UCS Support (Official Discussion Thread)
Ok let's talk about one of the more requested features to add into BaseHead in the last year. Now that I have one coder free to begin on this it’s about that time...
So when is BaseHead gonna add UCS Support?
UPDATE: Phase 1 and 2 below are already completed and already here in the BETAS and the PC 2012.3 release version!
Here are the planned phases...
Phase 1: Importing and Routing to the Database
(Update: Now Completed!)
We will add a checkbox to the BH Import Window that will allow you to override the default iXML scanning for [category] + [subcategory] metadata if a CatID is found at the head of the [filename] and make it as priority. If this data is not found, it will fall back on the original importing code. A UCS template will be included but you will be able create or select another template if you decide to go with another naming or routing. This CatID data will be imported and translated into the Database into [category] + [subcategory] and [short_id] [fields].
Phase 2: PeekTree: a new ‘Categories’ Node for UCS Template Auto-Population during Importing and Rescanning
(Update: Now Completed!)
A new Dedicated Category Node will appear in the PeekTree for auto-population during Importing. We will also add a function the ‘Imports Rescanning’ the ability to check for the selected UCS template in existing records in the DB and update the records if the user chooses and if data is found it will file it in to a new 'Categories' Node in the PeekTree. I was gonna add this ability to the ‘Groups’ node but I think that should be more dedicated to users creating personal items and the new ‘Categories’ node will be for auto-populated and user predefined UCS Categories Templates during importing etc...
Phase 3: Details Panel Field Template Chooser
We will allow you load template files to be able to tag libraries quicker. This will not replace the current Details Panel auto-complete. It will work alongside of it. Auto-complete will still work while typing as is by default and when you right click it will also show a list of cats/subcats to select from your selected UCS Template (a UCS template will be included but will be able to be user changeable). Also we will add an option to include the UCS template with the database values when typing with auto-complete and also include an option to ignore the DB values and just use the template values with Auto-Complete. Etc….
All and all this should be some nice Cat/Subcat changes that will take about 2 months to complete fully.
Got an idea or suggestion for one of the top 3 Phases before we get started on it? Let us know in this thread and as always it will be considered. Well..…if I actually think it’s worthy...Hahaa. 😉
-Steve T.
For sure man! Share what you got!
It's go time now!
Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way.. I'm poking fun more than anything. It's just so funny to us how something that is on version 8.0 already everyone all of a sudden needs it and can't work without it overnight. 😉
Anyway...what I have planned so far should more than appease the UCS supporters and anti-UCS guys also. I have been talking to people for months and months in the industry about this before I made a statement on it and I can tell that for every one that is Pro-UCS out there are at least or more that is not a fan of it at all.
Whether your Pro-UCS or not this will bring about some new kickass new features for both sides to use and hopefully everyone will be able to agree on that at least! 😉
s.
Probably worth mentioning 8.0 was the first public release of UCS. To my understanding, it was used and developed privately in all previous versions.
Yes it's basically the internal SkyWalker system I have been seeing for years whenever we did joint projects with them from studios I worked at in Hollywood. That is why it's not new to me but I guess for others it would be new. 😉
The first and foremost things we will need help with from your guys is some test files. 8)
Can anyone that has tagged their library this way send me a Dropbox, Google Drive link privately?
or send it to cpm 'at' baseheadinc 'dot' com
We will have importing working in house in the next day or so send some on quick. 😉
thx!
s.
PC users we have UCS importing rocking in the latest BETA already.
The same is coming for mac in the next day or so. 8)
The latest Mac BETA now also has CatID Importing with a UCS template.
Give it a play and send us any filenames that aren't parsing correctly.
Make sure you set CatID to "High" on the Chunks Panel otherwise iXML will take priority. 😉
Yo guys !
Great idea to support UCS, but opening it to custom tables ! I'm really happy to see a standardisation of the file naming schemes, but being able to slightly change some catSubCats is really great.
One thing that seems important to me in phase 3, is to show the "explanations" field from the UCS template or custom template, when tagging it. Really useful when we don't know where to classify a sound. The "audioCategoryClipper" has the option to search into this "explanation" field to. So for example, when searching for "truck" into the template, it shows some "vehicle" categories.
yeah I want it user editable/tweakable for all to use.
think about the British that want to route "Elevator" to "Lift" during Importing and Tagging
Or Japanese, French or Korean users that want to convert terms to their language during import and export but still keep UCS tags on the front of the file 😉
That is a lot of words to show in the UI for "Explanations". Maybe we can show them in hover over ToolTips? Will that work?
That "should" be fairly easy to add in and this way you don't need to keep another document open just to cross-reference when you are not sure.
s.
Yes that's exactly the point, no side-documents to search ! A tooltip can be really great too !
PC Users. The latest BETA just posted minutes ago adds some things for Phase 2 now:
CatID Template Browsing, Searching and Filtering now as a new separate TAB above the PeekTree.
This is coming to Mac also this week. Once added for mac then we will go back and add more feature and options to this TAB including double clicking to retain and a gang other options.
FYI: Phase 1 isn't fully completed yet also. We getting the meat and potatoes working first and then we will go back and trick it all out. 😉
Great guys ! It looks so promising !
My custom categories list is going to be alive.
Mac users
Version 2021.2.27 Mac BETA Posted
This version populates the Categories tab and allows filter searching and clicking to search them now also for macOS.
We have a few improvements still for this TAB and 2-3 more features to add but at least now you can see the Cats/Subcats in your template and search it via a single click.
FYI: we are releasing a new official version this week and this tab will probably be hidden in that version till the next official release so stick with the BETA's if you want to use this feature. 
Only CatID Importing and the upcoming Database function 'Refresh CatID Metadata' will be in the official release as far as Categories features are concerned. Just Phase 1 stuff will be announced basically.
This version also has a bunch of CPM auto-launching/quitting improvements also and bunch of other stuff I didn't bother to right down as I was on a mini-vacay in the North of Thailand at the time. 8)
Download Link:
https://storage.googleapis.com/basehead-downloads/BaseHead/BETAS/BaseHead_Mac-2021.2.27%20BETA.pkg
Mac users:
build 2021.2.37 BETA just posted should have Phase 1 and Phase 2 completed now.
There will be a Phase 2B added for the CatID Tab in PeekTree with some extra features not listed above that I want to add also but we have other tasks to wrap up first before your continuing on this task.
PC users:
I will post a new BETA shortly also with Phase 1 and 2A 100% completed also.
standby...
FYI: I decided also that the CatID Tab will be visible in the next full release after all....well....if you are not using the Lite Edition. 😉
Thanks !
PC Users: BETA build 36 just posted with also Phase 1 and 2 Completed 100%
Also if anyone is translating the included UCS v8.0 Template to their Native Language let us know so we can include it in the full installer 😉
We just posted new PC and Mac versions today for your UCS testing pleasure. 8)
FYI: multi-language UCS support will come in globally when we add Details Panel Tagging support in in Phase 3.
BTW the latest official PC release on the Main Downloads Page has UCS Importing and Browsing complete in it with an official macOS version coming early next week once we get the PeekTree changes we did transplanted into it.
Then we will focus on Details Panel and Batch Rename feature for UCS also
We are still wrapping things up on other projects and then we will get to Phase 3 ^^above^^.
Question:
Would you guys prefer....
A. Adding and Tagging UCS Cat/Subcat via the Details Panel typing with Auto-Complete with your keyboard.
OR
B. Would you prefer using your mouse and just dragging the items in the Results list to the Left Side UCS Categories section in the Left Side Bar to add the UCS/Category tags to them?
We will probably add both but I'm trying to gauge which to do first when we get back on this in the next week or so after the new CloudBased Licenses are released. 😉
First BETA for PC with UCS Tagging just posted.
https://baseheadinc.com/index.php/community/basehead-pc-specific/basehead-pc-v2021-5-20-beta-with-ucs-tagging-now/
I think we will keep all the UCS stuff in the UCS Tab instead of cross-pollinating with the Details Panel.
Eventually we'll add UCS suggestion to the Details Panel but I think Drop and Drop direct to the UCS Categories is fine for now.
We will add auto-complete suggestions to the Details Panel the next time we give that panel a refresh 😉
macOS version with UCS tagging coming Friday most likely
This is in the Release version for PC just posted FYI v2021.5.22
The macOS version coming this weekend if all goes as planned
UCS Tagging now completed on Mac version guys!
https://baseheadinc.com/index.php/community/basehead-mac-specific/basehead-mac-2021-5-27-beta-first-ucs-tagging-beta/
