Save, open and protect projects

Local autosave#

HDRi Studio saves the open project session in this browser's local storage database. “Saved on this device” does not mean the project is synchronized online. Clearing site data, using another browser profile or moving to another device can make that local copy unavailable.

Download a backup#

Choose Studio menu → Save Project to download a .lumen file. It contains the active project’s editable lighting, scene geometry, reusable materials, render-target connections, graph positions, applicable preview settings, saved looks and embedded imported assets. Workspace docking, Interface Zoom, Usage Mode and device preferences are stored separately on the device.

Use descriptive filenames and keep a copy before importing a replacement rig or resetting a scene. Opening a project now creates another document tab.

Open a project#

Choose Studio menu → Open Project and select a .lumen file. A preparation screen stays visible while the new project and assets become ready. Wait for completion before judging the preview. If an asset cannot load, read the error and keep the previous usable state rather than repeatedly submitting the file.

Import limits#

• A model/resource package is limited to 100 MB; Studio ZIP wrappers have a 128 MB expanded limit.
• An imported image or embedded file is limited to 256 MB.
• A .lumen upload is limited to 512 MB; embedded assets increase its size.
• A project supports 256 light layers and up to 12 saved looks.

Use self-contained GLB where possible. A glTF file referring to unavailable external textures or buffers is not a portable import.

Moving devices#

Save Project on the first device, transfer that .lumen file yourself, then Open Project on the second device. Cloud project accounts, automatic cross-device sync, team workspaces and billing are not currently provided. Usage Mode is not a subscription entitlement.

See troubleshooting if loading or saving fails.

Authoring schema#

New projects use schema version 2. Existing version 1 files migrate when opened. New alpha, source-color and stack flags survive save, reload and Undo. Keep a backup before opening a new file in an older application release.

Preserve the authoring graph#

Portable files retain Composite parent/child links, independent channel settings and their original image files, including disabled channels. Subtree copy/duplicate assigns new node IDs while sharing image sources. See Composites.

Compatibility with lighting refinements#

Saved projects retain existing Environment, Ambient and preview-exclusion values. Older foundation controls appear under Scene Settings → Legacy lighting when relevant. New setups use ordinary fill layers. The prior transform saved by Fill entire HDR canvas is included in the project, so switching it off after reopening can restore the saved footprint. A full-canvas layer without that metadata uses the documented default footprint.

Multiple projects in one session#

Open up to 8 project tabs in one browser session. Use the plus beside the tabs or Studio menu → New Project Tab (Ctrl/Command N). Open Project creates a new tab after validating the file; the existing project is retained.

Click a document tab to switch. Each tab keeps its own project name through switching, opening files and creating projects. Double-click or right-click a project tab to rename it inline. Enter or clicking outside accepts a nonempty name; Escape cancels. The header keeps the save status instead of a duplicate name field. Lighting, files, looks, materials, geometry, camera settings, preview material, selection and Undo/Redo histories belong to that document. Only the active document renders. Completed HDR export links are cleared when switching documents; download files you want to keep first. Workspaces, theme and Interface Zoom are shared device preferences. Switching projects may briefly prepare their imported assets again.

The browser autosaves the open documents and the active tab. Undo history and editing selections are retained during the current session; they are not written into portable files or recovered after a page reload. Legacy single-project autosaves load as the first document.

Closing a tab asks whether to keep it open, close it, or Download & close. The main message area explains: “This removes the project from your browser session. Download a .lumen file to keep its lights, scene, materials and source files.” Closing removes that document from the local session, so keep a .lumen backup if you need it again. Closing the final tab starts a fresh project. Downloading saves one document, not the whole session. Large embedded assets across several documents remain subject to browser storage and memory capacity.

Scene authoring uses an optional version-1 scene record alongside lighting schema 2. Older files keep their preview fallback settings; imported model hierarchies are populated and source materials preserved. New material types, textures and viewport modes are saved with each document. Unsupported scene versions and cyclic geometry hierarchies fail before replacing the active project.

Start completely empty#

Studio menu → New Blank Project opens another tab with no lights, geometry, materials, instance definitions or imported files. Scene and render settings start at their defaults. One empty default object layer remains available for new geometry. Other open projects and device preferences stay intact. The regular New Project Tab command still creates the starter setup.

Autosave during editing#

Local autosave waits for 1.6 seconds without another document change, coalescing rapid edits into one write. Selection and opening a panel do not themselves save document content. Camera and document setting changes still qualify for autosave. “Saving…” appears when the write starts. Wait for “Saved on this device” before closing the browser; download a .lumen file for a portable backup. This does not guarantee persistence if the page or browser exits before the pending write finishes.