The Folder Management tab lets you assign a folder for where ALL thumbnails are being stored and this is generally where you add/remove/manage all libraries and their options.

1. Thumbnail Folder for Storage

This is where all the thumbnails are being stored. Nothing is ever written into the actual Library path. By default, for convenience, this folder is automatically setup to be within the ODTools for Houdini folder. Make sure, that this Folder actually exists, and is writable.

<odtools_install_folder>/python_panels/OD_AssetLibrary_Data

<aside> ⚠️ Generally, it is safe to just overwrite ODTools updates so that the folder should remain intact. Some people choose to empty the folder first and then install the new ODTools version, in which case you would loose the folder data. You can set this to a folder outside of the ODTools install folder and even onto a network drive, that might be shared among multiple users.

</aside>

1. Main Folder Management Workspace

This table presents a list of all your added Libraries. It has six columns, which can be set by right-click options.

2.1. Directory Path

This is the path to the directory for the Library. You can use $ Variables as well as full absolute paths.

2.2. Subdir To All

When this option is enabled, any time the library is selected, it will automatically set the Subdirectories combo box to "ALL" and display all items in all subdirectories.

2.3. Includes

By default, everything in included. Sometimes, you might have .obj and .bgeo sequences in the same library folder, however you might want some of those extensions not be visible in the Thumbnail view. You can specifically tell the asset library to show only these items, ie. only bgeo sequences: simply put .bgeo into the includes and it will only show you .bgeo files. This list can be comma separated as well as include folders as well, ie. /somefolder/ with a slash before and after the folder.

2.4. Excludes

By default, nothing is excluded. You can specifically tell the asset library to exclude these items from showing in the Thumbnail view. As an example, lets say you have preview.jpg files in the library, to exclude them, simply put preview.jpg into the excludes and as long as that string is part of a filename, it will no longer be included. This list can be comma separated as well as include folders as well, ie. /somefolder/ with a slash before and after the folder.

2.5. Megascans

Megascans use a specific format on disk and the also already have their thumbnails premade. When you define a library as megascans, it will enter this mode by default when the library is opened.

2.6. Hidden

This setting controls whether the Library is visible in the main tab's pulldown list. It is therefore easy to just temporarily disable a library from showing up.

2. Right Click Option Menu

   • Add Path Brings up a file requester in which you can specify a path to add to the Library
   • Remove Path Removes the Selected Library from the Folder Management
   • Edit Path Brings up a file requester in which you can specify a replacement directory
   • Add Separator Add an empty row. Currently it adds the empty row at the bottom of the list, which you can then drag into the correct position
   • Set Color Allows you to pick between a few colors for further visual customization of the list. You could have geo libraries one color compared to textures or HDRIs in another color.
   • Edit Subdirs Toggle Set To All Sets the Subdir Option to Yes/No
   • Edit/Set as Megascan Library Sets the Megascan toggle to Yes/No
   • Edit Inclusive Dirs / Files Brings up an input field where you define the includes
   • Edit Exclusive Dirs / Files Brings up an input field where you define the excludes
   • Edit/Set Hidden Library Sets the Hidden flag to Yes
   • Open Directories Config File Opens the directory where the config file is. The config file is "assetLibraryDirectories.json" You should not have to edit this file manually, but its there if you need to.
   • Save Directories Layout Any re-arranging of the table, or adding separators is not automatically saved. This option commits the layout to disk.

   <aside> 💡 Once a folder is added in the Asset library and selected in the Library Tab, Sub Folders can be created by using the subfolder pulldown and selecting “Create New”

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