Linked Smart objects - multipass EXR

[silly_savage]

I'm an ArchViz artist. My projects often go through many tweaks and revisions during their life as I'm working directly with the Architects on evolving projects.

I'm developing a workflow which has lead me down two paths, ideally I'd like to combine the two, but I can't figure out how just yet:

1: Render to 8bit TIF from 3DSMax/Vray - compile PSD using linked smart objects so that the TIFs can be overwritten and the PSD is automatically updated.

2. back-to-beauty workflow using 32bit multi channel EXR, then wrap the comp in a smart object, collapse to 8 bit and complete retouching in 8bit PSD.

The latter has the advantage that I can correctly compile images into the buildings' interiors / reflections and make tonal adjustments in 32bit, but I can't work out how I would link these EXR elements (VRay reflection / lighting / GI / refraction / specular) to the multipass EXR.

I'm using EXR-io to read the multipass EXRs in photoshop. Using Pro-EXR plugin (Extractor effect) in After effects I'm able to achieve the same thing. I guess one option might be to render to separate EXRs for each Vray render element, however this could get messy quite quickly once you start adding in extra elements.

[silly_savage]

Me again,

I have reverted to saving out seperate EXRs from my 3D programme. Works fine and actually easier to see what I have.

So now I have my 32bit comp with linked smart objects to those EXRs, but when I re-render they just go white and don't refresh. Forcing it using 'update all modified content' doesn't work ('update modified content' is greyed out).

The link is in tact and pressing 'edit contents' opens opens the updated file as expected. The only way to get the layers back is to 'relink to file' or 'replace contents' for each one. There's at least 5 layers so this takes a while

Am I doing something wrong or is this a bug?

[silly_savage]

Bump - anyone got experience? Linked smart objects still dropping out when source file is overwritten. Update does nothing.

[rsuleyman]

I know it's been a while but I was having exactly the same issue today and found your post.

I'm using Exr-IO to do the same thing. I resolved the issue by hiding the dialog that appears each time you open or link an exr file.I don't know if that option exists in ProEXR but it might help.

All the best.