by Mike Udin·Workflow
Images © Mike Udin. Used for product review; image policy.
Flash Buffer Pro earns its place in the toolfarm library for turning Object Buffer pass management into a name-based workflow, and the Pro edition adds the Select tab, Rename function and After Effects import that the Lite edition leaves out.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro is a Cinema 4D plugin for creating and managing Object Buffer passes while preparing a scene for rendering. Instead of tracking pass numbers, you set a pass name and the plugin analyzes the Object Buffer numbers already used in the scene, finds the first unused one, applies it to a new or existing Compositing tag, and shows the named pass in the Render Settings. Name variables (tokens) speed the process, and passes can be created in a separate mode for individual objects or a single group mode that combines selected objects.
Beyond creation, the plugin can assign an existing pass to a selected object, remove passes for the whole scene or for individual objects, and clear unneeded Compositing tags. The Select tab locates objects by their Object Buffer pass. After rendering, the Rename function sorts sequence files into subfolders and runs in a separate thread, so Cinema 4D stays usable during large jobs. The Path from Names option turns slashes in pass names into path dividers.
The Pro edition also includes an After Effects import script that brings in renamed sequences and supports Unicode characters in file paths.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro is best for cinema 4D artists creating, managing and organizing Object Buffer render passes for compositing.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro is completely free to download and use.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro lists compatibility with Cinema 4D S26, R25, S24, R23, S22, R21, R20, R19, R18 and R17. Across these releases it covers creating, assigning, deleting and selecting Object Buffer passes along with the rename tools. The current version is 1.2.7.1. For versions outside this range, or to confirm the latest supported release, check the developer's page before installing.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro lets you set a template in the Name field and press Create. The plugin analyzes the Object Buffer numbers already used in the scene, finds the first unused one, and applies it to a new or existing Compositing tag. The named pass then appears in the Render Settings, so you work with pass names instead of remembering numbers. Name variables (tokens) can speed this up, and passes are made either in separate mode, one per object, or single group mode that combines the selected objects.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro includes features the Lite edition leaves out. The Lite version has no Select or Rename tabs, no Adobe After Effects import, and some options on the Create tab are disabled, including the ability to create passes disabled in the Render Settings. Pro adds the Select tab for finding objects by their Object Buffer pass, the Rename function for sorting sequence files into subfolders, and an After Effects import script. The Lite edition may suit you if you work with Cineware.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro includes an After Effects import script in the Pro edition that imports the sequence of files after renaming. It supports Unicode characters in file paths, which can be a problem when importing through an .aec file. Any subdirectory structure built with the Path from Names option is also reflected in the After Effects project, so the folder organization you set up during renaming carries through.
Mike Udin Flash Buffer Pro is listed as free in this catalog. Flash Buffer ships in two editions, Lite and Pro, and the changelog notes a new license system introduced in an earlier update. The Lite edition drops the Select and Rename tabs and the After Effects import, while the Pro edition includes all of them. Because licensing terms can change over time, check the developer's page for the current details on the Pro edition before you download or install it.
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