You can import and export action sources as dotXSI (*.xsi) or native Softimage binary (*.eani) files. This lets you exchange animation data with other Softimage scenes.
When you import an action source file, an action source is created from which you can instantiate clips. If you use the animation mixer to import, you can also instantiate a clip at the same time as creating a source.
You can import the following types of files as action sources:
*.xsi: external action sources saved in either ASCII or binary dotXSI format (see Creating External Action Sources).
*.eani: external action sources saved in native Softimage binary format (see Creating External Action Sources).
You can also import an external action source (*.xsi or *.eani files) as a reference so that it is available in the scene, but remains stored externally in its file — Importing Action Sources as a Reference.
You can import an action source file using any of the following methods, which are all described on the next pages:
Drag and drop a file to the mixer or a model, depending on whether you want to create a source and a clip (mixer) or just the source (model) — see Dragging and Dropping Files to Import Them.
The Tools 
Import/Export Import Action on the Animate toolbar. When you import a file this way, an action source is created but no clip — see Using the Import Action Command.
Loading a file onto a track in the animation mixer. When you import files this way, an action source is created and a clip is created from that source — see Loading Files onto Tracks in the Mixer.
Dragging and Dropping Files to Import Them
You can create an action source and instantiate a clip from it at the same time by opening a browser and dragging a file onto an action track in the mixer.
On Windows systems, you can drag a file from a folder window or Windows Explorer.
You can also drag and drop a file from a browser onto a model or object in a scene (not to the mixer). If no model is selected, the file is dropped onto the scene root. This creates a source, but no action clip is instantiated from it.
Using the Import Action Command
Select a model or object to which you want to import animation. If no model is selected, the file is imported into the scene root.
From the Animate toolbar, choose Tools Import/Export Import Action.
In the browser that opens, navigate to the folder in which the animation files are.
You can select a file format from the File Types list to filter for the type of file you want to import:
Select the file you want and click OK.
An action source is created in the Sources model folder at the scene level and a copy is made in the Mixer > Sources > Animation folder of the corresponding model.
By default, the action source name is based on the imported file name, but you can rename it as you would anything else in the explorer (such as by pressing F2 and entering a new name).
Once you have imported an animation file as an action source, you can create action clips based on that source by right-clicking a track in the animation mixer then selecting the source name from the Load Source menu.
For more information about creating clips, see Adding Action Clips to the Mixer.
Loading Files onto Tracks in the Mixer
Select the model (including the scene root) to which you want to import the action source.
Open its animation mixer and right-click an animation track at the frame where you want the instanced action clip from the source to begin.
In the browser that opens, navigate to the folder in which the animation files are saved.
You can select a file format from the File Types list to filter for the type of file you want to import.
Select the file you want and click OK.
An action source is created in the Sources model folder at the scene level and a copy is made in the Mixer Sources Animation folder of the current model, and an action clip from it is instantiated on the track.
By default, the action source name is based on the imported file name, but you can rename it as you would anything else in the explorer (such as by pressing F2 and entering a new name).
Once the action is imported, you can instantiate additional clips by right-clicking in an animation track and selecting the source name from the Load Source menu.
Importing Action Sources as a Reference
You can import an action source as a reference so that it is available within the scene but saved externally in a file.
When you import an action source as a reference, Softimage sets the storage type of the action source to external (see Creating External Action Sources) and points to the file you import. Then if you modify this action source in the scene, the changes are saved into this file (this is different than a referenced model in which changes are never saved back to it).
Select a model or object to which you want to import animation. If no model is selected, the file is imported into the scene root.
From the Animate toolbar, choose Tools Import/Export Import Referenced Action.
In the browser that opens, navigate to the folder in which the action files are and select either the *.xsi or *.eani file format from the File Types list.
Select the file you want and click OK.
An external action source is created in the Sources model folder at the scene level and a copy is made in the Mixer > Sources > Animation folder of the corresponding model; however,
these are only pointers to the action source that remains in the file.
You can select a specific action source and export it as a file. This file contains only the action source.
You can export an action source using either of these file formats:
*.xsi: external action sources saved in either ASCII or binary dotXSI format (see Creating External Action Sources).
*.eani: external action sources saved in native Softimage binary format (see Creating External Action Sources).
In the explorer, expand the Mixer Sources Animation folder of the appropriate model and click the name of the action source.
From the Animate toolbar, choose Tools Import/Export Export Action.
In the browser that opens, navigate to the folder in which you want to save the action source files.
Enter a File Name and File Type in which to save the action source. Select a supported file format from the File Types list.
After exporting .xsi or .eani files, you can load them into any Softimage scene.
