Keeping a clean config file leads to modo joy and bliss and other happiness. Here is how you can set up different folders for scripts and configuration files to keep everything safe (and separate) should your modo config go to the birds. This tutorial is written for the PC, but hopefully should carry over for our beloved mac users.
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Z:/!Config folder contents |
Step 1 - Figure out where you want to keep everything.
I have a special folder on a separate partition (in this case my 'Z: drive') that contains all of my important configuration files for all of the software that I have on my PC. It is called '!Config'. I like to put an exclamation point before it, as it keeps it at the top of the folder list. In this '!Config' folder I put separate folders for each app that I would like to keep configuration files for.
If you don't have your drive partitioned into different segments, that is no problem, just make the '!Config' folder and place it in a safe place on your 'C:' drive.
This can be handy if you have several computers that you are trying to keep organized with some of the same settings, if you want to grab your settings to take to the computer at work etc.
Step 2 - Make separate folders in the modo folder.
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Z:/!Config\modo\202 folder contents |
You will need separate folders for the main modo config, scripts, config (form) files, render buckets and render frames. Your folders should look something like the graphic to the left. I keep these folders within a separate version folder (i.e. 103, 201, 202 etc) in case I want to access modo using that specific configuration in the future.
a. 'buckets' are for render buckets.
b.
'CFG' is for the main modo config file.
c. 'frames' is for the frames that modo automatically saves when you render something.
d.
'presets' are for material presets.
e.
'resrc' is for your custom pie menus, configs that come with scripts, keyboard shortcuts, custom colors etc. CFG files that are placed in this directory are automatically loaded with modo when modo is launched. Note however that unlike scripts, modo will not see files that are placed in this directory untill after modo is closed down and relaunched. If you have a config file that is simliar to something already in your config, such as a custom color configuration, the file in the resrc folder will always override what is in modo's main config file.
f. 'scripts' are for the scripts that you download for modo. Scripts that are placed in this folder are available directly from the command line i.e.: @yourScript.pl. No further file address is needed. Scripts can be added to the folder while modo is running.
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modo shortcut properties |
Step 3 - Set up the custom locations in the modo shortcut icon.
If you right click on your modo launch icon, found either on your desktop or quick launch bar or whatever, a properties dialogue box will appear that should look similar to this graphic at the right.
You are going to add some text after what is found in the 'Target' input box.
The text to add is as follows:
-config:Z:\!Config\modo\202\CFG\MODO.CFG -license:Z:\!Config\modo\202\license
The total line found in the target input box should read as follows (all one line):
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Luxor\modo 202\modo.exe" -config:Z:\!Config\modo\202\CFG\MODO.CFG -license:Z:\!Config\modo\202\license
This will tell modo in what location to look for the master config file and the license file. If modo does not find a config file in that location, it will create a new one. MODO.CFG is arbitrary on my part - you can name it whatever you want. You can also leave out the license line if you wish to keep your license in its default location (hidden in the 'C:\Documents and Settings\userName\Application Data\Luxology' folder by default.
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modo config file - adding the imports |
Step 4 - Add custom paths to modo's config.
Make sure you start with a fresh config. The reason for this will later become apparent.
Add the following lines to the fresh config, right after the other <import> tags that are at the top of the file.
<import>Z:\!Config\modo\202\scripts</import>
<import>Z:\!Config\modo\202\resrc</import>
These references that you are adding, tell modo where your config and script files can be found. Scripts go into the scripts directory. Custom menus, forms, forms that came with scripts, go into the resrc menu.
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a . setting the bucket and frames directories |
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b. setting the preset directories |
Step 5
- Open modo with your new shortcut and customize.
This step is a fun one. You can now open up modo and customize it so that modo is the way that you like it. The goal here is to get modo exactly the way you want it, and then to close modo or press F12 to save the config.
Be sure to set up things like lasso style, type of viewport navigation such as Maya or Lightwave etc., number of render threads etc. Set it up just the way you like it.
The areas that you want to specifically address that pertain to our special folders that we have created while you have modo open and are messing with the preferences, are the following:
a. Write Buckets Directory & Recent Frames Directory - This is found in the System / Preferences menu.
b. Material Presets Directory - To access this, right click on material or base shader - something in the Render Tree. Click on 'Load Preset' and then click on 'add Path'. This will allow you to choose the path to the presets directory.
After you have configured modo the way that you would like, close modo and that will save your modo configuration.
One thing that is extremely important to this process is that you leave out creating any custom form, menus, pie menus etc. You will want to create those in a separate step and then export each one of them as separate files into your custom 'resrc' directory.
Keeping these files separate from your master, main modo config ensures easier editing happiness down the road. If you are like me, you will always be tweaking and improving your setup, and separated menus and forms make this process much easier.
Step 6 - Make a backup copy of your config file.
Now that you have spent a few minutes configuring modo the way that you would like it to be, you want to ensure that you can always go back to that master configuration. To do this, you need to make a backup copy of the config file and name it 'MASTER.CFG'. This is the config that you will go back to should modo start acting strangely.
I have included a batch file that can be used to restore modo's configuration file back to the one that you just made. The file can be found here. The batch file gets placed into the same CFG directory that your MODO.CFG and the MASTER.CFG files are in. You can then make a shortcut to the batch file and place it wherever you would like; on your desktop, toolbar, wherever. When run, the batch file simply deletes the existing MODO.CFG file, making a copy of the MASTER.CFG file and then renaming it to MODO.CFG. When you restart modo, everything will be as you once had it. If you have different paths to your config file (which you most likely do), you will have to edit the batch file before using it.
Step 7 - Summary
That is pretty much it. You now have a place to keep everything organized. You can easily transfer this group of files to other machines. You can easily backup the files and information. Anyhow if you modo config goes haywire, you can easily restore it with a click of a button.
For more information on setting up configuration files, please see ConcussionGFX's excellent video tutorial that can be found here.
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