Files/Projects preferences

You can set the following preferences in the Files/Projects category of the Preferences window.

Projects Settings

Default projects directory, Always start in this project: Use these settings to set up a default projects directory when you create new projects and on startup.

Recent History Size

Files, Increments, Projects: Specify how many files, increments, and projects you want to have listed in each of the File > Recent submenus.

Autosave

Enable: When turned on, Autosave automatically saves your scene at timed intervals. The files are saved according to the Autosave options with the name AUTO-SAVE followed by an incrementing numerals.
Prompt before save: Prompts the user with a dialog box before autosaving.
Limit autosaves: Limits the number of times a file can be autosaved.
Number of autosaves: Determines the number of times a file can be autosaved if Limit autosaves is turned on.
Interval (minutes): Determines the amount of time between each autosave (the default is 10 minutes).
Autosave destination: Determines where the autosave file is stored. Project stores it in the current project under the folder autosave, while Named folder stores it in a folder you specify. Env Var stores the autosave file based on the value of the environment variable MAYA_AUTOSAVE_FOLDER.

Ascii File Compression Mode

On file save

Specify the compression mode you want to use when saving an ASCII file:

Compressed: Saves files in compressed mode. File compression reduces the sizes of large files so they do not occupy as much space on your hard drive.
Uncompressed: Saves files in uncompressed mode.
As Is: Keeps files in their original compression mode rather than compressing or decompressing them. As Is is the default.

Note
To use compression modes, please ensure that a zip utility is installed and in the path on your machine.

Display Layer

File import merge

Specify how you want the Display Layer merged when you import a file.

None: All layers read in are put in a new layer, renumbered, and renamed, if necessary to preserve uniqueness.
By Number: Rather than creating a new layer, all layers read in that have the same index number as an existing layer are merged with that layer.
By Name: Rather than creating a new layer, all layers read in that have the same name as an existing layer are merged with that layer.

Render Layer

File import merge

Specify how you want the Render Layer merged when you import a file.

None: All layers read in are put in a new layer, renumbered, and renamed, if necessary to preserve uniqueness.
By Number: Rather than creating a new layer, all layers read in that have the same index number as an existing layer are merged with that layer.
By Name: Rather than creating a new layer, all layers read in that have the same name as an existing layer are merged with that layer.

File Dialog

Dialog style

OS native: Uses the current operating system’s native file browser when performing save, open, import, and export operations.
Maya default: Uses Maya’s built-in file browser when performing save, open, import, and export operations.

Note

Beginning Maya 2012, for the Linux and Mac platforms, there are checks to ensure that the directory pointed to by lastLocalWS is accessible before Maya attempts to use it. The directory must have 555 (r-xr-xr-x) permissions. Otherwise, if the directory only has 444(r--r--r--) permissions, Maya cannot use it; even cd or ls do not work.

In addition to lastLocalWS, there are other workspaces that Maya tries to use on startup, and the same check is being applied to these workspaces also. The order in which Maya tries to use these workspaces are as follows:

the value obtained from the -proj command line argument
the value obtained from the MAYA_PROJECT environment variable
the InitialProject optionVar (i.e. the preference labeled Always start in this project)
the lastLocalWS optionVar (stored automatically by Maya at exit to remember the last active workspace
the default project