Libraries and Templates

Harmony allows you to use a library to store and reuse elements such as animation cycles, network effects and filters, trajectories, cut-out puppets, etc. We call these elements assets or templates. These libraries can be placed and used on different levels.

Harmony provides some library folders, to which you can add your own libraries. Harmony’s library can be accessed from any scene opened on the machine.

To store your assets somewhere other than the default location, you can create your own folder on your hard drive. If you are connected to a network, you can create a folder on the server to be shared with other network users.

We recommend that you name your library with a relevant project name, such as adventure_library.

The library folders and their templates are completely external to Harmony and can be archived and moved independently from the production. They can also be sent to other Harmony users.

It is always a good idea to be descriptive when naming your templates (assets). Although not mandatory, it is highly recommended to use alphanumeric characters:

a to z, 0 to 9 and underscore ( _ )

This will avoid technical issues when working on different platforms such as Mac OS X or Linux.

Library Structure Tips

The following recommendations may be useful as you structure your work. The main library can be divided into categories to match different template types:

Character
Background
Audio
Prop
Effect

The character section is often altered the most. It is recommended that you divide this folder between:

Main Characters
Episode Characters

Within the Main Characters folder, you can create a folder for each individual character. Episode characters are generally less numerous and can be stored in folders corresponding to their episode. Each character’s folder can be further divided into subfolders, such as:

Model
Animation
Keyposes
Reuse Parts

The Animation section can be organized by actions, such as:

Run Cycle
Walk Cycle
Jumps
Miscellaneous

Some users may divide their animation folder by angle or view:

Front
Three-quarter
Side
Three-quarter back
Back

Personal Libraries

During the animation process, an animator will often reuse certain templates. Some animators have their own personal libraries to store their favourite templates. If a template has been updated in the master library, the Library manager should send a note to the animators and the scene setup team to ensure that they update their personal libraries.