Show Archiving

A show file references media assets stored on an Asset Manager. The show file itself is small — display configurations, timeline data, and cue definitions, but not the media. This means the show depends on the Asset Manager being available with the correct assets.

Create Archive packages the show file together with copies of all referenced assets and exported layouts into a self-contained folder. An archived show can be moved between systems, backed up, or opened without access to the original Asset Manager.

When to Archive

  • A finished show — after a production wraps, archive it to keep a complete, portable copy that includes all media.
  • Transfer to another site — moving a show from a studio to an on-site system; the archive carries all assets with it.
  • A backup snapshot — before major edits, archive the current state with the exact media versions in use.
  • Offline work — to review or edit a show on a machine without access to the Asset Manager.

Creating an Archive

  1. Open the show in Producer.
  2. Choose File → Create Archive...
  3. In the Choose Export Location dialog, select a destination folder.
  4. The archive saves the show file and downloads all referenced assets into the folder.

The archive contains:

  • A copy of the show file (.watch), keeping the show's own filename
  • An assets subfolder with all referenced assets
  • The saved window layouts and the current active layout, written as layout_*.json files

The archive size depends on the total size of the referenced assets, so it is much larger than the show file alone.

Archiving copies the current versions of all referenced assets. If assets are still being optimized or transferred when you archive, the package contains whatever state is available then. Let asset processing finish before archiving.

Importing Assets from an Archive

To bring assets from an archive (or any external folder) into a show:

  1. Open the Assets window.
  2. Right-click and choose Transfer Assets → Import...
  3. In the Import Assets dialog, select the Source Node that holds the files.
  4. Enter the Directory Path to the folder with the assets (for example, the assets subfolder of an archive). The path must be absolute.
  5. Click OK to start the import.

The imported assets are registered with the show's Asset Manager.

When importing from a local path into a show whose Asset Manager is on a remote node, WATCHOUT verifies the path is reachable from the remote machine. If it is not in the allowed list, a Remote access needed dialog appears.

The same Transfer Assets submenu also offers Export... and Export All... (write assets to a node and folder you choose) and Download to Runners... (pre-cache the selected assets on Runner nodes).

Considerations

File size: archives can be very large for shows with high-resolution video. Confirm there is enough disk space at the destination before starting.

Multi-node setups: an archive is a portable package; it does not replace the normal asset distribution for multi-Runner deployments. When you deploy an archived show to a production system, connect to the local Asset Manager. Each Runner then downloads the assets its show needs from the Asset Manager through the standard pipeline.

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