You can export reference edits in your scene, such as changes to geometry or new node connections, to a .editMB or .editMA reference edits file. You can then apply this edits file to other objects to invoke the same changes on them.
For example, if you started with a base walk cycle animation, you could export a number of different tweaks, such as a strut, a shuffle, and a march, and export each of these tweaks into different files. You can then apply these edits to other characters.
You can export edits on an asset, a referenced file, or a set of selected nodes in your scene. Before exporting the reference edits, you can view them to ensure your file contains the right edits. See List reference edits.
Dangling connections (connections to non-exported nodes) and reference edits are saved to the edits file with a placeholder namespace. When applying these edits, Maya replaces the placeholder with the namespace of the reference that the file is being applied to, or ":" for imports into the main scene.
Default nodes are not exported. For example, if you changed the default shader (lambert1) and then exported your edits, the changed lambert1 is not exported.
Export reference edits from selected nodes
To export reference edits from a set of selected nodes
- Shift + select the nodes in the scene that you want to export edits from.
- Select File > Export to Offline File.
A file browser appears.
- Navigate to the folder you want to store your edits and enter a name for the file. By default, Maya places these files in a subfolder of the current project called scenes\edits.
- Click Export to Offline File.
Maya creates the specified file containing the reference edits with the extension .editMA or .editMB. You cannot open these files in Maya, but you can assign them to another file. For more information, see Assign an offline file.
You can also export edits for a specific referenced file.
Export edits on a referenced file
To export edits on a referenced file
- Access the Export to Offline File Options by doing one of the following:
- In the Outliner, right-click the referenced file that you want to export edits from and select Export to Offline File >
from the menu that appears. - In the Reference Editor (File > Reference Editor), select the referenced file that you want to export edits from and select File > Export to Offline File > .
- In the Outliner, right-click the referenced file that you want to export edits from and select Export to Offline File >
- In the Export to Offline File Options, set the export options and click Export to Offline File.
- Navigate to the folder you want to store your edits and enter a name for the file. By default, Maya places these files in a subfolder of the current project called scenes\edits.
- Click Export to Offline File.