About saving options in Harmony

Harmony has the following options for saving files depending on your workflow:

• Scene file (.xstage)
• Compact file (.vbd)(Version 25 and up only)

It is also important to recognise that the saving process can differ depending on whether you are working on standalone or using a database. Database documentation on saving can be found at the bottom of the article.

If you would like to read more about saving versions, please see Saving Scenes as New Versions in Harmony Stand Alone.

The Harmony Scene file (.xstage)

This format is used for all Harmony scenes.

An .xstage file is a format saved in a folder that contains all the images, elements, sounds, palettes, etc. that are used in the scene. The .xstage file itself is represented by a Harmony page icon, and when this file is opened it will reference all of the files in the folder to load the saved scene. 

Open this file by double clicking the .xstage icon in the folder, or by using the Open options in the Welcome Screen or top menu.

For more information, see About the File Structure in Harmony Stand Alone.

Moving Files

If you need to move an .xstage file, you must move the entire folder containing the files and the .xstage, as it needs to reference all these files when opening. Moving the .xstage file on its own will result in a blank scene when opened elsewhere.

A Harmony scene folder can be compressed into a single file by using a file archiver application. 

How to save it

An .xstage file is automatically created when you click on Create Scene on the Welcome Screen, or by choosing File > New Scene.

You can also save changes by using File > Save, or save copies of scenes by using the Save As option under File > Save As.

Welcome Screen	File menu

The Compact file (.vbd)

The Compact file is a format that is part of a scene’s structure.

When using the Compact option with your Harmony scene, compatible elements will be combined into a single .vdb (virtual database) file inside the scene’s structure.

The below images show the difference between a regular .xstage file structure and one saved with the compact option.

Regular Structure	Compact Structure

System/Network Strain and Speed:

A compacted structure contains fewer files and will improve the overall performance and efficiency when using the scene. Having specific files in one place helps with the efficient location of the content by the software, and will make the scene easier to access, transfer and share.

Control Center:
The compact file structure increases the speed at which you can open larger scenes and perform imports and exports from the Control Center. When your scene has all the data compiled into a single file, Harmony will react faster when transferring data as the software will not need to search the disk for all the necessary files to operate. This will result in a faster reaction to reflect changes applied in real time.

How to save it

You can turn your file structure into a Compact one by ticking the Compact File Structure box on the Welcome Screen when creating a new scene, or by going to Scene > Scene Settings > Advanced tab and choosing Compact.

Alternatively, if you want to uncompact the scene, go to Scene > Scene Settings > Advanced tab and choose Uncompact.

Saving on the Harmony Database

For those working with Harmony Database, the following documentation covers topics about saving:

• About the Scene File Structure in Harmony Database.
• About Saving and Scene Versions in Harmony Database.
• Saving a Scene in Harmony Database.
• Saving a New Scene Version in Harmony Database.
• Advanced Saving in Harmony Database
• Enabling Auto-Save