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 several different tweaks - such as a strut, shuffle, and march - 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 make sure that your file contains the right edits. See List reference edits.
Dangling connections (connections to non-exported nodes) and reference edits get saved to the edits file with a placeholder namespace. When you apply 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 (standardSurface1) and then exported your edits, the changed standardSurface1 does not get 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 where 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 that 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.