Blender 5.0 compat + STB XML import + sequence/stamps improvements

- Fix Blender 5.0 API: active_sequence_strip → active_strip, bracket
  property access on AddonPreferences, _RestrictContext during register()
- Fix new_effect() frame_end → length for Blender 5.0
- Fix OTIO adapter kwargs (rate/ignore_timecode_mismatch only for cmx_3600)
- Fix OTIO global_start_time RationalTime → int conversion
- Add Import STB XML operator with movie strip import and XML patching
  for Storyboard Pro transitions missing <alignment>
- Add Create Sequence Strip operator (select shots → create sequence)
- Improve Set Stamps: channel at top, no conflict with existing strips,
  use raw strip names in templates
- TVSHOW episode fixes: sequence loading, episode creation
- Kitsu: new_asset, new_episode, admin_connect fix, gazu version pin
- Fix escape warnings in file_utils regex patterns
- Guard handler registration against duplicates

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

operators/tracker.py

@@ -148,18 +148,27 @@ class VSETB_OT_load_projects(Operator):
                 episode_datas = tracker.get_episodes(project_data)
                 for episode_data in episode_datas:
                     episode = project.episodes.get(episode_data['name'])
-                    
+
                     if not episode:
                         episode = project.episodes.add()
 
                     episode.name = episode_data['name']
                     episode.id = episode_data['id']
-                
+
                 # Clear deleted episodes
                 ep_names = [e['name'] for e in episode_datas]
                 for ep in reversed(project.episodes):
                     if ep.name not in ep_names:
                         project.episodes.remove(list(project.episodes).index(ep))
+
+                # Load sequences for first episode so they're available immediately
+                if project.episodes:
+                    first_episode = project.episodes[0]
+                    project.sequences.clear()
+                    for seq in tracker.get_sequences(project_data, episode=first_episode.id):
+                        sequence = project.sequences.add()
+                        sequence.name = seq['name']
+                        sequence.id = seq['id']
             else:
                 # Add sequences
                 sequences_data = tracker.get_sequences(project_data)
@@ -257,15 +266,24 @@ class VSETB_OT_new_episode(Operator):
         settings = get_scene_settings()
         prefs = get_addon_prefs()
         tracker = prefs.tracker
+        project = settings.active_project
 
-        episode_name = settings.episode_template.format(index=int(self.episode_name))
-        episode = tracker.get_episode(episode_name)
-        if episode:
+        if not project:
+            self.report({'ERROR'}, 'No active project')
+            return {"CANCELLED"}
+
+        episode_name = project.episode_template.format(index=int(self.episode_name))
+        episode_data = tracker.get_episode(episode_name, project=project.id)
+        if episode_data:
             self.report({'ERROR'}, f'Episode {episode_name} already exists')
             return {"CANCELLED"}
-        
-        tracker.new_episode(episode_name)
-        tracker.update_project()
+
+        episode_data = tracker.new_episode(episode_name, project=project.id)
+
+        # Add to local episode collection
+        episode = project.episodes.add()
+        episode.name = episode_data['name']
+        episode.id = episode_data['id']
 
         self.report({'INFO'}, f'Episode {episode_name} successfully created')
 
@@ -355,6 +373,9 @@ class VSETB_OT_upload_to_tracker(Operator):
             context.window_manager.progress_update(i)
             strip_settings = strip.vsetb_strip_settings
             sequence_name = get_strip_sequence_name(strip)
+            if sequence_name == 'NoSequence':
+                self.report({'WARNING'}, f"Strip '{strip.name}' has no sequence — skipped")
+                continue
             shot_name = strip.name
             sequence = tracker.get_sequence(sequence_name, episode=episode)
             metadata = strip_settings.metadata.to_dict(use_name=False)
@@ -401,6 +422,7 @@ class VSETB_OT_upload_to_tracker(Operator):
                         preview = None
             
             comment_data = None
+            preview_data = None
             if status or upload_to_tracker.comment or preview:
                 comment_data = tracker.new_comment(task, comment=upload_to_tracker.comment, status=status)
                 if preview:
@@ -410,7 +432,7 @@ class VSETB_OT_upload_to_tracker(Operator):
                             comment=comment_data,
                             preview=preview)
 
-                if upload_to_tracker.set_main_preview:
+                if upload_to_tracker.set_main_preview and preview_data:
                     bpy.app.timers.register(partial(tracker.set_main_preview, preview_data), first_interval=10)
 
             params = {}
@@ -434,7 +456,9 @@ class VSETB_OT_upload_to_tracker(Operator):
                     task = getattr(strip_settings.tasks, norm_name(task_type.name))
                     tracker_task = tracker.get_task(task_type.name, entity=shot)
 
-                    if task.comment and tracker_task.get('last_comment') != task.comment:
+                    last_comment = tracker_task.get('last_comment')
+                    last_comment_text = last_comment.get('text', '') if isinstance(last_comment, dict) else str(last_comment or '')
+                    if task.comment and last_comment_text != task.comment:
                         tracker.new_comment(tracker_task, comment=task.comment)
 
         context.window_manager.progress_end()