Proper batch tools = instant FF4 upgrade

+1

Mother of god that was one monster post. +10 for feature.

Quote
I need the ability to point filter forge at a folder of images and have it apply the current filter settings to every image

What's the problem with doing this with the current batch renderer?

Quote

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <Tasks> <Task> <Image value="D:\Sources\1.jpg" /> <Selection value="" /> <Result path="D:\Targets\1.jpg" /> <Filter value="c:\Users\GMM\AppData\Roaming\Filter Forge 3\System\Library\Library_227-2.ffxml" /> <Preset value="1" /> </Task> <Task> <Image value="D:\Sources\2.jpg" /> <Selection value="" /> <Result path="D:\Targets\2.jpg" /> <Filter value="c:\Users\GMM\AppData\Roaming\Filter Forge 3\System\Library\Library_227-2.ffxml" /> <Preset value="1" /> </Task> <Task> <Image value="D:\Sources\3.jpg" /> <Selection value="" /> <Result path="D:\Targets\3.jpg" /> <Filter value="c:\Users\GMM\AppData\Roaming\Filter Forge 3\System\Library\Library_227-2.ffxml" /> <Preset value="1" /> </Task> </Tasks>

Quote
Skybase Mother of god that was one monster post. +10 for feature.

monster post? I do not know whhy you say this because this is a "short" and "tiny" compilation of 6 years of requests

thanks for +10 for feature.

And it seems that FF Inc. will not do nothing about this amount of requests and so this will keep growing and growing another 2 years more until FF 5.0

Quote
Spaz8 I hope they realize by not allowing the software to process a folder of images they are limiting the tool to just photographers and still imagery.

I do not think they will realize, and they will only do what they think is important and have a priority even is something is requested very much since long time ago, I asked some time ago a similar question like this with another topic, and said they could not do it for all the markets.

Quote
GMM What's the problem with doing this with the current batch renderer?

Because this is a mess and akward way to do it

There is already English, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Irish and now FilterForgish as shown by GMM well the right name would be XLMish

Do you a have a Filtergorgish to English translator ?

This is a boring, horrible, aukward and tedious way to do the batch processing!!!!

AND FOR 120 IMAGES TO BE PROCESSED ????

What happens if you have 120 images to process ??? How do you do it ?

do you have write by hand and repeat this text below 120 times

<Task>
<Image value="D:\Sources\1.jpg" />
<Selection value="" />
<Result path="D:\Targets\1.jpg" />
<Filter value="c:\Users\GMM\AppData\Roaming\Filter Forge 3\System\Library\Library_227-2.ffxml" />
<Preset value="1" />

Quote
GMM: The command line is exactly the right way to do batch processing. If you don't like the UI you can write your own front-end — like Totte has already. This actually gives more freedom than a fixed set of graphical buttons and sliders.

Well If only I knew how to write my own...
Don´t you think that´s a bit arrogant? Some ppl here are just artists and not coders. And seriously I have a lot more important things to do than editing some f...ng files.

Sorry that my post was maybe a bit harsh, I shouldn´t post before having coffee :S

Well, if I make a filter, I try to make it so that everyone can use it without studying ancient chinese first

I got so many other things to learn that have a much higher priority. All I want is a button that will render out all my maps in one go, and even if it has a lower priority than other things, I hope that sometime in the future it will be implemented.

I tried to hack through the XML batch files, and read the docs and couldn't get things to work. I then found the 3rd party option above - bless him for doing that (which is only available for OSX) and It did not have the functionality I needed, to process a folder of images. I assume 80% of people see there is only a command line option and give up there. I'll be generous, call myself dumb and say %50 of those people are able to get the xml script working. I've worked in the film industry, and have been in the games industry for the last 8 years. I've written the odd python script, and have been doing computer animation for about the last 20 years. I lean more towards your docs blow. The current batch tools are written for people that have a lot of free time, enjoy coding, and have tiny microscopic tasks to batch process (less than 10 files?)

The kicker is even if I could get the xml script to work, it would still be a horrible tool. FF is not a production tool in its current state. It is like Zbrush was 10 years ago, a toy. Before Weta etc told them how to improve things.

I'm looking to process 100's if not 1000's of images in a go. What if the file locations change? what if the files are renamed? I get to write a and edit a 10,000 line xml script every day.

"The command line is exactly the right way to do batch processing" - clearly you know your users needs.

If you have Photoshop, you can batch process a folder with Photoshop actions. Record the filter into a Photoshop action and batch process a folder that way.

As I recall, Filter Forge will always run the last filter used (and not the actual filter that was recorded) when done this way, so you can't actually store separate filters in separate actions, other than that works fine.

Quote
ThreeDee If you have Photoshop, you can batch process a folder with Photoshop actions. Record the filter into a Photoshop action and batch process a folder that way.

well, this can be a good idea, using adobe bridge you can select an amount of images and then go to Tools--> Photoshop --> Image Processor and then in the end of there is a part for adding your own action to be applied to all the images selected

and you can choose the output size in this image processor and the destination folder

Now I have to make the action for this as I have little experience on this, although is NOT difficult to make.

Here I have found this very good and useful tutorial for making actionsGuide to Automating Photoshop

Quote
ThreeDee Filter Forge will always run the last filter used (and not the actual filter that was recorded) when done this way, so you can't actually store separate filters in separate actions, other than that works fine.

YES, is true, you can ONLY use this with the last filter that has been Rendered (not just used) into photoshop and will use the same settings, so you must prepare Filter Forge previously with your choosen filter and settings and render one example into photoshop and so have it ready.

APPLY DIFFERENT FILTERS TO HAVE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE SAME IMAGE

Although this can work great and fine for applying the same filter and settings to many images, one thing I would really like also is to be able to choose an amount of filters and make different versions of the same image, and this can´t be made with the Photoshop actions.

I do not mean to apply one filter over the other in stack, I mean to have different versions of the same image and how it would look after it was applied

Quote
GMM The command line is exactly the right way to do batch processing. If you don't like the UI you can write your own front-end — like Totte has already. This actually gives more freedom than a fixed set of graphical buttons and sliders.

I agree that the command line can be a right way to do it and it can work right and well IF you know how to use it and know how to make a script right that it makes what you wants as James have told above, but not for artists that are not coders and do not have knowdlege of XML, and I am sorry to tell that the instructions already given in the FF Help are not enough to know how to use it, sorry.

AND if I do not like the UI I can´t in any way write my own front-end because as said I am not at all a coder and could never make my own software like Totte have done and if I could I would have already done it and shared here in the forum.

Quote
GMM I think these are very different types of requests: "give us vector support", or "give us randomizer locks" or "give us a Loop component" — it will allow us to do something we cannot do now. And quite another thing is "I don't like the look of the CMDrenderer, make it fancier".

I agree with you that these are different type of requests AND that more important, useful and interesting are things that will ALLOW to make things in FF that you CAN´T in any way do now and I agree that these are more important and priority to this other request of having a graphical UI for the CMDrenderer.

And if I have to choose I prefer that Filter Forge developers spend the time on making and adding things that will allow to have vectors, randomizer locks and loop component and any other thing THAN having this batch render graphical UI.

BUT then what I want is TO KNOW how I can use the CMDrenderer in the right way

This is why I have made this thread below to ask HOW to use it in a good way and NOT request for a better CMD, just to know how to use it.

Please, could there be a tutorial on how to use command-line renderer

Quote
GMM Quote SpaceRay do you have write by hand and repeat this text below 120 times What you're requesting here is a text autoreplacement tool. Don't you think this is beyond the Filter Forge scope? You can easily google up some tools that allow you to automate such kind of tasks.

a text autoreplacement tool ?? Sorry I do not understand why I would need this to make the XML script.

I could google up tools that allow me to automate this kind of things IF I KNEW what to search for and what would be really needed, if you could help to tell me WHAT I should would be good.

I have found these commercial XML editors that have a GUI and that they make the XML code for you and the script BUT even then I do not how to make it

Liquid XML Studio - XML Editor

and also

Stylus Studio: Powerful XML Integrated Development Environment (XML IDE)

I have also already been searching for XML batch script generator and automating tasks and found some that are for the MAYA software

Batch Script Generator 1.3.0 - Provides a user friendly interface to create batch files for rendering multiple Maya scenes

and here is another different one

Batch Render Script Generator 0.01

Quote
from the link above This is a simple utility that generates batch render scripts for Maya (currently), but could easily be adapted for any other software that accepts command line execution.

I do not know if this could mean that this could be adapted to use with other software like the FF Command line Renderer that could aceppt command line excution from a script like this.

Although even then I would not know HOW to do the conversion and adapt it.

Quote
Skybase said: I still vote for the feature anyway. But if it won't happen then I'll work with what I have. <--- people should have this type of philosophy with creative software.

+1

Quote
and do not have knowdlege of XML

SpaceRay, do you confuse XML with Chinese?
An XML file is plain text, it is meant to be human-readable. Open it up in Notepad and see what it is constructed of.

Quote
BUT then what I want is TO KNOW how I can use the CMDrenderer

SpaceRay, please don't take offense but this looks like "teach me how to use Filter Forge". Just use it and you'll learn while using. We have a sample XML shipped with the program (and I have made a more streamlined version for you in this thread) – just render it and see what happens, then adjust some parameters and see what has changed – you can't actually break anything

If you have specific questions please ask them in the other thread.

Quote
YES, is true, you can ONLY use this with the last filter that has been Rendered (not just used) into photoshop and will use the same settings, so you must prepare Filter Forge previously with your choosen filter and settings and render one example into photoshop and so have it ready.

That's not the case: you can save calls to specific filter forge filters inside photoshop actions. This is actually a great feature IMHO, which I've used to do all kinds of automation for large #'s of files. (and... I just tried it and it still works.)

So, you could have one action run FF filter A, and then have another action to run FF filter B. It appears to remember even which preset you used (although you could put a hold/input step in there, if you wanted).

(Note that in Pshop you can you can have actions which reference other actions: so you can have Action A, which calls Action B, does pshop stuff, then runs Action C, etc. )

Quote

CorvusCroax Quote SpaceRay YES, is true, you can ONLY use this with the last filter that has been Rendered (not just used) into photoshop and will use the same settings, so you must prepare Filter Forge previously with your choosen filter and settings and render one example into photoshop and so have it ready. That's not the case: you can save calls to specific filter forge filters inside photoshop actions. This is actually a great feature IMHO, which I've used to do all kinds of automation for large #'s of files. (and... I just tried it and it still works.) So, you could have one action run FF filter A, and then have another action to run FF filter B. It appears to remember even which preset you used (although you could put a hold/input step in there, if you wanted).

WOW!! You are right I have been able to make it as you have said and IT WORKS VERY WELL and I was doing it wrong before, and thanks to you I knew that this IS POSSIBLE and I had to know HOW could this be done

I have just done this Mini Tutorial for using FF filters Batch render with Photoshop Actions to let know how to do it if anyone wants to know.

BUT with the actions you still can not do what I put here below

CAN A PHOTOSHOP ACTION RUN DIFFERENT FF FILTERS OVER ONE IMAGE AND HAVE DIFFERENT RESULTS?

This is in reference to this I have said already above

Quote

SpaceRay APPLY DIFFERENT FILTERS TO HAVE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE SAME IMAGE Although this can work great and fine for applying the same filter and settings to many images, one thing I would really like also is to be able to choose an amount of filters and make different versions of the same image, and this can´t be made with the Photoshop actions. I do not mean to apply one filter over the other in stack, I mean to have different versions of the same image and how it would look after it was applied

Anyone else have tried to make batch render with actions in Photoshop?

I would like to share your experiences and ideas about this and so could be possible to get the most of it as it seems that Vladimir will not change this in FF 4.0 and we will have to wait until another version.

I am learning how to use better the Photoshop actions and how to use them in a more productive way

Hallo Filter Forgers,

I'm writing a Windows (7) Batch GUI for the current Filter Forge 4 Beta.

The program is in a very first beta stage, but I would like to know if people are interested.Maybe somebody will help me with beta-testing.

It needs Microsoft .NET 4 Framework, maybe you have to install that also.
It should work on Windows 7 x64 and x86, but I can only try it on Win 7 x64.

It generates modified FilterForge filters, a batch.xml and a batch.bat.
You can run the bat from within the program, but it is also possible to run the batch.bat from a dos-box.
The program can create Animation images between two presets. It will generate images with SliderControls in between those presets.
You can render all maps, or specific maps.
You can render one, a few or all presets.
Hope you like it, but remember it is still very beta.

It is apparently forbidden to attach an exe file, you can download it from: http://www.abalijon.nl/FFBatchGUI/FFBatchGUI.exe

Thanks Skybase, you can download it fr om http://www.abalijon.nl/FFBatchGUI/FFBatchGUI.zip
I would like to start a new thread, but I don't know in wh ere to put it (which forum)

We had a batch render tool for mac since 2010. https://filterforge.com/forum/read.php...&MID=81291

Works just as well, maybe mild differences in some features but regardless point is, it does its job.

Funny how you mention emulators to use this particular batch render tool.

Just also on that note, you did mention FFBatchmaster in this thread back October 2012 amongst the biggest monster-length posts of the year.

Quote
Skybase We had a batch render tool for mac since 2010

Sorry, what I wrote was if you wanted to use the new Batch GUI from aba on your Mac, I already know that there is the FFBatchMaster already made by Totte, as I have included it in another "small" post above.

Quote
Skybase Funny how you mention emulators to use this particular batch render tool.

I did mention the Windows emulator, because as said, if someone wanted to try this new tool on Mac, but I was not in any way suggesting to buy any Windows emulator just to use this batch tool, maybe you could already have from before for other things, or plan to have it in future for other things, not only for this.

Quote
Totte FFBatchMaster has been around since 2010 for Mac OS X, no need for Windows Emulation

Yes, as said I have included it in the available batch tools above, and again I repeat that this was to try this new one on a Mac.

Hi, the good news is that you won't have to upgrade for the batch tool. Next version (will be posted in a few days) will probably support version 3 too.

Hi Spaz8, can you explain a little bit what you mean by that?
Currently you can set a number of presets of a filter to an image and let the batch generate all the images in between (as much as you like if you have the time). Don't think you can make a real movie with it but it's fun for making short animations.

yes, just start the batchtool, choose filter/preset and then input directory en hit run...
tried it with 400 small jpgs, no problem. Never tried TGA, but should not be a problem. The tool is still in beta, but this shouldn't be a problem. The tool creates the xml, but you don't even have to look at that, just let it run from within the tool.