What's New in Batch
 
 
 

Batch Nodes

In this release, existing nodes have been updated and new ones have been created.

 

Clip Node

A clip node can with more than two outputs can now be expanded and collapsed using the Group tool.

When collapsed, the clip will display a single grey output tab indicating that multiple outputs are present. When expanded, all outputs will be visible and connections can be made to other nodes.

 

Export Node

The Batch Export node now supports flexible naming conventions. You can use tokens to create naming patterns and automate versioning. This will help you easily version exports with the appropriate file naming.

The Export Node also includes the ability to save a copy of the active setup with the exported material, allowing you to package exports with the setups that created them.

 

Gateway Import Node

Use the new Gateway Import node to access media, without importing it into the Flame or Smoke clip libraries. The Gateway Import node supports all of the formats currently supported by the Wiretap Gateway.

The Gateway Import node also supports:

  • Support for Multi-Channel Files in Batch: With the Gateway Import Node, you can load multi-channel media as a single input. This gives you the ability to replace the entire contents of the multi-channel clip while maintaining compositing connections.
  • Support for Versioned Media: Use the Gateway Import node to update versions of media live within the Batch compositing environment.
 

Output Node

When the Stereo option is enabled in the node menu, the new Output node can now output left and right matte outputs for stereo clips

 

Stereo Node

The Stereo node merges the functionality of the Stereo Interlace node and Stereo Anaglyph node. A third option, creating a dual image output, is added to it.

 

Automatic Cache Deletion

The new Batch Cache Life Span settings in the Preferences menu allow you to determine whether to set Batch setups for automatic or manual deletion.

 

Gateway .Clip File Format

The Gateway .clip format is a new file format for describing Gateway Clips.

Using the Gateway .clip format, you can organize media outside of your applications for later use in Flame 2012, Smoke 2012, and Lustre 2012.

With the Gateway .clip format, you can define many aspects of a Gateway clip, including:

  • Source Information
  • Versioning
  • Multiple Channels of media
  • Paths to media

The improved Batch Export node in uses Gateway .clip files to describe the multiple versions of exported media.

Because the Gateway .clip is supported by the Wiretap Gateway, reading of these files is supported by any Wiretap Gateway client application.

 

Improved Render Pass Workflow

The Gateway Import node provides a simpler way for you to re-use compositing information for new scenes and renders.

The Gateway Import node supports matching channels based not only on their UID and name, but also on their channel type. This allows you to replace sources with multiple render passes in a Gateway Clip that are similar, but not identical, and maintain schematic connections to the Gateway Import node within a composite.

Batch FX

 

BFX Output Node

The new Batch FX output node can output left and right matte outputs for stereo clips. Visually, it is no longer a rectangle and now a circular node.

 

Optimized Performance

Multiple improvements were made to optimize the performance of the application when working with Batch FX. You can control these optimizations from the Batch FX section of the Preferences menu.

The preferences allow you to control if BFX nodes are loaded into memory when a setup is loaded, if they are kept in memory after rendering, and how Batch FX nodes are copied. See Batch FX preferences.