Import USD data

1. To open the USD import options, select File > Import > Import... and select USD under the Files of type drop-down menu. Select a USD file for import, and click Open.
2. In the USD Importer dialog, select what you want to import from the USD file.
   
   Note: Supported file formats include: .usd , .usdc, and .usda. See USD File formats.
3. To accept the options and complete the import, select OK. Choose Cancel to cancel the import operation.

USD Importer

Input

• Path: The path of your USD file.

Import definition

• Plug-In Configuration: If registered and available, custom chasers can be toggled on from this section. If multiple configurations are registered, you can select multiple per import. See advanced workflows below for more information.

Scene content

A USD file consists of prims, the primary container object in USD. Prims can contain any scene element (such as meshes, lights, cameras). The import settings give you the following USD prim-specific options:

• Materials: When on, shading data will be imported.

  Support: The USD Importer creates proper UDIMs in Max when importing USD Preview Surface Materials with UDIMs. OSL maps are required: Uber Bitmap and Bitmap Lookup UDIM maps are supported.

• Type in a prim name in the Filter field to search by a specific prim.

• Select a prim from the window displaying the prim hierarchy. All child prims of the selected prim are imported into your scene.

Animation

• Frame Range Start/End: Select the frame range of the animation that you want to import. Default values from the imported file.

  In addition to a range of frames, you can also uncheck the End frame to import a "snapshot" of the scene at a given frame.

  Animation support includes the following:

  • USD Skel animations into 3ds Max as skinned meshes on import (excluding skinned baked data whereby the skeleton would be animated but not the mesh)
  • move, rotate and scale
  • light
  • animated camera attribute
  • roundtripping (re-import and re-export)
  • blendShapes
  Note: (Vertex animation & material animation aren't supported)

  Related Concepts: See Time Code in the Pixar USD glossary.

Advanced

• Log Data: Select the type of log data to be stored from importing your scene. Choose from Errors Only, Errors and Warnings or Full Log Data. By default, log data is not stored.
  • Log Path: Specify where to save the log data.

Advanced scripting workflows using the 3ds Max SDK

The 3ds Max USD SDK allows 3rd-party developers to extend the USD Importer and customize/ enhance available import options. Plug-in developers can add custom USD prim writers, shaders and chasers to to the USD Importer. To learn more, the SDK is available in a separate download from the Autodesk developer network. For other scripting information, see the MaxScript USD Documentation.