Import and Export

Export packages a show's optimized assets into a portable folder. Import brings that package into another WATCHOUT system, or back into the same one. Use it to move a show between machines, to back up before major edits, or to hand a show to a client. For pushing assets to Runners ahead of time, see Asset Transfer. To import a complete WATCHOUT 6 show (displays, timelines, and assets), see Importing from WATCHOUT 6.

When to Use Export and Import

  • Deploying to a venue. Optimize a show on your production system, export the assets to a portable drive, then import them at the venue.
  • Backup before major changes. Export all assets before restructuring a show. Import the backup to restore the original assets.
  • Handing off to another operator. Export the complete asset package. The other team imports it without your original source files.
  • Cloning a show across systems. Export once, then import the same package onto several systems.

Exporting Assets

Open the Assets window menu and choose Transfer Assets, then one of:

  • Export — exports the selected assets. Disabled when nothing is selected.
  • Export All — exports every asset in the show.

Both open a dialog with two fields.

FieldPurpose
Destination NodeThe node where the export package is created. The local node or any connected node.
Directory PathThe folder on the destination node for the package.

Click Ok to start. WATCHOUT creates a self-contained package folder holding the optimized media files, thumbnails, and an asset database.

The export skips files already present at the destination. Re-exporting after adding a few assets is fast.

For an EDID asset, the Properties panel shows an Export To... button that saves the EDID data to a file. To export other asset types, use Transfer Assets above.

Assets that failed during optimization are added to the package database, but their media files are not copied.

What to expect during export:

  • The export runs in the background. Monitor progress in the Node Info panel: files to copy, files copied, files skipped (already present), and errors.
  • Only one export or import can use a given destination folder at a time. Wait for one to finish before starting another to the same location.
  • Do not move or modify files in the export folder while an export runs.

Importing Assets

Open the Assets window menu and choose Transfer Assets > Import. The import dialog has two fields.

FieldPurpose
Source NodeThe node where the export package is stored.
Directory PathThe folder on the source node that holds the package.

Click Ok to start. WATCHOUT reads the package and copies the assets into the current Asset Manager.

Key behaviors:

  • Asset identities are preserved. Imported assets keep the identifiers they had on the original system. Timeline references and cue assignments stay valid.
  • Duplicates are skipped. If an asset with the same identity is already present in a working state, the import skips it. Re-importing a package is safe.
  • Failed assets are replaced. Importing a working copy of an asset that previously failed replaces the failed entry.
  • Each asset is handled on its own. A successful asset is committed. An asset that fails to copy (disk space, permissions, corruption) is removed. A failure of one asset does not roll back the others.

Pre-Downloading Assets to Runners

Push selected assets to specific Runners ahead of time with Transfer Assets > Download to Runners. This is covered in full on the Asset Transfer page, which also explains how assets reach the Runners during normal show operation.

Best Practices

  • Export before major changes. Make an export as a checkpoint before restructuring timelines, deleting assets, or changing codec settings. The export is a complete archive you can import to restore.
  • Verify assets after import. Check the Assets window for a healthy status on every asset. An asset that failed to copy is removed. Fix the cause (disk space, permissions) and re-import.
  • Check codec settings on the target system. If the target hardware differs (for example, GPUs without HEVC decode), review the codec mappings in Asset Manager Settings before re-optimizing.
  • Use pre-download for large venue deployments. Start pushing assets to Runners well before showtime. Monitor progress in the Node Info panel.
  • Check cue references before deleting assets. Before deleting or replacing an asset, use Select Cues Using Asset to find cues that reference it. This prevents broken references during playback.
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