Create Assets

April 12, 2026 · View on GitHub

Source: src/mpfb/ui/create_assets/maketarget/

Parent panel: MPFB_PT_Create_Panel ("Create assets")

Overview

MakeTarget is the tool for creating MakeHuman morph target files. A morph target (.target file) encodes a set of per-vertex offsets from the base mesh rest position. When applied at a given weight (0.0 to 1.0), each vertex is displaced by that fraction of its stored offset, allowing smooth interpolation between the base shape and the target shape.

Targets are used to drive all morphing in MPFB and MakeHuman — body proportions, facial features, age, weight, and so on. Authors can create custom targets and install them into the asset library so they appear as sliders in the Model panel.

The workflow is:

Initialize a target — creates a named shape key on the active mesh. The mesh is now in "target editing" mode.
Edit the mesh — move vertices in the shape key to define the morph. The base shape is preserved in the "Basis" key; only the target shape key is modified.
Save the target — export the vertex offsets to a .target file, optionally also writing a library copy.
Symmetrize (optional, basemesh only) — mirror the offsets from one side to the other.

The panel is only drawn when the active object has a known MPFB object type (as set by the object_type property) and that type is not "Skeleton". When no target shape key matching the name property exists, the panel shows initialization controls. Once the target exists, it switches to save/symmetrize/debug controls.

Panel

MPFB_PT_MakeTarget_Panel ("MakeTarget")

Attribute	Value
`bl_label`	"MakeTarget"
`bl_category`	`TARGETSCATEGORY`
`bl_parent_id`	`MPFB_PT_Create_Panel`
`bl_options`	`DEFAULT_CLOSED`
Base class	`Abstract_Panel`

The panel draws different boxes depending on state:

When no target exists on the active mesh:

Initialize — name field and buttons to create a blank target, import a .target file, or import a proxy-specific .ptarget file.

When a target already exists:

Save as file — buttons to write the target to a .target file and to write a proxy-specific .ptarget file.
Save to library — button to write the target directly into the user's local asset library.
Symmetrize — (basemesh only) buttons to copy left-side offsets to the right or vice versa.
Debug — button to print the raw target data to the system console.

Operators

MPFB_OT_CreateTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.create_maketarget_target`
`bl_label`	"Create target"

Creates a new shape key on the active mesh using the name from the name object property. The shape key is initialised as a copy of the Basis shape (i.e. no offsets yet). The user can then switch to the new shape key and edit vertex positions to define the morph.

MPFB_OT_ImportTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.import_maketarget_target`
`bl_label`	"Import target"

Opens a file browser and imports a .target file, applying the stored vertex offsets as a new shape key on the active mesh. This is useful for editing an existing target rather than starting from scratch.

MPFB_OT_ImportPTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.import_maketarget_ptarget`
`bl_label`	"Import proxy-specific target"

Like "Import target", but imports a proxy-specific .ptarget file. Proxy targets apply offsets to a proxy mesh (e.g. a topology or a clothing item) rather than the full base mesh.

MPFB_OT_WriteTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.write_maketarget_target`
`bl_label`	"Save target"

Opens a file browser and writes the current target shape key to a .target file. The file format is plain text: one line per affected vertex, with the vertex index followed by the X, Y, Z offset values.

MPFB_OT_WritePTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.write_maketarget_ptarget`
`bl_label`	"Save proxy-specific target"

Writes the current target as a proxy-specific .ptarget file. Used when the morph is intended to apply to a proxy mesh rather than the full base mesh.

MPFB_OT_WriteLibraryTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.write_library_target`
`bl_label`	"Save target" (to library)

Writes the current target directly into the user's local MPFB asset library, making it immediately available as a slider in the Model panel.

MPFB_OT_SymmetrizeTargetLeftOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.symmetrize_maketarget_left`
`bl_label`	"Copy left to right"

Copies vertex offsets from the left side of the base mesh (positive X) to the corresponding mirrored vertices on the right side (negative X). Only available when the active object is the base mesh.

MPFB_OT_SymmetrizeTargetRightOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.symmetrize_maketarget_right`
`bl_label`	"Copy right to left"

Copies vertex offsets from the right side of the base mesh (negative X) to the corresponding mirrored vertices on the left side (positive X).

MPFB_OT_PrintTargetOperator

Attribute	Value
`bl_idname`	`mpfb.print_maketarget_target`
`bl_label`	"Print target"

Prints the raw vertex offset data of the current target shape key to the system console. Useful for debugging to verify which vertices are being affected and by how much.

Properties

Object properties (stored per object, via `MakeTargetObjectProperties`)

Defined in maketarget/objectproperties/:

Property	Type	Description
`name`	string	The name of the target. Used both as the shape key name in Blender and as the basis for the exported file name. Must match an existing shape key name for the save/symmetrize controls to appear.

Apply Assets — load installed targets onto a character as morphing sliders
TargetService — the service that handles target loading, saving, and application
Target file format — documentation of the .target file format