The File menu enables you to perform various operations such as creating and saving a scene, opening, merging, and saving files and selections, exporting scenes to 3ds Max and Maya, importing audio, video, and point cache files, importing and exporting motion files, batch processing and rendering files, as well as adding and saving file properties, and exiting the application.
File menu options
The File > New menu option clears the scene of all models, elements, devices, takes, and other assets. If you choose New without saving your scene, a dialog appears asking if you first want to save your scene.
The File > Open menu option displays the Open File dialog, enabling you to load .fbx, .3ds, .dae, and .obj files.
The directory displayed in the Open File dialog is the directory you last opened.
Open File dialog
The directory displayed in the Open File dialog is the directory you last opened.
After you open a file, the Open Options dialog appears, enabling you to open various assets (including HUDs), settings, and takes, as well as prepend namespaces to all objects included in the incoming file.
Open Options dialog
To open .3ds, .dae, .dxf, and .obj files:
The File > Merge menu option displays the Open File dialog, enabling you to load an .fbx, .3ds, .dae, or .obj file. See Merging assets from .fbx files.
After you select a file and click Open, the Merge Options dialog appears, enabling you to select assets, settings, and takes to merge, append, or discard, and to prepend a namespace to all objects included in the incoming file.
The File > Save menu option saves the current MotionBuilder scene with the same name as the last .fbx file that was opened or saved. If you are working on a scene that is yet to be saved, selecting Save is the same as selecting Save As.
The File > Save As menu option opens the Save File dialog, letting you save the current MotionBuilder scene using a new file name.
Save File dialog
Enter the name of the .fbx file to be saved in the File name field. You can specify Saving options such as embedding media and saving one take per file.
Clicking Save opens the Save Options dialog that lets you specify which assets, settings, and takes are to be saved.
Save Options dialog
See Saving.
The File > Save Selection menu option saves an .fbx file containing only the selected assets. To ensure that the appropriate assets are selected, select the entire branch of the asset you are saving in the Scene browser.
Save Selection Options dialog
For example, if you want to save a model and the constraint used by the model, you must select both the model and constraint before using File > Save Selection. Otherwise, only the model is saved.
The File > Send To Maya menu option displays a list of options that enable you to send new scene data or updates to currently open scenes from MotionBuilder to Maya.
File Send To Maya options
See Send to Maya.
The File > Send To 3ds Max menu option displays a list of options that enable you to send new scene data or updates to currently open scenes from MotionBuilder to 3ds Max.
File Send To 3ds Max options
See Send to 3ds Max.
The File > Import Audio menu option displays the Import Audio dialog which enables you to select any of the following file formats as audio assets:
Import Audio dialog
The directory displayed in the Import Audio dialog is the directory you last opened.
To know the supported audio formats and how to import a file as an audio asset, see Loading audio files.
The File > Import Video menu option displays the Import Video dialog which enables you to import files as video assets.
Import Video dialog
The directory displayed in the Import Video dialog is the directory you last opened.
MotionBuilder supports the following file formats as video assets:
To import a file as a video asset, see Loading files as video assets.
The File > Import Point Cache menu option displays the Import Point Cache dialog, which enables you to import and edit models with Point caching.
Import Point Cache dialog
The supported import point cache file formats are .xml and .pc2.
See Point Cache.
The File > Motion File Import displays the Import Files dialog, which lets you import motion capture files of type .fbx, .bvh,.htr, .trc, .amc, and .c3d.
Import Files dialog
Click Open to load the selected file as a video asset.
See Importing.
The File > Motion File Export menu option displays the Export Files dialog, which lets you export motion capture files of type .fbx, .bvh,.htr, .trc, .amc, and .c3d.
See Exporting.
The File > Batch menu option opens the Batch window, which lets you convert multiple data files between different formats. You can batch load a series of data files onto your current character, or save all your takes to a specified data format.
You can input the following formats for batch output:
You can batch output to the following formats:
Batch window
When loading Acclaim files, you can retain dummy nodes. You can also write translation of all nodes when saving both Acclaim and Biovision files.
You can also use the Batch window to save all takes mapped to a selected Actor, Character asset, or Control rig as separate motion files, and convert files from one format to another. Unused fields are disabled, depending on the current mode, which can be either set to Load, Save, or Convert. See Batch processing.
The File > Render menu option opens the Render window, which lets you render your takes as .avi, .swf, .yuv files, or as a series of .jpg, .tga, .tif, or .tiff files.
Render window
Depending on the file type that you select, additional options and windows may display. For information on all options and instructions on how to use the Flash renderer, see Rendering.
The File > Render Thumbnail menu option opens the Thumbnail Preview window, which lets you create thumbnail images for .fbx files. Thumbnail images appear as custom icons in the Asset browser.
Thumbnail Preview window
You can also create custom thumbnails using a specially named .tif image. See Assets.
The File > Recent Files menu option displays the locations and names of the 10 files that were used by MotionBuilder. Files are only added to the list if they were either opened or saved with the Open, Save, or Save As items in the File menu. Files dragged from the Asset browser are not added to the list.
The File > Properties menu option displays the Properties dialog that enables you to enter a title, subject, author, keywords, revision number, and comment for the loaded file, and to save this information with the file.
You can view and edit the information you entered in the Properties dialog the next time you load the file.
The File > Exit menu option ends the current session or displays the Save Changes dialog asking you whether you want to either save or not save your changes or whether you want to cancel exiting the session.
