Temporal Smooth workflow

[JoshH]

Hi all, I'm looking for some info on the most efficient way to cache and export a flow with Temporal Smooth.  I've tried to read through the docs but this page in particular is hard to digest, though I think I have understood it in general.

When I cache a flow with Temporal Smooth, it seems like the flow needs to evaluate at least twice: Clicking the "Cache" button in the Temporal Smooth node will initiate a full evaluation as expected (1), but afterwards if you attempt to play back or export the sim (via a Global Export node) the entire thing appears to re-evaluate (2).  It doesn't go any faster than the initial Temporal Smooth cache / re-sim, and indeed if you alter any scene objects they will affect the final result.  Am I doing something wrong here, or is the Temporal Smooth really just generating an interim cache, which is then solved and evaluated during this second pass?

Thanks in advance for any info
-Josh

[tyFlow]

Each operator/event is evaluated in order...changing particle properties along the way. Temporal Smooth is no different, except it overrides transform data with previously-cached-and-smoothed values. So yes, in its current form, it requires a double simulation of the flow. The first one collects the necessary transform data, and the second one subs it in, in place.

The optimal way to use it would be to use it in a secondary flow which either loads in a primary flow, or a cache...so you treat it completely as a post effect and not part of the process of dialing in the base motion.

[JoshH]

Got it, I'd seen the docs mention a reference-flow setup as well but haven't explored it yet. I'll look into it going forward.