Where do you keep your source files?

[Zeblote]

I’m wondering if there are some common places to keep content source files, like .blends, or the .fbx files exported from them, or maybe png textures…

I currently have them all collected in a SourceContent folder next to Content, but maybe that’s not ideal? Just today I noticed that unreal will actually attempt to auto reimport changed files if they’re within the Content folder itself, so maybe that’s a better idea. Though then they’d be mixed together with all the uassets, which seems a bit strange.

[FrankieV]

Iterations goes into the content folder so it gets auto updated. Once more or less done the source is pulled and stored. Animations use a source chain that requires re-import from a scrap folder and once done the scrap folder is deleted as once in UE4 the take becomes the source.

[Vertex_Soup]

For auto re-importing assets UE support folder monitoring and you can setup multiple folders in settings, eg it will notice if you drop new file to monitored folder and if you setup path it will import it into corresponding content folder… So where you store them is just matter of personal preference/workflow. And do not ask me where is setting for that, don’t be lazy and google it It is all there on internets.

[Zero-Night]

I keep them outside the project folder entirely, easier to keep track of what’s imported and what isn’t, plus I don’t need to worry about cluttering Git with 2-4gb files. I’ve seen some people put it in the project Source folder, but if you ever use C++ that’s going to become a headache very quickly.

[Zeblote]

@FrankieV

Iterations goes into the content folder so it gets auto updated. Once more or less done the source is pulled and stored. Animations use a source chain that requires re-import from a scrap folder and once done the scrap folder is deleted as once in UE4 the take becomes the source.

Not 100% sure I understand. Are you saying you get rid of the source files entirely once it’s done?

@Vertex_Soup

For auto re-importing assets UE support folder monitoring and you can setup multiple folders in settings, eg it will notice if you drop new file to monitored folder and if you setup path it will import it into corresponding content folder… So where you store them is just matter of personal preference/workflow. And do not ask me where is setting for that, don’t be lazy and google it It is all there on internets.

Interesting. I’ll see if I can get it to auto reimport stuff from my SourceContent folder.

@Daniel.Wenograd

I keep them outside the project folder entirely, easier to keep track of what’s imported and what isn’t, plus I don’t need to worry about cluttering Git with 2-4gb files. I’ve seen some people put it in the project Source folder, but if you ever use C++ that’s going to become a headache very quickly.

Why wouldn’t you want to version your assets together with the rest of the game? I found git lfs to work well enough for this purpose.

[Zero-Night]

@Zeblote

Why wouldn’t you want to version your assets together with the rest of the game? I found git lfs to work well enough for this purpose.

Not everything needs it. I don’t need to be sending programmers 8gb obj files and filling their hard drives to capacity. Stuff like Maya files, Substance, ZBrush, etc sure I’ll put on there (still in another folder outside of the project folder), but none of the stuff I don’t really need to.

[Nawrot]

When i work with more people on a project we use some version control system.
But for just myself i do backups of whole project after each bigger change. Usually 1-2 times per day i zip whole project, name that zip file with date and most recent feature i worked on.

[MishaPchel]

Well, that’s unexpected. I somehow never tried to store originals outside the UE. Thanks for the topic and answers!