USD for Maya v0.18.0 Release Notes

USD version 0.18.0 is a feature release compatible with Maya 2023.1. Visit the official Autodesk MayaUSD GitHub repository to obtain this version or any subsequent releases.

Highlights

This release installer includes the following improvements:

Compiled with USD 21.11

Upgraded to MaterialX 1.38.4

Support:

Improved support for MaterialX including
- Support for 1.38.4
- Exposing the colorCorrect node
- Support for AMD’s MaterialX library
- MaterialX display on MacOS
Correct support for Default Lighting Intensity
Added support for merging offset parent matrix
Added mesh export options to preserve and remap UV set names

Fixes:

Multiple UI fixes including
- Merge Maya edits to USD option box: “cancel” button should be “close”
- Add Layer Editor menu item to the context menu of edited-as-Maya objects
- Add contextual menu to bind materials
General stability fixes
Prevent recursive edit as Maya
Fix target layer moves & stays on session layer when editing as Maya data

What's Fixed

Fixed Issues from GitHub
[GitHub 800] USD: Exporting the attached maya file using USD takes extremely long MAYA-107839
[GitHub 1451] UFE cameras should draw in the Viewport MAYA-108122
[GitHub 1624] Loading the ALab is slow MAYA-113230
[GitHub 1767] When parenting a prim to a collapsed group, it auto-expands the group MAYA-114344
[GitHub 1766] Load with descendants collapses expanded sibling hierarchies MAYA-114346
[Github 1781] Outliner: When parenting an item to an unloaded group, the hierarchy cannot be collapsed MAYA-114589
[Github 1739] USDExport: using "parentScope" and "exportRoots" flags together returns an error MAYA-114678
[GitHub 1821] Some Skinning becomes broken after USD Export and Import MAYA-114992
[Github 1991] Selection changes trigger instance matrix updates, and that is slow MAYA-121303
[Github 2121] MaterialX/USD: V2 lighting should support ambient lights MAYA-121806
[GitHub 2127] Maya crash on primSpec delete MAYA-121822
[GitHub 2244] Maya USD installer script doesn't install the Material X libraries for Maya 2022 MAYA-122685

General Fixed Issues
2023Rel - when pulling USD data into Maya, nodes will change position in the outliner MAYA-122746
No edits made on USD layer after merging back to USD MAYA-122369
Update testVP2RenderDelegate test images for Maya's new lighting MAYA-122367
Cancelling Edit as maya on a orphaned MayaReference prim will break the USD stage MAYA-122218
merge maya edits to USD option box: "cancel" button should be "close" MAYA-122133
Ufe should support lights MAYA-122088
Editing as Maya a node already being edited needs an error MAYA-121938
push/pull: usdeditAsMaya set should be a locked node MAYA-121532
when pulling USD data into Maya, nodes will change position in the outliner MAYA-114996

Known Limitations

The following list of limitations remains in flux as development is ongoing.

USD stage creation workflow limitations

See Create a USD stage for more information

Switching selected object variant can cause sync issues

USD import and export workflow limitations

See USD import options and USD export options for more information

Cameras have limited support during import/export
The round-trip workflow is currently lossy (ie. contains a loss of information from compression)
Mesh component level control is unsupported
Vertex/Edge Component tags are currently unsupported

USD materials workflow limitations

See USD import options for more information

Duplicate Shader Nodes in the Materials dropdown of the USD File Type Specific Options Menu:

Loading the latest MayaUSD plug-in will provide the UsdPreviewSurface shader node. Loading a previous version of the plug-in will provide a pxrUsdPreviewSurface shader node. While both materials can import and export intrinsically to USD, loading both plugins into the same file will provide both nodes and create backward compatibility issues. The two nodes will correctly export to UsdPreviewSurface, but importing the scene back into Maya will choose the first registered node (ie. selection is dependent on plug-in load order).
- Workaround: Have only one of the two aforementioned plug-ins loaded in Maya or ensure the first loaded plug-in is the preferred selection.
USD core rendering backend HydraGL(Storm) is not fully supported in Maya (switching to Hydra render delegate from VP2 on a Maya scene can cause Maya to crash)
- Workaround: To ensure Maya's native VP2 render delegate can support the materials of a file, verify that the file's meta data inputs are importing correctly in Maya by using USD View. Generally, to achieve similar material results to an original file, convert to the original materials used on import.