Just noticed that double clicking the PCache no longer clears it. Checked the release notes, but I still can’t figure out why I would want to render without using the cache, but still keep the cache? What’s the workflow supposed to be for that? I’m sure there’s a cool reason, I just want to know what it is.
>Just noticed that double clicking the PCache no longer
>clears it. Checked the release notes, but I still can't
>figure out why I would want to render without using the
>cache, but still keep the cache? What's the workflow
>supposed to be for that? I'm sure there's a cool reason, I
>just want to know what it is.
>
Yes, the reasons are cool (IMHO)
As you know, we have two modes - in the default mode ("Keep Last Frame In Cache" ON), if you render a frame with Cache off, you can enable the Cache AFTER the frame was rendered and the cache will be used.
In the other mode, you have to enable the Cache first, then render to keep the data in memory. If you uncheck the Cache button, the memory WILL be released immediately.
We prefer the first mode, but in 1.0.1 the cache would be released if you would uncheck the button. We feel this is dangerous because you might have spent 10 minutes caching data, then used the Cache, unchecked the button and then OOOPS! realize you shouldn't have done that. Now you have to wait 10 more minutes to rebuild the cache.
So in 1.1.0, if you render a frame, it will be kept in memory. If you check the cache button, that last frame will become the cache. If you uncheck the button, the memory will still be there so you can check it again and the cache will be untouched. To replace the content of the cache, just uncheck the button and render a new frame. After that, you can check the cache button again to use the new data. To CLEAR the cache explicitly, right-click the cache button and select "Clear Both Caches". This will RELEASE all memory and the cache size will read 0MB.
In short, we try to avoid situations where the artist would uncheck the cache button my mistake and remove the cache data from memory without wanting it. If the artist really wants the memory released, he can use the "Clear..." option in the RC menu.
If he wants to update the content of the cache, he can either
*Clear Cache using RC menu, enable Cache and render again,
*Clear Cache using RC menu, render and enable the Cache after that
*Disable the Cache, render and then enable the Cache again.
In short, it is really difficult to make a mistake and clear the cache without really wanting to do that ;o)
Alternatively, the user could go in "Explicit Mode" (Keep Last Frame In Cache turned off) and the memory will be released the moment the button is unchecked, then to populate the cache just check the button and render.