DB Manager

The Get->DB Manager command is available in all modules except Tools. It allows you to open the Database Manager to perform database level operations, set the number of versions to save, view database and file information, etc. You can also link databases, delete files, lock files, and quickly view pictures and animations of selected files.

For more general information on using databases, see the Managing Files section of the Working with SOFTIMAGE 3D User's Guide.

Note:

Special characters (such as @ # % ^ * = and blank spaces) have a specific meaning in most operating systems. Since they may cause problems if you use them in database or file names, SOFTIMAGE 3D automatically replaces them with underscores (_). Here's a list of special characters that will be replaced:

space ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) + [ ] { } | \ ; : = ? < > "

When you choose the Get->DB Manager command, the Database Manager dialogue box is displayed.

By default, the Chapter level of the default current database is displayed and a list of all the automatically created chapters in it (SCENES, PICTURES, MODELS, etc.).

To navigate through the database, you can double-click a database or chapter name to move to a lower level, or double-click the two dots (..) at the top of a list at any level to return to the level above.

Database Level

The Database Level is one level above the Chapter level. To access it, double-click the two dots at the top of the Chapter level list.

The Database level displays the current database, and beneath it, other available databases. At this level, you can create new databases, link outside databases to your own list of databases, delete databases, and change the default database.

Tip:

If you are browsing outside the database, you can return to the Database level in one step by double-clicking <DATABASES>, which is always located at the top of the displayed list.

Quick Access Entries

To quickly access various directories, you can double-click on quick access entries, such as <DATABASES>, to jump from one directory to another without scrolling or typing path names.

• Double-click <HOME> or type ~ to go to your own root directory, or type ~username to go to someone else's home directory.
• Double-click <ROOT> or type / and press Enter to access the machine's root directory.
• Double-click <ORIGINAL> to jump back to the directory in which the browser was opened.

Path Shortcuts

You can also type path shortcuts in the text box to access outside databases. There are a number of shortcuts you can use:

For example you can type paths that:

• Start with ".."
• Contain "/"
• Contain ~ and ~username
• Contain $<env var> (and <env var> can include a ~)
• Lead to listed and unlisted databases (you are prompted to add a database that is not listed)

New Database

The New Database button allows you to create a new database. The new database is added to the DatabaseDir.rsrc file and is displayed in the list of available databases.

Note:

You cannot create a mental ray renderer shader library from the DB Manager. You must perform this from a shell.

1. Click the New Database button.
   
   The Set Database dialogue box is displayed.
   
2. If you know the desired path for the new database, type it directly in the Path text box. If you don't know the path, click the Path Browser button to display the Browser dialogue box, and select the desired path name.
3. Click Ok to return to the Set Database dialogue box.
   
   The path of the new database is displayed in the Path text box.
   
4. In the Name text box, specify the name of the new database you want to create in the path you have specified.
5. Click Create to create the new database and exit the dialogue box.
   
   The new database is added to the Database.Dir.rsrc file and to your list of available databases.

Link DB

The Link DB button allows you to quickly access an existing database (such as a database created by another user) by adding it to your list of available databases. The database is added to your DatabaseDir.rsrc file and is not removed until you unlink it with the Unlink DB button.

1. Click the Link DB button.
   
   The Set Database dialogue box is displayed.
   
2. If you know the path of the outside database you want to link to your own, type the path name directly into the Path text box. If you don't know the path, click the Path Browser button to display the Browser dialogue box, and select the desired path name.
3. Click Ok to return to the Set Database dialogue box.
   
   The path of the database to be linked is displayed in the Path text box.
   
4. In the Name text box, specify the name of the database in the path to which you want to link. The names you can choose from appear in the scroll box.
5. Click Link.
   
   A dialogue box is displayed to inform you that this database is linked to your own.
   
6. Click Exit to exit the dialogue box.
   
   The database is added to the DatabaseDir.rsrc file and to your list of available databases.

Tip:

Instead of using the Link DB button, you can also use the Database Browser to type the path to get to the directory using the .. (two dots) quick access entry. When you enter a directory that SOFTIMAGE 3D recognizes as a database structure, you are prompted to create a link to that database.

Unlink DB

The Unlink Database button unlinks the selected database, removing it from the DatabaseDir.rsrc file and from your list of available databases.

If you use this command, your DatabaseDir.rsrc file is overwritten. If you want to keep any comments in your file, edit it manually.

1. Select the database to be unlinked from the list of available databases.
2. Click the Unlink DB button.
3. The selected database is unlinked.

Delete DB

The Delete DB button permanently removes a selected database and all its contents, as well as the entry referring to it in the DatabaseDir.rsrc file. If you want to keep any comments in this file, edit it manually.

If any files are stored in a database that you are trying to delete, a warning dialogue appears before the deletion starts.

This process cannot be undone! It deletes all files within the database, including all chapters.

1. Select the database to be deleted from the list of available databases.
2. Click the Delete DB button.
   
   If the database is not empty, a warning dialogue is displayed before the database is actually deleted.
   
3. Click Delete to confirm the deletion and exit the dialogue box.

Default DB

The Default DB button allows you to change the default database, which is the database that is displayed when you initially open the Database Manager. When the default is changed, the DatabaseDir.rsrc file is updated, and the new default database name is moved to the top of the available database list.

If you use this command, your DatabaseDir.rsrc file is overwritten. If you want to keep any comments in this file, edit it manually.

The next time you start SOFTIMAGE 3D, you are automatically in that database.

1. Select the database you want to be the new default database from your list of available databases.
2. Click the Default DB button.

A message appears at the bottom of the dialogue box telling you that the DatabaseDir.rsrc file has been updated. The new default database moves to the top of your list of available databases.

Chapter Level

The Chapter Level is automatically displayed when you choose the Get->DB Manager command, showing the current (default) database and a list of all the chapters within it. At this level, you can specify the number of versions each chapter keeps for its specific files.

Set #versions

The Set #versions button sets the number of versions of each file to be stored in a selected chapter. By default, the number of versions saved is 4. For example, if you click the Set #versions button and set the number of versions to 3 for the SHAPES chapter, then up to three versions of each shape file is saved. If more than three versions exist, the oldest version is discarded, as long as it is not used in a current scene and is not explicitly locked.

Note:

If you really need to save disk space, you can set the number of versions to 1. This means that each file you save generates a new version, but the previous version immediately gets removed. It does not mean that files are overwritten, because SOFTIMAGE 3D can't delete a file if it is still being used by a scene in the database. However, you should be careful using 1 as the number of versions: do not click Cancel All while you are saving scenes. An incomplete scene results, and the previous version of the scene might already be partially deleted!

To change the number of versions saved:

1. Click a chapter name to select it. To select more than one chapter at a time, click the mouse while holding the Shift key.
2. Click the Set #versions button.
   
   The Set Number of Versions dialogue box is displayed.
   
3. Type the new number of versions to save into the No. of versions text box.
4. Click Set to confirm the change and exit the dialogue box.

When you make a change here, the Chapter.rsrc file is updated. This file is created and located within each chapter. It contains two lines: the first line of the file contains the suffix describing the types of files contained in the chapter, such as ani for animation files or mtr for material files, and the second line shows the number of versions set.

You can also change the number of versions by editing the Chapter.rsrc file with a text editor.

You can prevent the removal of old versions during a Save->Scene operation by using the Do not remove old versions option accessed by clicking Options in the Save Scene dialogue box. This speeds up the saving process, but your disk also fills up much faster.

File Level

The level below the Chapter level is the File level. To access the File Level, double-click a chapter name.

This level lists all the files within the selected chapter and gives you access to a series of options that permit you to view the file's contents, lock it, delete it, or see information for the file.

By default, the files are sorted in decreasing order according to their date and time of creation (most recent first). The prefix is displayed in the far left column of the dialogue box. To right of the file name is the file's version and substitution number, and the far left column displays the date and time the file was saved. The default display can be changed by modifying the Options dialogue box. For information, see Options.

View

The View button provides a quick look at the contents of selected files within the SCENE, MODELS, PICTURES, and RENDER_PICTURES chapters. If the scene is animated, the first 100 frames are played back repeatedly until the window is closed.

The imgshow standalone program is used to view selected pictures. Another standalone program, viewer, provides a view of selected scenes or models. See the Standalones HTML file on the On-line Documentation CD for more information.

Note:

Both imgshow and viewer must be accessible from your path environment variable to use them.

To view the contents:

1. Select a file name, then click the View button.
   
   The outline of a small view window appears on the screen after a few seconds.
   
2. Click to open the window.

Tip:

To move the window, hold down the mouse button on the title bar of the window and drag it where desired.

Right-click on the title bar to open a pull-down menu which contains other commands, such as Close.

Double-click in the upper-left corner to close the window.

See Content

The See Content button allows you to display a list of everything contained in a selected file (models, elements, materials, etc.). This option can also be used for ASCII files outside the database.

The See Content button is not available for files in the following chapter types: CLUSTER, PICTURES, PALETTES, RENDER_PICTURES, and SHAPES.

Note:

ASCII files are shown as is, and binary files are converted to temporary ASCII files before being displayed. To view these temporary files, you must have access to the standalone converter programs bin2ascii and hrcConvert. The temporary files are removed after the operation is completed.

1. Select a file name.
2. Click the See Content button.
   
   The See Contents dialogue box is displayed, listing the contents of the selected file.
   
3. Click Exit to close the dialogue box.

Tip:

You can use the dbtools standalone program (more or edit command) to see or edit a binary file from its ASCII version. This is an easy and quick way to edit a value from a file if you know exactly what you want to do. See the dbtools HTML file on the On-line Documentation CD for more information.

See Info

The See Info button allows you to view more general information about a selected file, including its size, the version of SOFTIMAGE 3D with which it was created, and when it was last accessed and modified. It can also be used to see information on files outside the database.

1. Select a file name.
2. Click the See Info button. The See File Info dialogue box is displayed.
   
   The full file name is displayed in the Filename text box. The Path text box displays the path name of the file. Beneath it is the type of file (for example, General SOFTIMAGE Binary), its size, and the version of SOFTIMAGE 3D in which it was created. The date and time the file was last accessed and last modified are also displayed.
   
3. Click Exit to close the dialogue box.

See Unused

The See Unused button highlights files which are not currently used in any scene. It is useful for identifying unused files that you might want to delete (see Delete to delete files).

The See Unused button is not available for files in the following chapters: SCENES, PICTURES, and RENDER_PICTURES.

Who Uses?

The Who Uses? button displays the name of any scenes in which a selected file is used. It is not available for files in the following chapters: SCENES, PICTURES, and RENDER_PICTURES.

1. Select a file name.
2. Click the Who Uses? button.

The Who Uses dialogue box is displayed, listing the name of the scene(s) in which the selected file is used, as well as its version number and the date and time of its creation.

Delete

The Delete button permanently removes files that are not currently used in a scene. If you delete a scene, you can delete the scene file only, or all of its contents (if not used in any other scene).

This process cannot be undone!

1. Select a file name. You can also select multiple files by pressing the Shift key while clicking.
2. Click the Delete button.

If the file (or files) is currently used in a scene, a warning message box is displayed listing the scene(s) in which the file is used and informing you that it cannot complete the operation.

If you delete a scene file, the message box prompts you to specify whether to delete just the scene file, or to continue and delete the scene file as well as any of its components that are not used in other scenes.

A second message box is then displayed, confirming the number of files that will be deleted and the number that will be kept.

Before an unused file is deleted, a warning message box is displayed to allow you to cancel or confirm the deletion.

Set Lock

The Set Lock button lets you lock and unlock a file and its contents. This is particularly useful if you want to keep a file with a version number beyond the number of versions that are kept (see Set #versions).

1. Select a file name.
2. Click the Set Lock button.

A lock icon appears to the left of the file name.

To unlock a locked file, select the file and click Set Lock again. The lock icon is removed.

Set Share

The Set Share button allows you to share any file that is in any chapter except PICTURES and RENDER_PICTURES. This is very useful when you are working with a number of scenes that have the same models or any other element. The shared element is always overwritten, and is placed in the SHARE subdirectory of its chapter.

1. Select a file name.
2. Click the Set Share button.

The Set Share dialogue box is displayed warning you that changing the share status of an object moves the file in or out of the SHARE subdirectory in a chapter and that the files in the SHARE chapter are always overwritten.

The file is moved into a SHARE subdirectory of a chapter. For example, if you share a model, then the model is placed into the SHARE subdirectory of the MODEL chapter.

You can also set shared files manually by creating the SHARE subdirectory using the operating system commands and moving files into it.

You can have several elements in a scene that have exactly the same name and prefix as a result of sharing files.

You can also set the share status of an element using Info->Element. When you set the share for the element, it is saved to a SHARE subdirectory and is reflected in the Database Manager the next time you save your scene.

Making Shared Files Distinct

If you no longer want to share a file, you can use the Set Share button to make the file distinct.

1. Select the shared file name.
2. Click the Set Share button. The Set Share dialogue box is displayed.
3. Select the appropriate Make distinct option to either make the file distinct for all scenes, or only for the current scene.
4. Click Ok to remove the object from the SHARE subdirectory.

When you make the file distinct, a copy of the shared file is made and is moved out of the SHARE directory and into the main directory in which it belongs. For example, a distinct model file is placed directly in the MODEL chapter. This file is referenced only by the current scene. Any other scenes continue to share the original shared file.

Note:

If you are making the file distinct from the Database Manager, you can make it distinct only for all scenes. If you use Info->Elements to make a file distinct, you have the choice to set it for all the scenes or only the current scene.

Options

The Options button displays a dialogue box that lets you change the way your file lists are sorted. It can be accessed when outside the database or at the File level of the database. This dialogue box allows you to define the way files are sorted and displayed.

1. Click the Options button.
   
   The List Options dialogue box is displayed.
   
2. Modify the options as desired, and click Ok to confirm the settings.

The settings are applied immediately.

Note:

The Options settings must be reset each time SOFTIMAGE 3D is started: they are not saved with the scene.

Sort By

Your files can be sorted according to any of the listed options. These are the default sorting orders according to the type of information:

• For external browsers, sorting is done by date and time, with the most recent file listed first.
• For internal elements (such as in the Info Element dialogue box), sorting is done by full name in alphabetical order.
• For library browsers (such as in the Material dialogue box), sorting is also done in alphabetical order.

This works in conjunction with the Sort Direction option. The Directories option separates directories from files; it is dimmed until you access files outside the database.

Sort Direction

Allows you to sort in either decreasing or increasing order. The default sorting order is as described for the Sort by option.

Last Version Only

Displays only the latest version of a file. This option is deselected by default. This is useful to reduce the number of files displayed.

Use Icons

Displays only an icon for each file, and the corresponding file name. This option is deactivated by default. Icons are created automatically for picture files. For other files, you can assign an icon to a file in two ways:

• Save a picture file with the same file name and an .icn suffix and deposit it in the appropriate chapter file. If you do not specify the version and substitution numbers for the file, the same icon is used for all versions of the file.
• Use the addicon standalone program to put an icon in the desired file (binary files only). Refer to the Standalones HTML files on the SOFTIMAGE 3D Documentation CD for more information.

Picture Sequences as One Item

Displays picture sequences as one item or icon. It is used for files in the PICTURES or RENDER_PICTURES chapters. Frame numbers are displayed: if all frame numbers are present, the numbers are placed within square brackets, such as [1-100]. If some frames are missing, the frame numbers are within curly brackets, such as
{1-100}. This option is selected by default; to access a particular picture frame in a sequence, simply deselect it.

Extra Info

Allows you to display either the file creation time and date, or the size of each file. By default, the option is selected to display the time and date.

Search

The Search button allows you to search for specific file names and prefixes. It can be accessed when outside the database or at the File level of the database.

1. In the Database Manager dialogue box, display the desired level.
2. Click the Search button.
   
   The Find Element dialogue box is displayed.
   
3. Modify the options as desired, then click one of the Find buttons on the right side of the dialogue box.

The appropriate file(s) are highlighted in the Database Manager dialogue box.

Search String

Lets you enter one or more letters, words, or numbers that are contained in the file name or file prefix you are searching for. For example, if you enter the letters th, a file name or prefix containing the letters th is searched for.

Exact String

Searches for files containing the search string exactly as it is entered in the Search String text box.

Case Sensitive

Searches for file names containing the specified string of letters in the same case (upper-case or lower-case letters) as they are entered in the Search String text box.

Prefix

Searches for the prefix of a file name that contains the specified search string.

Name

Searches for a file name that contains the specified search string.

Find

Searches for and highlights the first file name or prefix containing the specified search string.

Find Next

Searches for and highlights subsequent file names or prefixes containing the specified search string, one at a time.

Find All

Searches for all file names or prefixes containing the specified search string.

Last updated 02-apr-1998