custom render etc preferences

[Andy Moorer]

I should know this... but I don't. What's the best way to set persistent custom defaults for render settings, paths, values in various ppgs etc? 

For example, if I want to change the default scene output tokens (render->render->scene options) tokens from their default of [Project Path]/Render_Pictures/[Scene]... and a bunch of other stuff... should I edit spdls, or make an event based script that resets values as desired, or what?

Also, is there a good way to switch out various preferences when switching layouts? Ideally I would like to set up some job-based layout/preference setups, for instance render settings and layout to use when doing a specific kind of work on anamorphic footage, versus work for a project that involves an unusual scale and camera setup, and so on.

OnBeginSceneOpen or other events? Or should I not even go so far and just have users run scripts to make necessary changes manually as needed?

[Jens Lindgren]

To change the standard output path / format, you should look in Preferences --> Rendering.

 

/Jens

--

Jens Lindgren

--------------------------

Lead Technical Director

Magoo 3D Studios

[Andy Moorer]

(slaps forehead)

Thanks Jens, that was right in front of me. :)

Original question still stands, for overall control of such things. Given a need to establish widespread custom settings for many different default values (and ideally swap those settings based on current jobs) does it make sense for me to write a big fat workgroup startup script that sets everything, or is there a better approach? Fat script is easy enough, it just seems like the kind of thing where there may be a more intelligent way..?

[Steven Caron]

we use events extensively, not sure there is a more intelligent way besides scripting it.

[Stephan Woermann]

I don´t know what all is saved, but maybe you can use predefined presets.
You can then make a menu, where the user can select the layout and a script then loads the right preset.

And when you use the preferences, don´t forget to remove the settings after the plugin is removed.
I hate the red errors like "// ERROR : 2356 - This plug-in is not installed: xxxx"

Stephan

[Andy Moorer]

Thanks for the advice guys, I think it's going to be xmls of the attributes/settings and event scripts to load.

I hate red errors too. :D

[Ben Houston]

I'd always recommend JSON instead of XML although I haven't used it
from a Softimage scripting language yet.

http://www.json.org/

-ben

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Best regards,
Ben Houston
Voice: 613-762-4113 Skype: ben.exocortex Twitter: @exocortexcom
Exocortex - Passionate CG Software Professionals.

[Steven Caron]

imo xml seems overkill for that task. maybe a simple key=value so it can be more easily edited by hoomans

s

[Steven Caron]

http://docs.python.org/library/json.html