Using a Watched Folder

When using the stand-alone Render Queue, you can create a watched folder. The Render Queue will automatically process any workspace files that are saved in or copied to this folder.

Because processing happens automatically, make sure that you have set up the output settings for each workspace before using this feature. At a minimum, you must either set the Filename, Format, and Format Options, or enable Automatic Quick Setup in the preferences. For information, see Using Quick Setup.

Note: The network rendering system status appears on the bottom of the Render Queue dialog. For example, "Disconnected" appears when backburner Manager is not running. When you are using Watch Folder, the backburner status does not matter.

To use a watched folder:

1. Create a folder on the network. This will be the watched folder.
2. Start the Render Queue application.

Warning: Do not open or import a workspace into the queue. The queue should be empty.

3. Click Preferences.
4. Enter the path and name of the folder that you created in step 1 in the Watch Folder field. You can also click Watch Folder, and browse to the folder in the dialog that appears.



5. Enable Check Watch Folder Every and enter the interval at which the Render Queue checks for new files.

Note: If you do not set this option, the Render Queue will process all workspace files it finds in the watched folder and stop when it completes the last one. It will not monitor the watched folder for new workspaces to render.

6. Enable Automatic Quick Setup to ensure the outputs have filenames and a preset selected.

Otherwise, make sure all the outputs in the workspaces have the necessary settings.

7. Click OK.
8. Click Process.

The Render Queue is now set to check the watched folder for new workspace files at the specified interval.

You can copy workspace files to this folder, and they will be rendered automatically. The Render Queue continues to check the watched folder until you close the application.

While the Render Queue is open, it keeps track of which workspaces in the watched folder have been processed (that is, which outputs in the workspaces have been rendered). However, the outputs in the workspace itself are not marked as processed.

Note: If you want to re-render the outputs in a workspace, you can simply rename the workspace file in the watched folder, and the Render Queue will load and process it again.