What exactly is optimizing images?

Prince Wao

What exactly is optimizing images in 3DL? The reason I ask is that I don't understand why I can load a set and sometimes if I want to spot render without editing the content first I get an immediate spot render and then at other times I get anywhere form 100+ to 900+ "Optimizing mages" first. The same also applies to full rendering, to spot or full rendering after edits, and also when loading a subset and rendering. Rendering or spot rendering either a subset or a set, before or after editing, will sometimes optimize images and sometimes not. It appears to be purely random whether anything optimizes first or not, but while I'm sure it can't be, there doesn't seem to be a pattern to it. There also seems to be no logic re how many images are optimized as the number is different each time

I'm currently working on a complex set with gazillions of props and 15 characters on camera and 10 off camera as they appear reflected in a mirror. Re this set I have a new record for number of images optimized before a render - 992 - but as I write the same set is optimizing 627 images after I repositioned a spotlight and went to spot render to check if what I want lit is lit the way I want it. So why 992 at one time, 627 now, other figures at other times and sometimes 1 before a render or spot render begins

Re subsets, say just of one character I've created to add to a set or sets later, if I render after loading it to remind me what the figure looks like sometimes it will render instantly and sometimes it will be something like 24 images optimizing, even when the character only has hair and a couple of items of outfit. There doesn't seem to be any logic or pattern to it.

Richard Haseltine

It is creating the .tdl files from the textures - those are multi-resolution versions of the maps, so that the actual renderer can be given ones that match the render size and not waste memory on larger than needed images. How long it takes depends on how many iamges there are, and on their size.

kyoto kid

..usually too, it only hapens on teh first render attempt.  Subsequent render processes of the scene during the same session often launch immediately without an optimisation pass unless you make significant changes to it.

Prince Wao

Thanks RH & KK. I've noticed on spot renders that after the first with optimizing, further ones don't optimize, but as I wrote above, "Rendering or spot rendering either a subset or a set, before or after editing, will sometimes optimize images and sometimes not." Also, "Re subsets, say just of one character I've created to add to a set or sets later, if I render after loading it to remind me what the figure looks like sometimes it will render instantly and sometimes it will be something like 24 images optimizing..." I've often noticed that on loading a character subset and rendering that there's never a series of optimizing images - the same also applies to entire scenes - but then on another day there will be. Also, with numerous character subsets I create (I create more than I use as also being a writer I love morphing new ones, some from fiction I've written and some for new characters) I can load them and render them and there's no optimizing at all - I'd say that more often than not there's no optimizing - but then on another day there'll be 20+ or 30+ optimizations.

Richard Haseltine

Well, if you have loaded that character into the scene (in thats ession) before then the process will already have run - the tdl files, once created, are kept until you close DS or do File>New.

Prince Wao

Thank you, Richard.