Hi
How do I check the size of my library so I can make space? so I can manage storage, like I do with all other software?
Thanks
M
Hi @mux, welcome to the community
In the Preferences/Storage there is a Volume Statistics button.
You can see how much space individual libraries take. I think this assumes that the material in the libraries are actually stored on the stone so it might give you a bigger than actual value if you are using unmanaged media workflows.
Thanks @Sinan
This only gives you frame numbers of different librarys, and an overall storage size. ?
We should be able to ie get info (like Mac) of a library, folders, reels, or turn on an option to view these straight in the media panel next to the name of the library, folders, reels…
Flame doesn’t really work that way. There is no actual media in folders, reels or the library. The media is stored on the framestore in a structure that you have limited access to (and you should not attempt to manipulate it there) and everything in your folders, reels, etc. are links. When you copy footage from a reel to a batch, you are not duplicating it. You are only creating a new link to the same footage. It may not be accurate to say that a folder has a Tb of footage because that same footage is referenced in other folders, reels, clip, batches, etc. You can load a bucket load of footage and save it in a folder called footage, but once it has been distributed through your workflow, you can delete that folder called footage and get no space back.
I generally keep an instinctual running tab in my head that keeps track of project size. I sort them by terms like “tiny,” “middle-of-the-road” and “too-damn-big.” I pay attention to archive sizes as a good indicator of where a project falls within those terms as well as the storage data that @sinan referenced above. In order to ascertain how much space I have remaining, I look at the free frame count on the bottom of the preference window. I gives me a number based on the current project size. Since all my projects are HD there is a certain consistency, even though I load all my footage at native rez. It’s kind of like the numbers on the knobs of an amplifier. They don’t really mean anything, but they’re a decent guideline.
Another rule of thumb is that I never delete anything until I need the space.
4 Likes
These days I tend to work entirely uncached.
Everything remains on the server and all batch renders are write nodes to the server.
In this scenario, you can get storage estimates directly from the folder structure on your OS in the exact way you’re describing.
Understand what your all saying thanks but, this makes it difficult to manage, ie I have 16TB Framestore, I get to 8TB and want to know how big is this folder in my library is or how big this library is if I delete it how much space will I get back?
My hack is create a temp Archive and then add that folder or library to it and it will give an accurate size, but of course don’t archive it just close the archive…and I also avoid mixing stuff as much as possible as to not get a wrong figure with doubled up or linked footage…
So there must be a way to add a feature like this with maybe a virtual figure, … which may double up elsewhere but still useful for data management, …into the software without having to do hacks…
Thanks anyways
1 Like
If you have a workflow that allows you to not mix things up, then you are probably better off working uncached. I cache almost everything. In my workflow everything is distributed throughout the project, and shared in many ways. When I need to recover something later for revisions, I need it to be restored from a single source so that the project comes back exactly as I left it without having to hunt down drives and worry about re-linking. What you wish for has been asked many times in the last 30 years.
1 Like
Having thought of this periodically through the day, I have to agree. It would be very handy to select a group of clips, whether it be in a folder or a reel, or just random ctl-select-
multiple clips and get a result of how much space it occupies on the framestore, regardless of whether it is linked across multiple reels, folders or batches. You should put in a request. I’d upvote it, and I’ll bet a lot of other people would also.
Amazing!
do you mind doing it for me, or anybody else… I’m currently at the airport with just a mini iPhone,.getting a way for awhile…and probably forget by time I get back thanks…
Done - FI-03182
Copied your exact definition @ytf
It would be very handy to select a group of clips, whether it be in a folder or a reel, or just random ctrl-select-
multiple clips and get a result of how much space it occupies on the framestore, regardless of whether it is linked across multiple reels, folders or batches.
2 Likes
Now we need to remove one of these 
@fredwarren
I have set Leo’s submission as a duplicate of Sinan’s since the latter was the first one to be submitted.