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Watched Folder functionality was previously already available via a Control module, please read the FileWatchfolder Module article for this workflow.
Projects that do not make use of Control can now enable it as an attribute of any folder in the Compositing/Resources tree.
The directory associated with the resource folder will be watched for changes and the resources will be updated to reflect those changes. The mechanism is hierarchical, i.e. subfolders introduced on disk will be added as folders in the resource tree.
Watch Directory for Changes
The Watch Folder mechanism is available for each folder in the resources tab. It is not active by default, as you need to specify a folder on the system to watch.
To activate the Watch Folder mechanism, please checkbox Watch Directory for Changes - this activates the automatic scan and import of new resources from the inputted system folder.
It can also detect files within subfolders. When a file is detected in a subfolder, that subfolder will be imported as well.
Limitations
Currently, it is not possible to sync the folder with an existing structure. Only newly created files will be detected—files that existed before the Watch folder was assigned will not be recognized.
Remove Resource if File is Deleted
Additionally, it is possible to remove resources from the library once the original file gets deleted in the watched folder by selecting this checkbox.
Auto Detect Image Sequence
This option enables the possibility, that PIXERA recognizes Image Sequences and automatically adds them as such. If this checkbox is unticked, PIXERA adds all frames of the picture sequence as single images.
PIXERA imports the picture sequence with the default FPS of Image Sequences which is adjustable in Initial Values.
Known issues and current limitations
- If file versioning is done with FreeFileSync and the setting "Fail-safe file copy" is enabled (which is on by default), PIXERA won't auto up version the file. When copied via Windows or with FreeFileSync with this setting disabled, it works as intended.
- There are currently no API calls available to access Watch Folder settings.
- When opening PIXERA, no files are imported automatically that were previously in the folder to be observed
- Watch Folder can not import Unreal Assets
- When using the Watch Folder with “Auto Detect Image Sequence” and two Image Sequences are imported with the folders having the same ending name, which is needed to use file versions for them, they will import as separate resources in those folders.
- After initial import, you can still switch each resource to the other after manually rescanning, but unlike the other resource types they are not automatically seen as file versions
- for more information about “File Versioning” please read the related article File Versioning
Pixera 25.1 RC 2 | 07. May 2025 | C.L.