The VFX plugin

[Diego]

I'm creating this new thread to make it simplier for everyone to follow and contribute the work on the VFX plugin.

As the VFX plugin is the first thing new users will use and it will impact a lot on tactic adoption, it would be nice make it cleaner, simpler and production ready


Here it is a list of the proposed and in progress features/improvements (I will update is as the work goes on and new ideas pop up)

01 - wrap all the sidebar links into corresponding CustomLayout so there is direct relationship between these
02 - work on the project dashboard
03 - fix, clean outdated code and enhance the VFX template to make it usable as a basic configuration
04 - substitute the outdated "template" step in the "new project wizard" and substitute it with a "activate plugins/plugins collection" step
05 - Use the new ReviewWdg



Change log:

06-14-2021
- Remko started converting some views to a custom layouts

06-18-2021
- Made asset a custom view
- Added link for assets in project dashboard
- Removed home view as it was a duplicate of dashboard
- Added an icon to the dashboard menu entry
- added back vfx/config/config_widget.spt as it is still needed

07-09-2021
- Use <element_names> instead of view config
- Removed views: asset, shot, sequence, planner_shot, planner_asset, planner_sequence
- small fixes for add_snapshot_to_review_wdg custom layout

07-12-2121 (PR pending)
- Converted Art reference, episode, leica, script ad storyboard to custom layouts
- removed views: Art reference, episode, leica, script and storyboard
- removed obsolete links from SideBar
- rearranged SideBar definitions to mirror menu order to make it easier to edit
- Added the default "name" and "login" columns to asset_category, episode, leica, review, schedule, sequence, shot, shot_texture, storyboard, submission, texture
- added a new "all notes" table to deashboard using the "enanched" NoteCollectionWdg

[listy]

I think Notes can be improved in some ways.
What we have in our production already (this is notes widget in T-H):


You can see the notes and tasks statuses in one stream, so it can help better track tasks.

Our most used feature is attaching files, links and screenshots from windows clipboard.
Fixed limit for 3 files per one note in tactic.
Also a web links are highlighted and clickable, which is really helpful!
Task edit is on top, which is handy.

And the style, it is always visible who is written the note, with avatars, and your notes are in the right corner, the others are left.

P.S. I am getting this when try to attach something: Your allocated attachment usage quota is Unlimited. [View My Attachments]

[Nachogor]

I feel 4.8 is receiving a nice push!

[Diego]

This is the issue/feature request I opened to keep track of Notes widgets changes:
https://github.com/Southpaw-TACTIC/TACTIC/issues/1664

This is how they are looking now on my test sever:
https://user-images.githubusercontent.co...40a120.png

@Listy I can't see your attachment but your description seems to be in line with my idea
@Nachogor if you have any idea on how to improve the VFX plugin trow it here

I'd like it to be simple, it easy to understand and use as a starting point for our projects but powerful enough to be on par with Kitsu.
Tactic is much more powerful than Kitsu but Kitsu has a nice interface easy to pick up and gets you started quickly if you are a small studio and the VFX plugin is not to far from that, it just needs some love.

I'd like do to some work on the SCRUM plugin too so we have two good examples for different application, unfortunately it takes time.

[listy]

This is how they are looking now on my test sever:
https://user-images.githubusercontent.co...1eb-9d06-9

@Listy I can't see your attachment but your description seems to be in line with my idea

I fixed the attachment. I forced to share them on my server, because i reached attachments limit on the forums...

The link you shared is unreachable.

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I'd like it to be simple, it easy to understand and use as a starting point for our projects but powerful enough to be on par with Kitsu.
Tactic is  much more powerful than Kitsu but Kitsu has a nice interface easy to pick up and gets you started quickly if you are a small studio and the VFX plugin is not to far from that, it just needs some love.

If VFX plugin finally becomes useful, i will adapt T-H for it, i think it would be nice open source addition to fast integrate to apps and use api in it.

[Diego]

Very very nice widget you have done for T-H!

[listy]

I think we can discuss more on the users/supervisors dashboards. It is the MOST important part of this days web apps.
If You think it can be useful, i could made some of the "concept" of the Dashboard i thinking of

[remkonoteboom]

I merged all of the pull requests. I will try out the new changes today. Thanks.

[Diego]

Remko, I just found out I forgot to git add the spt files for the new custom views, I just did a new PR sorry!

[garymundell100]

Hello TACTIC VFX people. I was the original co-founder with Remko on TACTIC and most recently the co-founder of our new venture LOFT.
I'm currently Head of Production and Exec Producer at Tippett Studio in Berkeley, California.  I'm very interested in where this discussion is going and the work that is being done on the VFX Plugin. Like many of us we are looking for an alternative to the current commercial products, namely Shotgun(grid).

The plugin is heading in the right direction! The big question is what would it take to be a viable alternative to Shotgun and Ftrack and when?
The industry needs this and I believe it's the best alternative currently in development - by far!

    What features in priority would be needed to take it to that level ?
    What are the current sore points and frustrations in order of importance in Shotgun and others that VFX Plugin can address?
    What is the base-level functionality that most users and studios can agree on is essential?
    When can it be viable and ready?
    How can we get the news out and get more people involved?
    What needs to be done in this community to support this initiative to make it happen - fast?

My experience is that we tend to only use a small subset of the functionality of SG. From my polling other users, every studio has its own standard set of tools and pluggins and no two studios are the same, but what they all share are similar frustrations.

Lets get this conversation going.

-G

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Gary Mundell
HOP / EP
Tippett Studio