Option to EXPORT ALL FX in the FX Bin

[D.T. Nethery]

An option that would be very helpful is the ability to choose EXPORT ALL the FX in a particular category; for example, let us say that I have 100 KeyFramer FX saved in the FX bin and I need to Export all of those FX as a back-up (so I can re-load them later in a different configuration if necessary) or to share the FX with another user, it takes a considerable amount of time to export each of the 100 FX one at a time. The option to Export ALL FX in the FX Bin would be extremely useful.

(Also, as mentioned in another topic, when exporting a single FX , TVPaint needs to automatically assign the correct name of the FX being exported. As it is now the previously exported FX name is entered in the Export window , so the user must manually fix this each time by typing-in the correct name of the FX being exported. This is a minor annoyance if you only have one or two or thee FX to export , but if you have dozens or hundreds of saved FX bins to export it is very tedious.)

[mox]

(..) it takes a considerable amount of time to export each of the 100 FX one at a time. The option to Export ALL FX in the FX Bin would be extremely useful.

You know you could do that by opening the TVP config folder ...\default\filterstack\ , right?
That's true the FX bin menu is asking for an "open bin folder" entry or something like that, but it's merely useful when saving all the bin files in a same folder.

[D.T. Nethery]

(..) it takes a considerable amount of time to export each of the 100 FX one at a time. The option to Export ALL FX in the FX Bin would be extremely useful.

You know you could do that by opening the TVP config folder ...\default\filterstack\ , right?
That's true the FX bin menu is asking for an "open bin folder" entry or something like that, but it's merely useful when saving all the bin files in a same folder.

I guess I did not know that . So the file named bin.bin inside the filterstack folder is ALL the FX that have been saved into each of the FX Bins in a particular configuration of TVPaint ?

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My problem is I have saved FX scattered across various configurations of TVPaint that I have used over the years and I am currently trying to consolidate everything (all my custom brushes files, custom panels, FX stacks) into a single TVPaint configuration because I suspect that switching between my various configurations (some of which have duplicate .tvpx and .bin files) is the root cause of some strange issues I have been having. I'm trying to save everything I might need , but only have a single TVPaint configuration.

So, let's say a user has two Configurations: A and B . I wonder if it is possible to open Configuration A's filterstack bin.bin file in a text editor , copy the contents, and then paste the contents into Configuration B's filterstack bin.bin file , thereby combining the two FX bins ?

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[mox]

So the file named bin.bin inside the filterstack folder is ALL the FX that have been saved into each of the FX Bins in a particular configuration of TVPaint ?

Yes it seems to work like this as far I know.

I just tried to copy and paste a couple of 'xxxx.bin' in the config folder and there are not available in the FX menu list after opening TVP again (I thought it would be the case since it 's the way TVP works), you will need to import them one at a time, so you're right it will be a hassle for a long list of presets...

It's a bit tricky to copy and paste as a text and not sure TVP dev would recommend this :]

[D.T. Nethery]

So the file named bin.bin inside the filterstack folder is ALL the FX that have been saved into each of the FX Bins in a particular configuration of TVPaint ?

Yes it seems to work like this as far I know.

I just tried to copy and paste a couple of 'xxxx.bin' in the config folder and there are not available in the FX menu list after opening TVP again (I thought it would be the case since it 's the way TVP works), you will need to import them one at a time, so you're right it will be a hassle for a long list of presets...

It's a bit tricky to copy and paste as a text and not sure TVP dev would recommend this :]

Yes, I have some reluctance to go messing around with the .bin files by copying & pasting lines from other .bin files, because I worry that it might mess up the whole thing.

Difficulty managing FX for future re-use and sharing with other crew members is one of the reasons I think so many productions choose to animate in TVPaint , but do everything else in terms of FX and Compositing in After Effects or Nuke. As much as possible I like to stay within the same sofware , but in this area of managing saved FX bins TVPaint could definitely use improvement.

Because FX must be exported one at a time to save the FX for re-use or sharing with other crew members it is most important that the naming of the exported FX bin file be automatically named the same name as the current FX in the bin. The way it is now the name is always the previous FX that was exported , not the current FX being exported, so the user must manually change the name of the file each time. This adds to the tedium of exporting each FX bin one at a time.


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[mox]

I think too that FX stack is well underestimated, even years after, you always discover a new way to use a FX!
Even if it may not be that easy to handle for new users, I think one reason people tends to use other softwares for FX, is about the "destructive" actions (a non-issue IMO).

You did raise a good point about the names and export.

[D.T. Nethery]

Even if it may not be that easy to handle for new users, I think one reason people tends to use other softwares for FX, is about the "destructive" actions (a non-issue IMO).

I agree with you about the "destructive" actions of applying the FX being (mostly) a non-issue. If the user is careful to plan so that FX will be applied to duplicate layers or using other open TVPaint project files as source layers or images stored in the Image Library as source layers , then there is no destructive behavior in applying the FX , because if an FX needs to be adjusted or re-applied , the user will do it on a fresh layer that is referencing the original (unaltered) source layer. It is important to SAVE the FX into the FX Bin (or Export it so it can be re-loaded if needed) and also to make sure that any source images are saved in the Image Library or other TVPaint project files that are used as source layers are kept stored in the same folder as the project file that has the FX applied. This way nothing goes missing if an FX needs to be reapplied or adjusted in the future.

You did raise a good point about the names and export.

Yes, fixing the current problem with the naming would make it much easier to Export/Save and share FX bins with other production team members.