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@Alan: Copy and paste keyframes from character in one Maya file to another

Hi Alan, I am looking for a simple, intuitive "copy and paste key-framing" method. I want to move one animation I currently have in a separate file, to my main Maya scene file where the same character and another animation resides. At first, some online guides recommended me simply working with the animImportExport.mll plug-in within Maya, yet this does not work and online threads detour a lot about using third-party scripts as workarounds. Alternatives to this included copy-and-pasting key-frames between files and Maya's clipboard is sure to remember these actions. This is a load of rubbish and causes a mess in the graph editor and all of the attributes are all over the place. Looking around further, a cleaner way is to create a character set and animation clips using the Maya Trax editor. I can export an animation clip from the source file and import the clip into the main file just fine. However, and now I want to re-activate the clip back onto the timeline to slot it in beside the original animation so the key-frames are visible. Of course, I cannot do this because any pre-existing key-frames on the timeline need to be deleted for the command to work:

// Error: line 0: Cannot make clip active while character has keys. Create clip for current character keys or remove keys. //

So I export the animation on the timeline to a second animation clip, lifting off all key-frames. This gets rid of the error message and I can activate the keys of one animation clip back to the timeline now with not a worry. Unfortunately, I can only activate one animation clip at a time (segment in Trax Editor turns purple to indicate being activated and keyframes unload to the timeline).




I have two clips. I need to merge them, so I can work on them simultaneously from the timeline and not from the Trax Editor. When I merge them, Maya bakes a key-frame for every frame and there are no smart bake/ cleanup options available in the Merge options box-menu. Is there a way to mix the clips down into the actual character, like enabling the keys for the clip, except permanently, and for both clips without excessive keyframes? Am I missing something obvious?

Would it be a plainly easier to work with the Trax Editor and separate files? (So that when I create the character dynamics, the animations in one main file are nicely affected by the changes).

This is so long-winded and I have not tackled with this part of the animation pipeline yet. I am hoping you can suggest a way of going about this/ advise on merging down and returning key-frames to the timeline. Or to simply use the Trax Editor to sort the clips into order. Thanks in advance.

Comments

  1. Hi Dayle

    I'm probably going to need to have a chat with you about this in person and with an example file. When will you be in next?

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  2. I can sit in for the 11:30 tutorial this Friday, that'd be a great time if you're free.

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