SYNK Client Installation

Introduction

SYNK Client is our pipeline management tool that integrates your workstation with Ftrack and ensures all your DCCs are properly configured for production work with the SYNK Toolbelts. This guide walks you through getting SYNK installed on your machine, from the initial Windows configuration tweaks to setting up Python dependencies in Maya, Substance Painter, and Substance Designer. You'll also find instructions for connecting everything to Ftrack so you can start working on tasks right away. Choose between the guided installer if you want a quick setup, or use the deployment archive if you're rolling it out across multiple machines.

Video Installation Guide

https://cloud.thepack.studio/s/EKKypnmKypGTRAC

Packages/Installation

The required packages and installs are provided separate as these are client specific.

Workstation - and DCC pre-install

Enable Windows long file paths

Download.

LongPathsEnabled.reg

Optional: a global pre-install with Chocolatey

choco install -y git git-lfs ffmpeg-full vlc djv sourcetree 7zip vscode

To setup Chocolatey see the Chocolatey Documentation

DCC pre-install

Pre-install should be run from an elevated shell.

Automated DCC pre-install

Download and run the following PowerShell script:

https://cloud.thepack.studio/s/2SY5aZTBqPP8rJ4

Manual DCC pre-install

Maya pre-install PyMel & Ftrack Python API

cd "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2024\bin"
mayapy -m pip install --upgrade pip
mayapy -m pip install pymel
mayapy -m pip install ftrack-python-api

mayapy -m pip install urllib3
mayapy -m pip install idna
mayapy -m pip install charset-normalizer
mayapy -m pip install platformdirs

Substance Painter pre-install

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Substance 3D Painter\resources\pythonsdk"
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api
python -m pip install shiboken6

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Substance 3D Painter\resources\pythonsdk"
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api shiboken6

Substance Designer pre-install

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Substance 3D Designer\plugins\pythonsdk"
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api
python -m pip install shiboken6

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Substance 3D Designer\plugins\pythonsdk"
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api shiboken6

Blender

cd "C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender 4.5\4.5\python\bin"
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api bqt

Unreal Engine

cd "C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.4\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\Python3\Win64"
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api opentimelineio pyqt5 unreal-stylesheet pyquaternion
python -m pip install --upgrade requests
python -m pip install --upgrade clique
python -m pip install --upgrade pyparsing

Nuke

cd "C:\Program Files\Nuke15.1v3"
python -m pip install ftrack-python-api

Install SYNK Client

There are two options use a guided installer or a deployment archive.

1. Installer

Extract synk-client-installer-*.*.*.zip
Go to SYNK Client Installer - directory
Run with admin rights SYNK Client Installer.exe
Set SYNK Plugins to: B:/06_Tools/synk

2. Deployment Archive

Extract synk-client-deploy-*.*.*.zip
Copy the extracted SYNK - directory to C:\\Program Files
Updated the .env file: SYNK_PLUGINS=B:/06_Tools/synk
Create a Desktop Icon

DDC packages

These will be provided separatly and should be put at B:/06_Tools/synk.

Ftrack connect

ftrack-connect-action-launcher-widget is required.
ftrack-connect-publisher-widget, standard ftrack publisher is optional.
ftrack-connect-timetracker-widget, this is handy when you want to do time tracking from connect on your task in stead of in the web browser.

Unity Setup

When you want to use Unity for your project, a few extra install steps are needed per workstation

Install Unity Hub.
- Depending on the project requirements you can use a Personal or a Pro license
Install Unity Editor version.
- Which version depends on the project requirements, SYNK currently supports up to version 6000.2
Configure the SYNK UPM manager access.
- This is needed to allow Unity to access the UPM manager and download updates of SYNK packages
- Each user needs to copy / create the .upmconfig.toml file on their machine:
  - Windows: %USERPROFILE%\\.upmconfig.toml
  - macOS/Linux: ~/.upmconfig.toml
- Send a request to us to get a .upmconfig.toml file that will work for your project.
Request a Bitbucket account on the SYNK workspace.
- SYNK uses bitbucket.org to host its git repositories. Once you have a Bitbucket account, you can see the repositories you have access to via this link Bitbucket repositories
Using Ftrack connect and the SYNK client you will be able to start the Synk Unity Git tool.
- This tool allows you to clone a Unity project, get the latest version of a projet and publish changes for a project.
- See https://synk.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AgDVQQ for the full documentation on how to setup and use the SYNK Git tool.
- After a project is cloned for the first time, you can add it to Unity Hub for easy opening.
Now you are ready to open any of your cloned Unity projects by using the Unity Hub tool.

Support

For questions or issues, please contact your studio's technical support team or refer to the SYNK documentation.