Replace geometry caches

You can replace an entire geometry cache file, or you can strategically replace individual cache frames in a geometry cache file. For example, you can improve an object’s cached deformations by remodeling parts of the object at specific frames and replacing those frames in its geometry cache file.

To replace a geometry cache

1. Select the object for which you want to replace its geometry cache.
   Note: You cannot replace a geometry cache for an object that has more than one attached cache.
2. In the Animation menu set, select Cache > Geometry Cache > Replace Cache. For information, see Replace Cache Options.
3. (Optional) If a geometry cache file with the same name already exists in the directory specified in the Replace Geometry Cache Options window, the Create Cache Warning message appears.

   Do one of the following:

   • Click Rename to change the name of the replacement cache you want to create. The Replace Geometry Cache Options window appears. Type a new name for the replacement cache in the Cache Name field and click Replace.
   • Click Auto-rename to create a new geometry cache file, save the new cache file to a new folder on disk, detach the object’s current geometry cache file from its cache node, and attach the new geometry cache file to the object’s cache node.
   • Click Cancel to exit the Replace Cache operation.
   • Click Replace Existing to create a new geometry cache file, replace the object’s current geometry cache file on disk with the new cache file, and attach the new geometry cache file to the object’s cache node.

   A cache is created for the selected object, replacing its current cache at the time range specified in the Replace Geometry Cache Options window. See Cache > Geometry Cache > Replace Cache.

To replace geometry cache frames

1. Select the object for which you want to replace individual geometry cache frames.
   Note: You cannot replace geometry cache frames for an object that has more than one geometry cache node.
2. In the Animation menu set, select Cache > Geometry Cache > Replace Cache Frame.

   A cache is created for the frame or range of frames specified in the Replace Geometry Cache Frames Options window, replacing your object’s current cache at the specified time range, and backups of the original unchanged cache and description files are generated (named backup#_originalCacheName by default).

   See Replace Cache Frame Options.

Undoing a replace geometry cache frames operation

When you replace geometry cache frames, backup files of the original cache data are automatically generated and named by prefixing the original cache file names with backup_, backup1_ and so on.

To undo a Replace Geometry Cache Frames operation

1. Rename the backup files that were generated to the original file names.

   For example, to undo a Replace Geometry Cache Frames operation on a geometry cache named Ball, you would rename its backup_Ball.xml and backup_Ball.mc backup files to Ball.xml and Ball.mc.

   Note: If Delete backup files was on when you replaced your geometry cache frames, then you cannot undo the Replace operation because the frames that were replaced were also deleted from disk.

When you replace geometry cache frames on a One File Per Frame cache, only the frames that are replaced are backed up. To undo a Replace Geometry Cache Frames operation on a One File Per Frame cache, the backup frame files that were generated need to be renamed to the original frame file names. For example, to undo a Replace Geometry Cache Frames operation on the geometry One File Per Frame caches named BallFrame1, BallFrame2, and BallFrame3, you would rename their backup_Ball.xml file to Ball.xml, and the replaced frame backup files backup_BallFrame1.mc, backup_BallFrame2.mc, and backup_BallFrame3.mc to BallFrame1.mc, BallFrame2.mc, and BallFrame3.mc.