wehub-resource-sync
63 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
# FAQ
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## I followed the installation instructions, but TiXL still won't start. What can I do?
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Installing the Visual C++ Redistributable often helps: [vc_redist.x64](https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe) (from the [Microsoft docs](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170)).
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## What's the difference to Touch Designer?
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Both TiXL and Touch Designer use a [directed acyclic graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed_acyclic_graph) — similar in spirit to Houdini, Maya, and Grasshopper. Information flows from inputs to outputs and both rely heavily on texture-based visualization.
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What sets TiXL apart is its focus on keyframe animation and time manipulation, live coding with HLSL shaders and C#, and — thanks to its [demoscene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene) roots — small-executable export.
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Touch Designer is a mature commercial product with a large community, extensive documentation, and professional support. Some concepts overlap, but underneath the tools diverge significantly.
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## Where are the Mac and Linux versions?
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TiXL is built with ImGui and .NET, both of which run on Linux and macOS. The rendering engine, however, is DirectX 11 — a full port to Vulkan (with a Metal translation layer on macOS) is a large undertaking and not yet complete.
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In the meantime:
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- On Linux, see [Install on Linux](../install/InstallLinux.md).
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- On macOS, see [Install on macOS](../install/InstallMacOS.md).
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If you have a background in .NET and Vulkan and want to help, get in touch.
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## Is there a standalone version?
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Yes. Download the latest release from the [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/tixl3d/tixl/releases/). The installer bundles the required dependencies (including the .NET runtime). See [Installation](../install/Installation.md).
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## How do I update TiXL?
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TiXL aims to stay backward-compatible when updating. If you follow a few simple rules, `git pull` on the main branch should "just work":
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- Never modify symbols in the `lib.*` namespace without submitting a pull request.
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- Don't work directly in the `[Dashboard]` operator — create your own playground or project operators instead.
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- Use a consistent namespace for your operators, such as `user.yourname.project`.
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- Keep your personal resource files in their own folders, e.g. `Resources/user/yourname/projectTitle/`.
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If you're using a standalone release, you need to copy the following to the new version:
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- Everything in `.t3/`
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- Your `Resources/`
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- Your custom operators
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Future releases will streamline this migration.
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## How do I export an executable?
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See [Exporting executables](ExportExecutables.md).
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## How do I export an image sequence or video?
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See [Exporting videos](ExportVideos.md).
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## TiXL doesn't start
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TiXL writes a backup of all operators every three minutes. See [Using backups](Backups.md) for how to restore one.
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Common causes of startup problems:
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- A crash during saving produced incomplete or empty files under `Operators/Types/`.
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- The internal state of an operator was corrupted and saved.
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