Live Referencing Additions (2026.1)
We've extended Live Referencing support to now include Alias environments, Variants, and NURBS curves. This means that you now longer need to recreate environment assets manually in VRED, allowing you to now switch environments directly within VRED. Other improvements include a new Live Reference Information window, which helps you determine the storage location of your Live Reference data, as well as better error handling.
Live Reference Environments and Variants
Environments can now be sent directly to VRED in Live Reference data without the need for modification in VRED. In the previous version of Alias, you needed to recreate environments in VRED so that models appeared the same in both applications. Alias Variants, including camera views, material assignments, and environments, are also now supported in Live Reference data, and display in VRED as variant sets.
To include environments or Variants in your Live Reference, turn on the Environments and Variants filters in the Live Reference drop-down list when you create or update your Live Reference. Note that when you turn on the Variant filter in Alias, the Camera, Invisible Objects, and Invisible Layers filters are also turned on. This ensures that all the data associated with the Variant is included in the Live Reference.
In VRED, the Alias environments now appear in the Material Editor. If the Live Reference data includes multiple environments, you can use the Switch Material options in the Material Editor to quickly switch between them just like native VRED environments.
For Variants, be sure that you've set up your Alias Variants with the desired Display Masks by selecting them in the Variant Group context menu or by selecting the View 
and Active Environment 
icons.
The Variant camera views sent from Alias are now available in the VRED Variant Sets module. Open the Variant Sets module to switch between them. With the new multiple environment support in Alias, the active environments associated with the Variants also switch in VRED. This allows for a more seamless integration between the two applications.
Note that if you turn off the View mask and update the Live Reference, the Variant Sets will be hidden in VRED. However, they still appear in the VRED Camera Editor.
For more information, see How Live References Work in Alias.
NURBS Curve Support
Live Reference data can now include NURBS curves from Alias. In VRED, curves appear as polylines, with their material colors defined by the Alias layer colors. Note that curves from cross-sections are not included in Live Reference data. In VRED, you can change the line thickness of the curves when using the Vulkan renderer.
For more information, see How Live References Work in Alias.
New Live Reference Information Window
A new Live Reference Information window has been added to make it easier to determine the storage location of your Live Reference data. This information is especially useful if the data was moved after the Live Reference was created, or when the file path preference or Environment Variable have been updated. The window also provides the ability to reset the file path to the default location and update the WIRE header information if required.
The information in this window also helps you understand how the environment variable, Live Reference Data file path preference, and .wire file header influence the path that is used to save the Live Reference data.
Access the Live Reference Information window from the Live Reference drop-down list in the promptline action bar.
Use the Live Reference Information window to help manage the locations of your Live Reference data. You can use it to do the following:
- Resolve stale paths - When .wire files are moved or shared, the stored path may no longer be valid, causing Live Reference data to be to unintended location.
- Revert back to the source file location if the Live Reference file path preference is cleared.
- Determine when the current path is out of sync with the stored header.
Current Storage Location
Displays the path to the location where the Live Reference data was last stored. This field displays None in these scenarios:
- When Live Reference data has not been created for the currently loaded .wire file.
- When you created the Live Reference in your previous session, but subsequently saved the .wire without having selected Enable or Sync in the current session.
In both cases, select Enable from the Live Reference drop-down list in the promptline action bar to create the Live Reference.
Sync Storage Location
Use this option to apply any updates made to the location of the Live Reference file. The window refreshes to display the changes.
Live Reference Search Sequence
Displays path location in the order of the search sequence that VRED uses to locate the Live Reference storage location. The path that is currently highlighted indicates that it is currently being used to specify the location. If Not Set displays, that method is not currently in use.
- Environment Variable Path - The location specified by the ALIAS_LIVE_REFERENCE_PATH environment variable, if it exists.
- Preference Path - The location specified in the Live Reference Data File Path preference, if it exists.
- WIRE Header Path - The location stored in the header of the currently loaded .wire file.
- Source File Location - The same location as the currently loaded .wire file.
Reset to Source File Location
Resets the Live Reference path back to the same location of the source .wire file. This is useful when an environment variable or Live Reference file path preference has been used to specify the location of the Live Reference data storage, and they have been cleared.
Update WIRE Header Information
Updates only the header portion of the .wire file to reflect the current Live Reference path. Using this option allows you to update the header information without saving the Alias data in the file.
For more information, see the following:
Live Reference Example Workflows
We've added a new Live Reference Example Workflows section to the Live Reference learning content. This section includes illustrated, practical scenarios that demonstrate how to integrate Live Referencing between Alias and VRED into your workflow.