Maya 2017 introduced improvements to the Render Setup system, which includes better handling of collections and requires an update to render setup files created in Maya 2016 Extension 2.
If you open a scene file that contains collections created in Maya 2016 Extension 2, or if you import a
.json file that was exported from this version, a dialog appears asking if you would like to convert your collections to that of the current render setup system. If you click No, a
icon remains in the
Render Setup editor. Click this icon at any time to re-open the dialog and convert your collections. Converted render setup nodes appear in italics. Click
for the items to appear in regular text.
In most cases, the render setup collections in the scene files you created with Maya 2016 Extension 2 will translate correctly to collections in the current render setup system. However, the following limitations exist:
-
Collections with non-DAG nodes as members, and that have the Include Hierarchy option enabled, as well as their associated overrides, will not convert correctly.
For example, if you connect a ramp texture to a blinn, and you add blinn1 to your collection, then enable Include Hierarchy to create an override on ramp1.noise, your collection and its associated override will not be converted to the current render setup system.
Workaround: Add the object (transform or shape node) associated with the blinn to the collection, then enable Include Hierarchy, and this collection and its associated override will be converted correctly.
-
Collections with DAG nodes as members, and that have the Include Hierarchy option enabled in order to create an override on its animation curve (or to create an override on a node that does not belong in one of the following categories), will not convert correctly.
For example, if pSphere1.translateX is animated, and you add pSphere1 to a collection, then enable Include Hierarchy, and create an override on the curveColor attribute of pSphere1.translateX, your collection and override will not be converted correctly.
This limitation applies also to overrides on nodes that do not belong to the following categories:
- geometry generators (polySphere, polyCube, makeNurbSphere, and so forth)
- sets
- shading engines
- shaders
- shading nodes
- DAG nodes
Workaround: Create a collection using the Custom filter, with animCurveTL as the filter type; for example, then add the animation curve nodes to the collection, and then create an override on this collection.
-
Collections with shaders as members, and that have shader overrides applied will not convert correctly.
Workaround: Instead of adding a shader as a collection member, add instead the transform node of the object to which the shader is applied. For example, if your sphere is assigned to blinn1, add pSphere1 to the collection instead of blinn1.
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Collections containing both transform nodes and shape nodes, and that have material overrides applied will be converted; however, the override will be applied to the material assignment of both the transform nodes and shape nodes.
Workaround: Remove the transform node from the collection if you do not want to override its material assignment.