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src-docs/docs/advanced/performance.md

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ But let's agree that sometimes, it’s easier and quicker to use less applicatio
 
 Here's a checklist of what you can do to improve the performance in After Effects, from most to less important. Read the next sections for detailed explanations about these suggestions.
 
+- Use the [Duik optimizer](../guide/performance.md) [^perfpanel] in the Performance panel.
 - Set the preview quality to *Off (Final Quality)*. Don't leave it to *Adaptive Resolution*.
 - Lower the preview resolution if you can (to *Half* or *Third*). Don't leave it to *Auto*.
 - Hide, and shy, unnneeded layers.
@@ -41,6 +42,12 @@ You must know that Duik only uses native After Effects features, it automates th
 
 Next is a non-exhaustive list of features you have to be careful with.
 
+## Duik Optimizer
+
+To quickly optimize some of these parameters, Duik has a smart ![](../img/duik/icons/performance.svg){style="width:1em;"} **optimizer** which will adjust the preview quality and some settings of After Effects, Duik, the current composition and its layers.
+
+▷ Read the section about the Duik [*Performance Panel*](../guide/performance.md) to learn more about this optimizer.
+
 ## Preview quantity and quality
 
 This is not what will improve performance the most, but it’s measures you can take without making any compromise on the features of your rig. When animating, you can downgrade the quality of the preview, and the quantity of layers displayed.
@@ -118,6 +125,15 @@ When you see only a close up on the torso and the head, do you really need the r
 
 If you’re using vectors only for scaling purposes, you can rasterize them (at a higher resolution if really needed) and greatly improve performance.
 
+### Sampling quality
+
+The sampling quality settings of the layers are little known, but the default value (bilinear) is the fastest one anyway.  
+If too many layers are set to bicubic, it may improve the performance to set it back to bilinear.
+
+This sampling quality changes the interpolatioon algorithm used when translating, rotating and scaling the layer; bicubic may improve the result, especially when the layer is scaled up, but the default bilinear setting is usually enough in most cases.
+
+This setting is available in the `Layer > Quality` menu in After Effects, or in the `Quality` section of the layers context menu.
+
 ### Duik Bones
 
 Duik [Bones](../guide/bones/index.md) are Shape Layers and thus have a bad impact on performance. This is not a big issue though, as they're not meant to be displayed; when hidden, their performance impact is negligible, especially if they're *baked*.
@@ -412,6 +428,8 @@ After Effects does use the GPU more and more to render the effects and compositi
 
 [^3]: *Blender* is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software tool set used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D-printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications and virtual reality. *cf.* [blender.org](https://blender.org){target="_blank"}
 
+[^perfpanel]: *cf.* *Miscellaneous tools / [Performance Panel](../guide/performance.md)*
+
 [^4]: *DuGR* lets you group layers in After Effects, and isolate the display of these groups. It is an essential tool to simplify the management of compositions with lots of layers, without any need to precompose! *cf.* [rxlaboratory.org/tools/dugr](https://rxlaboratory.org/tools/dugr){target="_blank"}
 
 [^5]: Rafael Arame is a recognized After Effects rigging expert. You can have a look at his blog on [www.artstation.com/rafaelarame/blog](https://www.artstation.com/rafaelarame/blog){target="_blank"}.

src-docs/docs/getting-started/first-look.md

@@ -55,35 +55,37 @@ These categories are always available on the top bar.
 
 Each panel can be displayed by clicking on one of these top buttons. 
 
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/bone.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Bones***](../guide/bones/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/constraints.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Links and constraints***](../guide/constraints/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/controller.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Controllers***](../guide/controllers/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/automation.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Automation & expressions***](../guide/automation/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/animation.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Animation***](../guide/animation/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/camera.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Camera***](../guide/camera/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/tools.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Tools***](../guide/tools/index.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/cmd.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Command Line and Feature Library***](../guide/cmd.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/bone.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Bones***](../guide/bones/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/constraints.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Links and constraints***](../guide/constraints/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/controller.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Controllers***](../guide/controllers/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/automation.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Automation & expressions***](../guide/automation/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/animation.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Animation***](../guide/animation/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/camera.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Camera***](../guide/camera/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/tools.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Tools***](../guide/tools/index.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/cmd.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Command Line and Feature Library***](../guide/cmd.md)
 
-The ![](../img/duik/icons/file.svg){style="width:16px;"} button on the right hand side opens a simple [note editor](../guide/notes.md).
+The ![](../img/duik/icons/file.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***notes*** button on the right hand side opens a simple [note editor](../guide/notes.md).
 
 On the bottom bar, you'll find some other useful buttons:
 
 ![](../img/duik/bottom-bar.png)
 
 The progress bar (here in purple) shows how much money we got in donations for the current month. When it's filled (it takes the whole width), we've reached our monthly goal; if it's not, it's time for you to join the [RxLab. Membership](http://membership.rxlab.info)[^membership] or [donate](http://donate.rxlab.info)[^donate]!
 
-The ![](../img/duik/icons/heart.svg){style="width:16px;"} ***Donate*** button opens the donation page, to help us continue to develop free software. Thanks!
+The ![](../img/duik/icons/heart.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***Donate*** button opens the donation page, to help us continue to develop free software. Thanks!
 
 The percent shows the money we got in donations for the current month, like the progress bar just above.
 
 The text on the right hand side shows the current version of Duik. You can click it to get to the official website for Duik.
 
+The ![](../img/duik/icons/performance.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***performance*** button opens the [Performance Panel](../guide/performance.md) [^perfpanel].
+
 The icon on the right hand side shows the current result of the [sanity tests](../guide/sanity.md) run by Duik to check everything works smoothly in After Effects.
 
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/bug.svg){style="width:24px;"} ***Bug report and feature request***: click this button to let us know what's on your mind.
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/settings.svg){style="width:24px;"} [***Settings***](../guide/settings.md)
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/language_small.svg){style="width:24px;"} ***Translate Duik***: opens the website where you can [contribute to the translation of Duik](http://translate-duik.rxlab.io)[^tr].
-- ![](../img/duik/icons/help.svg){style="width:24px;"} ***Help***: opens the online help (this documentation you're reading), kept up-to-date.
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/bug.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***Bug report and feature request***: click this button to let us know what's on your mind.
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/settings.svg){style="width:1em;"} [***Settings***](../guide/settings.md)
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/language_small.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***Translate Duik***: opens the website where you can [contribute to the translation of Duik](http://translate-duik.rxlab.io) [^tr].
+- ![](../img/duik/icons/help.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***Help***: opens the online help (this documentation you're reading), kept up-to-date.
 
 ### Individual panels
 
@@ -180,6 +182,8 @@ This can sometimes be a bit tedious, but future versions of Duik will include to
 
 [^donate]: Visit [donate.rxlab.info](http://donate.rxlab.info) to make a donation.
 
+[^perfpanel]: *cf.* *Miscellaneous tools / [Performance Panel](../guide/performance.md)*
+
 [^tr]: Visit [translate-duik.rxlab.io](http://translate-duik.rxlab.io) to help translate Duik to any language.
 
 [^perf]: To learn more about the performance of After Effects and Duik, read the section entitled [*Advanced / Performance*](../advanced/performance.md).
@@ -188,4 +192,4 @@ This can sometimes be a bit tedious, but future versions of Duik will include to
 
 [^dugr]: Duik works hand in hand with another tool called ***DuGR***, which groups layers. You can get it on [rxlaboratory.org/tools/dugr](http://rxlaboratory.org/tools/dugr) and read its complete documentation on [dugr.rxlab.guide](http://dugr.rxlab.guide).
 
-[^aescripts]: Available on [aescripts.com](https://aescripts.com).
+[^aescripts]: Available on [aescripts.com](https://aescripts.com).

src-docs/docs/guide/performance.md

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# ![](../img/duik/icons/performance.svg){style="width:1em;"} Performance Panel
+
+Performance is always an issue in After Effects.
+
+Duik provides a popup panel to gather all performance settings and tools at the same place, to help you define the best settings to improve performance. It also provides a smart optimizer which will adjust some settings and switches to quickly improve the performance of the current composition.
+
+![](../img/duik/perfpanel.png)
+
+## Optimizer
+
+The first part of the panel is the simple ![](../img/duik/icons/performance.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***Optimizer***.
+
+1. **Select** a preset:  
+    - Best performance
+    - Better performance
+    - Balanced
+    - More features
+2. Click the ![](../img/duik/icons/performance.svg){style="width:1em;"} ***Optimize!*** button.
+
+Depending on the preset, Duik will change some settings, and adjust some compositionn and layer parameters for the current composition.
+
+For all presets, the Duik [*Home Panel*](settings.md) is enabled, as long as the [*Layer controls alert*](settings.md) [^settings].
+
+▷ Read the section entitled *[How to improve After Effects and Duik performance](../advanced/performance.md)* to learn why we chose to apply all the following settings when optimizing the performance, and how you can further improve it.
+
+### Best performance
+
+With this preset, Duik tries to improve the performance as much as possible, without changing the final render.
+
+- Duik [Bones](bones/index.md) are set to be light bones instead of full bones with envelops and noodles.
+- Duik [Controllers](controllers/index.md) are set to use raster layers.
+- The composition preview mode is set to `Off (final quality)`.
+- The `Draft 3D` mode is enabled.
+- The preview resolution of the current composition is reduced by a factor of the composition width divided by 480 (that means a quarter for 1920 pixel wide compositions).
+- The motion blur and frame blending preview are disabled for the current composition.
+- The preview quality of all layers is set to draft.
+- The sampling quality of all layers is set to bilinear.
+- The frame blending and motion blur are disabled for all guide layers and Duik specific layers (controllers, bones, pins...).
+
+### Better performance
+
+This preset is a bit more permissive than the *Best Performance* preset; it's the default preset as it should be the more useful in most cases.
+
+- Duik [Bones](bones/index.md) are set to be light bones instead of full bones with envelops and noodles.
+- Duik [Controllers](controllers/index.md) are set to use raster layers.
+- The composition preview mode is set to `Off (final quality)`.
+- The `Draft 3D` mode is enabled.
+- The preview resolution of the current composition is reduced by a factor of the composition width divided by 640 (that means a third for 1920 pixel wide compositions).
+- The motion blur and frame blending preview are disabled for the current composition.
+- The sampling quality of all layers is set to bilinear.
+- The preview quality of guide layers is set to draft.
+- The frame blending and motion blur are disabled for all guide layers.
+
+### Balanced
+
+This preset is optimized for those who need to have more features (and a fast computer) and a better preview.
+
+- Duik [Bones](bones/index.md) are set to be full bones with their envelops and noodles.
+- Duik [Controllers](controllers/index.md) are set to use raster layers.
+- The composition preview mode is set to `Off (final quality)`.
+- The `Draft 3D` mode is enabled.
+- The preview resolution of the current composition is reduced by a factor of the composition width divided by 960 (that means a half for 1920 pixel wide compositions).
+- The motion blur and frame blending preview are disabled for the current composition.
+- The frame blending and motion blur are disabled for all guide layers.
+
+### More features
+
+This preset only change what doesn't limit any actual feature.
+
+- Duik [Bones](bones/index.md) are set to be full bones with their envelops and noodles.
+- Duik [Controllers](controllers/index.md) are set to use shape layers in draft mode.
+- The composition preview mode is set to `Off (final quality)`.
+
+## Duik settings
+
+In this section are gathered all settings relative to performance in Duik. Some are general settings, others may be specific to some tools, but all are also available in other panels of Duik; read the corresponding sections for more details about them.
+
+## Tools
+
+In this section are gathered all the tools which help to improve the performance of Duik and After Effects. They're mostly baking tools built to replace expressions by their values or keyframes. All these tools are also available in other panels of Duik; read the corresponding sections for more details about them.
+
+[^settings]: *cf.* *Miscellaneous Tools / [Settings](settings.md)*.