What does the script do?
The script provides a user interface in Autodesk Maya for selecting, importing, and referencing rig files. The UI organizes these files into three categories (or tabs): Rigs, Props, and Environments. The user can browse and search for rig files within a selected directory and import them into the current Maya project, or reference them.
How does it work?
When launched, the script creates a new Dockable widget in Maya. This widget includes three tabs (Rigs, Props, Environments) each with its own search bar, directory selection, rig list, import button, and reference button.
Here’s a breakdown of the key components:
- Directory Selection: The user can specify the directory where the rig files are stored.
- Search Functionality: A search field allows the user to narrow down the list of displayed rigs, filtering them by name.
- Rig List: This displays a list of all rigs (or props, environments) present in the selected directory. If an image with the same name as the rig and a ‘.jpg’ extension exists in the directory, it will be used as the icon for that rig in the list.
- Import and Reference Buttons: The user can choose to either import the selected rig into the current scene or create a reference to it. If the selected rig already exists in the assets directory of the current project, a warning will be displayed, and the user will have the option to replace the existing asset.
When importing or referencing a rig, the script will also attempt to copy any associated textures (found in the ‘sourceimages’ folder of the rig directory) into the ‘sourceimages’ folder of the current project. The texture paths on any imported/referenced materials will be updated to point to the copied textures.
Why is it useful?
This script streamlines the process of importing and managing assets in Maya. By providing a custom, dedicated UI, it makes it easy to browse and import assets from different categories. It automates tedious processes such as managing directory paths, updating texture links, and handling existing assets, allowing artists to focus more on their creative work and less on technical details. It also promotes good organization and asset management practices, by encouraging the use of dedicated directories for different types of assets (Rigs, Props, Environments) and providing easy search functionality.
Download coming soon! If you’d like to test it, send me a message!
(Note: Rigs used in the images are for demonstration purposes only, this script only includes the user interface and the user is responsible for adding their rigs)
