Layer Benefits

[scribbly]

I'm working on a project that is using many images (photos), that I've been loading into layers and then manipulating them along the timeline.

My question is about the best way to manage so many layers.

Does TVP worry about too many layers? Or is it better to merge them once I've got the transitions set? i.e. are there benefits to merging them? If there is not, then the only point would be because they were easier to handle in smaller numbers.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Only time will answer that -- hard for anyone but yourself to know what "many layers" constitute etc. The best advice is for you to save often and to set your number of Multi-Backups high (at least 10, but preferably 20). You aren't saying that you are experiencing crashes or slowdown periods, so my guess is that you are alright so far. BTW, there are no recommended maximum numbers of layers. Going into the 20s or 30s is not unusual. But having said that, this also depends on the type of hardware one is equipped with and you say nothing about that either.
EDIT: One more piece of advice: make use of TVP's "History" panel. Before you go into something that might worry you that you might be going too far, create an X in the current little box on the left of the panel. This way, if you get lost in what you are doing and wish you could start that thing you were doing over again and differently, select "Go to previous mark" and you'll be right back where you were wishing to be. A caveat though, once you do that, you cannot change your mind and return forward anymore.

[slowtiger]

I tend to merge stuff into as few layers as possible just to keep track of it more easily. So far, TVP worked perfectly well even with something like 1000 different images in a project of 3000 x 3000px.

[scribbly]

Yes, sorry... just at the beginning of the project, so only up to 12 layers: but I thought some advice before I went too far down one track. I'm not suffering any software issues atm (big HD and lots of RAM), it was more a question about the better way: does it matter to tvp if the different images are on different layers or the same layer?.

I merged the layers just to see what happened, and everything looked the same,

Thanks for the advice about History, I wasn't aware of that feature; which sounds helpful for smaller incremental changes.

I tend to merge stuff into as few layers as possible just to keep track of it more easily. So far, TVP worked perfectly well even with something like 1000 different images in a project of 3000 x 3000px.

Do you mean you had 1000 layers? I may get to that point but after working my way to 12 (one image in each layer) I couldn't see much point keeping them in separate layers (unless I was unsure about the modifications in tvp).

[slowtiger]

I imported bunches of about 150 images at once, which were all put in separate layers on frame #1. Not very practival. I selected all those new layers, pressed that Clip button in the Animators Panel to line them all up in time, and merged selected into one layer.

[scribbly]

I imported bunches of about 150 images at once, which were all put in separate layers on frame #1. Not very practival. I selected all those new layers, pressed that Clip button in the Animators Panel to line them all up in time, and merged selected into one layer.

How did you do that? When I import the images they all come into one layer which I then have to separate...

Thanks for you suggestions: I'm thinking that that's what I'll be doing... (import->fiddle->merge)

[slowtiger]

This button:

lineup.png (3.3 KiB) Viewed 15223 times

[scribbly]

This button:

lineup.png

Thank you... how did you get all your images into separate layers? When I import mine they come in on the same layer in separate frames

[slowtiger]

If you import a bunch of image files they'll get lined up in the timeline. If you import a PSD file, all layers get piled up on #1 (which is what I did).

[scribbly]

If you import a bunch of image files they'll get lined up in the timeline. If you import a PSD file, all layers get piled up on #1 (which is what I did).

That explains it: thanks