How to save your anme files and resources

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Víctor Paredes
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How to save your anme files and resources

Post by Víctor Paredes »

Hi, many people has been asking how to save entire projects with many resources (as images, videos, sound, scripts, etc) and be able to move them without problems between different computers and operative systems.

Here is a little tutorial about it, I hope to be clear enough. If you have any doubt, don't hesitate asking it here.


- Make a folder with the name of the project (it can be anywhere on each computer, but must have the same name on all the computers)
- Save all the resources inside that folder (resources can be inside the folder, or in new child folders)
- Never call a resource if it's not inside that main folder (or inside a child folder).
- The anme files must be always on the top of the main folder, never inside a child folder.
- If you want to take the project to other computer, copy the entire project folder.

If you have followed this rules, all resources routes will work perfect.

It has to do with how AS works with address:
If you save an anme file in a folder, and in the same folder its resources, the address you will see opening it on notepad will be something like "\arm.png", if the arm is right on the main folder. Or "\character\arm.png", if your arm is inside the main folder, but in "character" folder.

Now, if your arm is out of that main folder or one level up of where the anme file is, AS will call it with its entire address, like "C:\madrobot\non pornographic stuff\arm.png". That specific route will not be found in other computers.

So, the secret to keep our routes clean is to always follow this graphic:
Image
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GCharb
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Post by GCharb »

I have similar structure, some differences though, like I have a dialogue folder, and a folder for comps, montage and few other things.

Thanks for the guidelines Selgin!
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Post by bowen »

Thanks for your sharing is very practical :lol:
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Post by MustJee »

I do this after finishing (or sometimes in between) with "Gather Media" in the file menue.

And if something really goes bad: load the anme into an editor and change the paths handish.

And right from the start of a new anme I use the folder-names that are also given by AS8.
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Post by Seyrse »

The gather media addition has been a big help to get everything together. When I start a project right off the bat I give it a folder then build everything into it. However now with Win7 and it's library system I might rethink this as I could leave many things in parts folders. Then there is Anime's own library. As I do more and more I'm going to have to layout on paper what is the best use for access. Space isn't a problem as I have just been adding disks during upgrades so now have more space than I need.

Steve E.
meancomics
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Re: How to save your anme files and resources

Post by meancomics »

Quick question, this may be a stupid one but once you save the anime studio files can you import them
Into a different version of anime studio to upgrade the quality and whatnot?
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slowtiger
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Re: How to save your anme files and resources

Post by slowtiger »

The visual quality will not improve as it always was best. However, you're able to open any old .anme file in any newer version of AS, but if you save it then, you can't open it in an older version any more.
meancomics
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Re: How to save your anme files and resources

Post by meancomics »

:mrgreen:
slowtiger wrote:The visual quality will not improve as it always was best. However, you're able to open any old .anme file in any newer version of AS, but if you save it then, you can't open it in an older version any more.

Thanks a lot slow tiger! Because I have a copy of as6 debut then learned it couldnt export HD files
Then figured what now?? I hope I make a lot of friends here cause althought I've been drawing my whole life
I'm still new to animation....gotta stay close to the pros :mrgreen:
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negroclarito
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Re: How to save your anme files and resources

Post by negroclarito »

Then... the GATHER MEDIA doesn't work?
It's because for a small project can be ok but when you have a bigger one it will be messy if can't sort anme files in different folders.
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Re: How to save your anme files and resources

Post by Víctor Paredes »

negroclarito wrote:Then... the GATHER MEDIA doesn't work?
It's because for a small project can be ok but when you have a bigger one it will be messy if can't sort anme files in different folders.
This post is from before the gather media was created. Now AS does a much better job with working with different files. Anyway, I still using this structure in my projects. Is very clean and works for short and long projects. For short I prefer to have all scenes in the same folder -with its respective number- and for long projects, each scene has its own folder. The new thumbnails help a lot too.
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Re: How to save your anme files and resources

Post by negroclarito »

Good to know that because I use gather media. I didn't notice this is a 2011 topic.

Thanks Selgin
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