New Scene Options

Use these options to set what happens when you select File > New Scene.

Enable Default Scene

When on, you can use Default scene to select a specific file to load every time you start a new scene.

Default scene

Click the folder (browse) icon and select a Maya file to load every time you select File > New Scene. (Available only when Enable Default Scene is on.)

Default Working Units

Lets you specify the default working units for new scenes.

You can also set the working units for the current scene using the Settings preferences (Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences). These preferences relate only to the current scene, meaning you can change your current scene units without changing the default new scene units.

Note: When Enable Default Scene is on, the Default Working Units options are not available, since the working units are set in the default scene.

The units you specify here are not overwritten when you open a scene file with different working units. The first time you run Maya, the Default Working Units are set from the Working Unit values in your preferences.

Do not reset working units

Lets you temporarily disable the Default Working Units you have set for opening new scenes.

Linear

Sets the unit of measure for operations that use linear values, for example, moving and scaling. The default is centimeters.

Angular

Sets the unit of measure for operations that use an angular value, for example, rotation. The default unit is degrees.

Time

Sets the working time unit for animation. The Time Slider displays time values in the unit chosen. The Time Slider values update when you change the time units. You can specify the time unit as frames or as clock values.

Frame selections include: 15 fps, Film (24 fps), PAL (24 fps), NTSC (30 fps), Show (48 fps), PAL Field (50 fps), NTSC Field (60 fps), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 40, 75, 80, 100, 120, 125, 150, 200, 240, 250, 300, 375, 400, 500, 600, 750, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, 3000, and 6000 frames per second.

Clock values include: milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours

The terms frame and time refer to working time units as displayed in the Time Slider. Technically the term frame applies only when Time is specified in frames per second (fps). In general, time can refer to frames or to clock values.

Default ViewCube Settings

Show the Compass below the ViewCube
When on, displays a compass below the ViewCube for determining the view orientation in a geographic context.
Angle of North (degrees)
Lets you specify the compass orientation. For example, to rotate the compass a quarter-turn clockwise, set Angle of North to 90.0.

Default Time Slider Settings

Playback start/end

Specifies playback range start and end times. The playback start and end times specify the Time Slider playback range. The playback range is always within the animation range. You can also specify the time units. See Edit animation preferences.

Animation start/end

Specifies animation range start and end times. The animation start and end times specify the Range Slider range. The playback range always stays within the animation range, so changing the animation start and end times can also change the playback start and end times. Default animation start time is 1.00. Default animation end time is 48.00. You can also specify the time units. See Edit animation preferences.

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