Digital Light & Color

When cloning a branch off the top image, the Open File dialog pops up to choose the top image file for the cloned branch. If the file is chosen, everything works fine, but if I want to cancel the deal, a pretty serious interrogation ensues.

If I refuse to try again, PWP wants to close the whole Workspace (I think) - I just want to cancel cloning the branch. A No will copy the branch anyway without the top image (which then can be closed by closing the top image with another warning). Clicking Yes, clones the branch and then wants to close all the images (with another confirmation screen and save workspace option).

This may be too naive, but I was thinking that the first Cancel maybe could just abort the cloning of the branch?

If it were easy to just abort the cloning, I would have done it.

The way it currently works is to first clone all the transformations -- when copying a File Open, its file list is cleared. Then it does a recalculation -- when recalculating a File Open, if there are no files, it asks for one. At this point, the transformations have all been copied and it is in the middle of a recalculation, so it is too late to cancel the operation easily. On the other hand, if you don't clear the workspace, the File Open will show up as an error which will quickly propagate down the branch. When it stops you can just delete the branch by closing the top level File Open.

A similar problem occurs when loading a script or workspace script some of whose files no longer exist. As with cloning, it first loads all the transformations and then recalculates which triggers the File Opens to ask for replacements for any missing files. Again, it is too late to simply abort if you want to cancel. So in the next release, before loading a script or workspace script, it scans the script file for File Opens and verifies that all the referenced files exist. If not, it gives you the option of continuing as before and asking for replacement files or canceling the operation.