3. Review the vertex group list.
  4. Check a few groups.
  5. Try the checked and unchecked visibility filters.
  6. Use a selection or inspection command before trying assignment, mirroring, renaming, or deletion.
  7. Clear or restore the filters when finished.

Advanced Vertex Group Quick Start

Advanced Vertex Group Quick Start

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6. First Shape Key Workflow

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  1. Select a mesh with shape keys.
  2. Expand Advanced Shape Key Panel.
  3. Review the object, mesh data, and shape key information shown by the panel.
  4. Compare the displayed names with Blender’s native Shape Keys and Drivers editors.
  5. Begin with inspection tools before changing values or driver relationships.

Advanced Shape Key Panel Quick Start

Advanced Shape Key Panel Quick Start

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7. First Action Workflow

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  1. Select an object with animation data or create a test action.
  2. Expand Advanced Action Panel.
  3. Review the available actions and action slots.
  4. Check the active action and slot before changing names or fake-user state.
  5. Test batch rename and sorting only on disposable actions until you understand the affected scope.

Advanced Action Panel Quick Start

Advanced Action Panel Quick Start

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8. First Driver Aids Workflow

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  1. Change any Blender area’s editor type to Driver Aids Graph.
  2. Create or select a Driver Aids node tree.
  3. Start with a simple custom property driving a single numeric property.
  4. Add or generate the Driver Property, Driver Type, and Driven Property nodes.
  5. Connect the nodes and preview the graph.
  6. Confirm the data paths and expression before applying the graph to Blender drivers.
  7. Save the test file and verify the result in Blender’s Drivers Editor.

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9. First Quick Tools Workflow

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10. First the Script Library Workflow