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LucidLink Workflow

Create, mount and configure your Lucid workspace to use locally and within a CREE8 workstation.

Written by Matt Birch

This guide will cover the full Lucid workflow, such as mounting, configuration options for cache, pinning folders and recommended best practises when using Adobe Premiere.

Creating a LucidLink Project

1. Open the CREE8 App and sign in.

2. Go to the Projects Tab

Select "New Project"
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3. Fill out the project details by entering the following information:

  • Project Name

  • Folder Label

  • Drive Letter

  • When you get to the "Type of Storage' section select "LucidLink Project"

Install LucidLink on your local machine

  1. Open the CREE8 Desktop App.

  2. Click on the 'LucidLink" tab at the bottom of your desktop app, on the left side.


3. In the top-right , click Installers and choose "Download LucidLink Classic."

NOTE: The newer version of LucidLink is not compatible, so please install LucidLink Classic if the project fails to mount.

4. It will take you to the LucidLink Classic website, and provide a download link for your machine.

5. Install the application and allow access through any privacy & security settings that it may request.

Connect to a Lucid Filespace

The Lucid volume can be accessed from the workstation, as well as locally.

When a user has been added to the Lucid project, then follow the steps below on how to mount the storage;

Inside The Workstation

  1. Launch the workstation and Connect.

  2. Once inside, see the available projects listed inside the CREE8 Dashboard. If the project has been set to mount automatically, the storage will be available.

3. Confirm that the project appears within Windows Explorer, and all files and folders appear.

Local Computer

  1. Inside the CREE8 Desktop Application, navigate to the LucidLink icon on the left sidebar and install LucidLink Classic from the Installers button if not already installed.

  2. Find the LucidLink project from the Projects list, and click Mount to connect to the storage.

3. Once it successfully connects, check in Finder / Windows Explorer for the storage to be mounted as a drive, exactly like a regular LucidLink filespace.

Configuring Lucid Cache

Changing the settings for an active LucidLink connection is configured through the CREE8 Desktop Application.

  1. Click on a mounted Lucid drive to show additional options:
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    2. From this new menu, click into the SETTINGS

    3. By default the cache will go to the user folder on the internal drive and use 25GB of storage.

Update Cache Location

  1. To change the Cache Location, click Browse and choose a new destination, for example a dedicated SSD. It's recommended to use NTFS for Windows or APFS for macOS.

  2. Once chosen, click on Update to apply.
    The drive will be remounted with this new configuration.

Cache Size

  1. To change the Cache Size enter a new amount in the box, this can be as large as the available storage provides.

  2. Entering over 1000GB may show an error, please change the size from GB to TB to enter a larger amount (2TB for example).

  3. Once chosen, click on Update to apply.

NOTE: These setting changes need to be applied one at a time, so please click Update after each change, and then check once the drive has remounted to confirm the values have updated.

Example Updated values:

Clearing Cache

  1. From the Settings page, click on the Trash icon to clear all local cache.

Here you can also Reset to the default configuration.

Pinning Files

As the CREE8 Desktop Application handles the Lucid workspace mounting and configuration, it is also used for Pinning files as well.

Unlike traditional LucidLink filespaces where files on a Lucid volume can be pinned by right-clicking inside Finder / Explorer. The same results are achieved by doing it through the CREE8 app.

  1. Click on the active Lucid project to enter the configuration;

2. Enter the section called PINNED, this is where the management for file & folder pinning is done.

3. All successful pinned assets will be listed in the empty space below, so begin by pressing the + Pin Folder or File button.

4. Navigate through the Lucid storage and either select a File or a Folder to pin.

5. Once selected and added, the item will be shown in the list:
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6. Checking the same File or Folder on the Lucid volume in Finder / Explorer will show the same Lucid pin icon on all selected assets;

NOTE: If a folder is chosen, this will also synchronize and pin all new assets added inside automatically.

Unpinning Files

To unpin and remove the local files from the cache directory, either click the Unpin icon alongside the asset, or choose to Unpin All from the button at the top.

Clicking this will show a window to confirm the decision, the cache will be removed and the Pinned icons will disappear.

Force a Synchronization

In the event that the files or folders may appear to be outdated and the Lucid volume needs to be refreshed for it to update. Please use the following two buttons to force a synchronization;

  1. On the LucidLink page, click the three dots on the mounted Lucid project.

  2. Click to Resync, which will update the file content on the volume.
    ​

    1. Another way from inside the Lucid project tab, click on SETTINGS

    2. Click the first icon listed to Resync the file content.
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Adobe Premiere Best Practises

By default, Adobe Premiere Pro stores temporary media scratch files in the volume where your project file is saved. If your project is stored in a filespace Premiere Pro will also place the scratch disks there.

For best performance, assign your scratch disks to the fastest available local drive. Ideally this should be a separate disk from your project file, operating system or application files. By isolating these assets your media disks can read and play back media files at maximum speed without interference from other system processes.

Change scratch disks

  1. In Adobe Premiere Pro, navigate to File > Project Settings > Scratch Disks.

  2. Locate the Video Previews and Audio Previews sections.

  3. Click the drop-down menu next to each option and click Browse... to specify a fast local drive or external SSD.

  4. Click OK.

Preferences > Audio

  1. Disable:

    1. Generate waveforms automatically during import

    2. Auto-tag audio types in the timeline

Preferences > Media Analysis & Transcription

  1. Disable:

    1. Analyze all imported media ti visually search your projects

    2. Automatically transcribe clips

Preferences > Media Cache

  1. Change the media cache location to use an internal / external SSD and away from the Lucid drive.

Preferences > Playback

  1. If not using a secondary monitor for fullscreen playback, disabling the Mercury Transmitter can improve playback performance.

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