Export Time Editor clips

When you export a Time Editor clips, you are exporting only the animation as an animation source for that you can use to drive animation in other software or Maya scenes. Models and Character Rigs are not saved with the animation.

If you want the animation and its associated objects, "bake" the animation to the scene and then export it like a normal Maya scene. See Bake Time Editor clips.

Export to Maya

Export Time Editor animation to Maya in maya Ascii (.ma) or Maya Binary (.mb) format files

To save Time Editor animation as a Maya file:

1. Select or group-select Animation clip(s) in the Time Editor. You must select the clip before right-clicking it in the following step, or the Time Editor will not know what clip(s) are selected for export.
2. Right-click the clip and select Export > Export Selected... from the Time Editor Clip contextual menu. The Export Selected Files window opens where you can browse to a location to store your new file.
3. Enter a name for the clip and click Export.
4. For more options, select Export > Export Selected... > to open the Time Editor Export Selection Options where you can choose Maya export formats and make a thumbnail or playblast your clip.
Note: To save any associated objects and textures with your animation right-click the clip and use Bake > Bake to New Scene and Delete. Doing this takes the clip animation and applies it to the elements in your scene, where you can export it like you would with a normal Maya scene.

Export to FBX

You can export Time Editor clip animation to .fbx, format, a 3D asset exchange format that facilitates higher-fidelity data exchange between 3ds Max, Maya, MotionBuilder, Mudbox and other propriety and third-party software.

To save Time Editor animation as an FBX file:

1. Select or group-select clip(s) in the Time Editor. You must select the clip before right-clicking it in the following step, or the Time Editor will not know what clip(s) are selected for export.
2. Right-click the clip and select Export > Export Selected... > from the Time Editor Clip contextual menu.

   The Time Editor Export Selection Options window opens.

3. Choose FBX and click Export.
4. An Export to FBX window opens where you can browse to a location to store your FBX file(s). (Maya saves the file to the C:\Users\Documents\maya\projects\default\Time Editor\Clip Exports folder by default. )
5. Enter a name for the clip and click Export.
   Note: When you click Export, everything in the Time Editor composition but the clip selected for export mutes temporarily while the export occurs.

   To test the export, in a new scene, use File > Import in the Time Editor menu to import your newly-exported file as an Animation Source and apply it to a clip for a character with the same rigging setup. See Remap animation with an Animation Source for instruction on how to drive clips with animation sources.

To save Time Editor clips as FBX files:

1. Right-click the clip and select Export All Clips to FBX... from the Time Editor Clip contextual menu.
2. An Export to FBX window opens where you can browse to a location to store your FBX files. Maya defaults to the C:\Users\Documents\maya\projects\default\Time Editor\Clip Exports folder.
3. Enter a name for the clip and click Export.
Note: When you click Export, everything in the Time Editor composition mutes temporarily while Maya exports each clip to an FBX file.

Export to the Game Exporter

The Time Editor lets you export animation clips with their parameters into the Game Exporter.

See Export Time Editor clips to the Game Exporter.