Asset Manager Issues
This page collects fixes for common Asset Manager problems, grouped by topic. Find the section that matches your symptom — optimization, playback, transfer, or a specific feature — and work through the listed causes and fixes.
Diagnosing an Asset
When an asset looks wrong, start with its Properties panel in Producer:
- Check the state. If the asset failed, read the Error row.
- Check the codec. Does the source-to-output codec make sense? An unexpected output may mean a custom mapping in Asset Manager Settings.
- Check the color space. Does the source color space match what your provider specified?
- Check the dimensions. Do the optimized dimensions match the source?
- Check duration and frame rate. A wrong frame rate makes the asset play at the wrong speed.
Optimization
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Asset fails, stays in Optimizing, or shows a red name | The Optimizer crashed, or the source uses an unsupported or corrupt codec | Open the Properties panel and read the error. Check the logs for Optimizer errors. Re-encode the source in a supported format (ProRes, H.264, or HAP). Confirm the file plays in a media player. Check disk space, then re-add the asset. |
| Output file is unexpectedly large | The source was re-encoded to HAP, which is larger by design, or the mapping routes to HAP | Expected for HAP. Plan storage for it. If size is critical, lower the Notch LC quality or choose a more compact codec (Notch LC or HEVC) in Asset Manager Settings. |
| Alpha transparency lost after optimization | The codec mapping routes to a non-alpha output codec, or the source format has no alpha (JPEG, BMP) | Set the mapping to HAP Alpha, Notch LC Alpha, or Raw 8-bit RGBA in Asset Manager Settings. Use PNG, TGA, or EXR sources, and verify the output codec supports alpha. |
| Color looks wrong after optimization | Color space mismatch between source and output | Check the color space in Asset Properties. Confirm the source color space metadata is correct. |
| Optimization is very slow | Large video files, or sequences with many frames at the lowest queue priority | Expected. See the optimization priority table in Asset Manager. Optimize overnight for large shows, or pre-encode sequences as video. |
Playback
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Playback stutters on a Runner | CPU-decoded codec at high resolution, or too little disk bandwidth for HAP | Switch to a GPU-decoded codec (HAP, Notch LC, HEVC). Use SSD storage with enough read speed. |
| Scrubbing is sluggish | A GOP-based codec (H.264, HEVC) is the output | Switch to HAP or Notch LC, which decode each frame on its own. |
Transfer and distribution
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Assets not appearing on Runners, or transfer stalls at 0% | The asset is still optimizing, transfer has not started, or the bandwidth limit is too low | Wait for optimization to finish and check progress in the Assets window. Verify stage and display assignment. Check the bandwidth limit in Asset Manager Settings and verify network connectivity. |
| Slow transfer speed | Network congestion, low bandwidth, or low-quality network equipment | Use a dedicated network. Upgrade to 10 Gbps. Check switch backplane capacity. |
| Asset not found error | The asset was deleted, or the show changed during transfer | Verify the asset still exists in the Asset Manager. Restart the transfer. |
| Runner runs out of disk space | Not enough free storage on the Runner for the required assets | Remove unused local assets from the Runner, or add storage. |
| Asset appears on the wrong Runner | The display-to-Runner assignment is not what you expect | Check display assignments to confirm which Runner drives which displays. |
| Transfer keeps retrying | A network or disk error is blocking the download | Check network connectivity between the Runner and the Asset Manager. Verify disk health on the Runner. |
| Previously transferred assets are being re-downloaded | Optimization settings changed, producing different output files | Use consistent Asset Manager Settings across show versions to preserve deduplication. |
Dynamic assets
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Previous version disappeared after adding a new one | A dynamic asset keeps two versions (active and previous) | Expected. The old previous version is removed when a new version is added. |
| New version not appearing on Runners | The cue uses the Fixed Asset Version setting | Change the cue's Asset Version setting to Latest. |
| Old content still playing after a version swap | The new version has not finished downloading on that Runner | Check transfer progress in the Node Info panel. The Runner switches automatically when the download completes. |
| Playback glitch during a version swap | The substitution mechanism should prevent this | Check Runner logs for download failures. Confirm enough disk space. |
| Version swap takes too long | A large file is downloading to multiple Runners | Pre-stage the file. Upload it via the Web User Interface first. |
| Automatic update not detecting file changes | Automatically Update Assets is off, or the Producer is not running | Enable it in show settings and confirm the Producer is active. |
Web UI
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Web UI does not load (connection refused) | The Asset Manager is not running, the IP is wrong, or port 3023 is blocked | Verify the service is running, check the IP in the Nodes window, and check firewall rules for port 3023. |
| Uploaded asset does not appear in Producer | The upload is still running, the connection dropped, or the asset is still being processed | Check the web UI at http://<asset-manager-ip>:3023 for the asset's state and retry the upload. Refresh the Assets window in Producer. |
| Upload fails or times out | Network interruption, the browser closed during upload, or the 24-hour per-upload timeout was hit | Retry on a stable, wired connection. For very large transfers, use Producer's drag-and-drop or the Asset Watcher. |
| Uploads are slow | Limited or shared network bandwidth | Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi. Check for bandwidth contention. |
| Drag-to-move is rejected | The destination is a Composition or Dynamic Asset folder that does not accept the asset's kind | Move the asset into a plain folder instead. |
| Folder creation is disabled | The current scope is a Composition or Dynamic Asset folder | Navigate to a plain folder or the root, then create the folder there. |
| Cannot delete assets | The asset is in use on a timeline | Check timeline references in Producer. Use Producer to force-delete if needed. |
SVG shapes
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Shape appears pixelated on display | Render resolution is lower than the display output size | Increase the cue's render resolution to match the display. |
Imported .svg looks pixelated | SVG rasterized at a resolution below the display output | Re-import and match the render resolution to the display size. |
| Text not rendering correctly | Font asset is missing from the show | Add the font file as an asset and select it in the font dropdown. |
| "Multiple Values" in preview | Multiple shapes selected with different properties | Select a single shape to see its preview. |
| Canvas size rejected | Pixel area exceeds the limit (about 66 megapixels) | Reduce width or height to stay within the limit. |
| Changes not visible on timeline | Apply Changes was not clicked after editing | Click Apply Changes in the properties panel. |
Image sequences
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| "Image sequence frame index ... is missing" error | Gaps in the frame numbers (non-contiguous) | Re-render the missing frames. Verify no files were deleted. |
| No sequence detected in folder | Filenames lack trailing numbers, or no supported extension | Use consistent naming like name_0001.ext with a supported extension. |
| Wrong frame count detected | More than one naming pattern in the folder | Move unrelated files out. Keep one naming pattern in the folder. |
| Incorrect playback speed | Frame rate mismatch between source and asset | Change the frame rate in Create Version to match the intended speed. |
| Sequence fails to optimize without a license | 16-bit output codec needs a license. Demo mode allows 8-bit only | Activate a valid WATCHOUT license, or use an 8-bit source. |
Asset Watcher
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| File not detected after being placed in the watch folder | The path does not match the configured watch path | Verify the watch folder path. Place files in the watched folder. |
| Partial or corrupt file imported | The file was still being written | Write files to a staging folder first, then move them into the watch folder in one operation. |
| Watch folder validation fails | The path does not exist or is not reachable on the Asset Manager node | Verify the path exists on the Asset Manager node, not the Producer. Check permissions. |
| Watcher stops detecting changes after a long time | Network folder connection dropped, or the OS event queue overflowed | Remove and re-add the watch folder. Prefer local disk paths over network shares. |
| Files from a network share not detected | Network shares may not report file-system changes reliably | Use a local folder on the Asset Manager node. Copy files to it with a script or sync tool. |
Asset Manager settings
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| No quality dropdown for a codec | Only Notch LC exposes a quality level | Expected. No action needed. |
| Changed codec mapping but existing assets are unchanged | Mapping changes apply to future optimizations only | Delete and re-add the asset. |
| Composition assets appear instead of separate video and audio | Track management set to Composition | Change to Individual Assets and re-import the source. |
| Video imported but audio is missing | Track management set to Skip Audio | Change to Composition or Individual Assets and re-import. |
| Non-default arrow shown but output looks correct | A previous operator customized the mapping | Keep it if the output suits your needs. Otherwise use the restore icon or Reset All. |
Import and export
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
| Cannot start a second export to the same folder | Only one export or import can use a folder at a time | Wait for the current operation to finish. |
| Import reports all assets skipped | The same assets are already present in the Asset Manager | Expected. Identical assets are not re-imported. No action needed. |
| One asset is missing after import | That asset failed to copy (disk space, permissions, corrupt file) | Check the error message, fix the cause, and re-import. Other assets are unaffected. |
| Assets show as still importing after a restart | A previous import was interrupted by a crash or shutdown | These entries are removed on restart. Re-import the package. |
| Remote path not accessible during import | The path is not in WATCHOUT's remote file access settings | Add the path to the remote access allowlist. |
GDTF fixtures
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|
The .gdtf file is not imported | Wrong file type or missing extension | Confirm the file ends in .gdtf. Some sources distribute GDTF files as .zip. Rename to .gdtf before importing. |
| Fixture imported with no modes | The GDTF file is malformed or uses an unsupported revision | Re-download from the manufacturer or GDTF Share. Report the issue to the file publisher. |
| Channel names shown as numbers instead of parameter names | GDTF attribute names not recognized | The fixture still works. WATCHOUT falls back to numeric labels. Add tween keyframes using the numeric channel identifiers. |
| Wrong channels affected during playback | The wrong mode is selected on the cue | Open the cue's Properties panel and change the Mode to match the fixture's physical configuration. |
| Mode list shorter than expected | A mode requires a GDTF revision not in the file | WATCHOUT imports every mode defined in the file. Check the GDTF file's revision history. |
- Asset Manager — the asset pipeline, optimization stages, and status indicators.
- Formats and Codecs — source codecs, optimization output, and alpha handling.
- Asset Transfer — how assets reach the Runner nodes and how to monitor transfers.
- Asset Manager Settings — codec mapping, quality levels, track management, and bandwidth.
- Getting Help — gather diagnostics and contact Dataton support when these fixes do not resolve the issue.
- The Assets Window — the window's columns, filters, and asset status indicators.
