VFB Load/save file browsers do not remember the last used path

[1funk]

I mentioned this in my VFB annoyances thread, but I do not want it to get lost.

The VFB forgets the last used directory any time a file browser (load/save) is opened

MODO 10.2v2 131034
V-Ray 3.40.03 27144

1. Click the "load image" button on the VFB
NOTE: Here it opens at "C:\Program Files\Luxology\modo\10.2v2\"
2. Set the bottom right file types to "all supported formats"
3. Browse to and load this image: "C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\MODO x64\resrc\vraylogo.png"
NOTE: The image loads into the VFB
4. Click the "load image" button on the VFB

RESULT: The VFB has forgotten the last used directory and opened to "C:\Program Files\Luxology\modo\10.2v2" instead
EXPECTED: It should open to last used directory "C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\MODO x64\resrc\"

This problem happens with all buttons that open a file browser:
- Top toolbar - load image button
- Top toolbar - (3) save image buttons
- Corrections - background image load
- Corrections - LUT load
- Corrections - OCIO load
- Corrections - ICC load
- Lens effects - glare image load
- Lens effects - obstacle image load

[vladimir.nedev]

So, where would you (and others) like the paths to be saved ?

I guess they should be saved in the MODO .cfg file, so they are remembered between MODO sessions ?
Or maybe in the .lxo scene, so each one has its own path ( I guess not, but I am not sure).
Should each dialog remember its own path ?

Also, what about the "Browse..." buttons that V-Ray adds to MODO's UI (for stuff like .vrmesh, irradiance maps, .vrscene, .ptex, etc).
Should those also be remembered between MODO sessions ?

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[1funk]

I personally do not need directories remembered per scene (eg saving paths in lxo), or between sessions (eg. saving to modo config), but some people in the skype channel have stated they want paths to be remembered when modo is restarted.

It would be nice if something is already loaded (eg a LUT file), clicking open would go to the path of that loaded file

It would also be nice if each "load/save" button remembered it's own last location (eg. Load LUT would go to my LUT directory, but save image would go to a different directory), but I can see this getting a bit complicated.

Finally, I didnt think about other "browse..." buttons used in the modo UI, but yes, it would be great if those also behaved the same way

[BVA]

So, where would you (and others) like the paths to be saved ?

I guess they should be saved in the MODO .cfg file, so they are remembered between MODO sessions ?

This will get my vote please

[1funk]

Any news on this?

[AYanik]

Please modify this. It's very annoying when you have to make and save many still renders. Also remember the last saved extension.

I have to make 100+ renders. Each time I have to browse to the directory, change the extension and remove the effectsresult suffix from the file name. After a while you go crazy.

[vladimir.nedev]

Please modify this. It's very annoying when you have to make and save many still renders. Also remember the last saved extension.

I have to make 100+ renders. Each time I have to browse to the directory, change the extension and remove the effectsresult suffix from the file name. After a while you go crazy.

You can specify the save location in MODO's Final Color Output item. Then you don't have to manually save the image at all.
I suppose you have 100+ renders of the same scene ?
In that case, you can also utilize render passes to automate the rendering, i.e. start one render, instead of a 100+.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[AYanik]

I have to render a catalog of many different products/scenes. Each within their own separate folder.

I don't like saving things until I'm certain the render is okay. I render multiple variations(lit with HDR Lightstudio) and later decide which variation I like best.


The initial feature request was 7 months ago and I really liked your second idea on saving the last saved path in the lxo file. I hope you can implement that solution if you can find some time.

Kind regards,

A. Yanik

[vladimir.nedev]

I don't like saving things until I'm certain the render is okay. I render multiple variations(lit with HDR Lightstudio) and later decide which variation I like best.

That would work perfectly with render passes. I guess you don't like saving them because new renders overwrite the old render ? So you prefer to auto-save them in the VFB history and choose from there ?
You can set up one render pass for each HDR environment and then render all of them in one click, saved images will contain the render pass name, so they won't get overwritten.

We are redesigning the VFB from scratch, so I am not sure we will ever have time to fix the small annoyances in the old one.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[1funk]

We are redesigning the VFB from scratch, so I am not sure we will ever have time to fix the small annoyances in the old one.

I'm pretty disappointed we have waited so long for this fix.... only to hear it won't be fixed.

I'm glad to hear a new VFB is in the works though. Any idea how far off this is?

[vladimir.nedev]

I've fixed this to some extent for the 2018.03.14 nightly build.
I probably won't have time for further improvements.

The behavior is modified only for Modo 901 and up.

The final solution works like this. The file open/save dialogs in the VFB will open to the first of the following locations that's a valid directory:

1. The directory of the file that's selected. This applies only to file dialogs that open for places that have an edit field, like the LUT file, OCIO file, Glare image, etc. It does NOT apply for file dialogs that don't have an associated edit field, like the various VFB preset files or saving/loading an image from the main toolbar.
2. The directory of the last file selected for the same set of file extensions that the dialog uses. For example, the last load or save directory selected for vccglb files.
3. The directory of the last file selected for any file dialog opened in the VFB.
4. The current process folder, this is usually the path to the Modo executable. This was the previous behavior.

Nothing is stored in the Modo config or the current scene, so the directories are global and will reset upon Modo restart.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[1funk]

Thanks for the improvements Vladimir

[GidPDX]

Thanks Vladimir!