How can I convert a linked collection to a local collection?

Question

I would like to switch some materials of my linked collection, but how can I instantiate it so I can edit those materials? Will the meshes remain linked?

Vilém Duha · Answer 1 · 2019-04-17T13:14:28.540

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You can run the command 'Make Duplis Real' which can be found under the F3 key since blender 2.8. However, it works correctly only sometimes. The biggest problem is it breaks parenting of objects in the collection.

The add-on BlenderKit has a command in its panel called 'Bring to Scene', which converts linked collections into appended data also with hierarchy. It's in Blender 2.8 directly in add-ons. It does several steps for you and most of the time makes what you need.

edited Apr 17 '19 at 13:14

answered Apr 16 '19 at 12:12

Vilém Duha

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thanks, but if i'm not mistaken, when you link a collection, you don't have access to the "materials" tab... ? – gordie Apr 16 '19 at 12:19
"make local" on a linked collection doesn't "unpack" that collection, I can't access its objects

gordie

Apr 16 '19 at 17:51

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thanks, I corrected the answer, actually completely rewrote it. – Vilém Duha Apr 17 '19 at 13:15

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is this "make instances real" now ? still, I find it very hard to understand the way to achieve this. – gordie Apr 08 '20 at 10:05

"Make instances real" worked for me in 3.0 - still kind of complicated – Markus Schlögl Dec 07 '21 at 09:55

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 23 '23 at 11:20

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I've found that this no longer works for Blender 3.4, so here's an alternative:

Select the Linked Collection you want to make local.
Go to Object > Library Override > Make
Select the Collection again
Go to Object > Relations > Make Local > All

edited Feb 23 '23 at 11:20

Duarte Farrajota Ramos

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answered Feb 23 '23 at 07:34

Edmund Earle

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I've also started to use the Library Override. Great stuff. – gordie Feb 23 '23 at 15:32

Kira Makogon · Answer 3 · 2019-07-24T15:02:09.197

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In some cases command "Make local" works OK to edit all your stuff in a local file.

Object/Relations/Make local/Select objects, data and materials (or all)

It brings the whole group to the scene, but it seems to work improperly if you try to link nested groups.

For keeping things linked, maybe the good solution will be to create another .blend file with new materials and then link it to the scene.

edited Jul 24 '19 at 15:02

answered Jul 24 '19 at 12:53

Kira Makogon

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How can I convert a linked collection to a local collection?

3 Answers3