Maya to Softimage: Supported Scene Elements and Attributes

 
 
 

| Geometry | Lights |Cameras | Hierarchies | Deformations | Animation | Constraints | Physics | Shading | User Data | File Referencing | Update Mechanism

The following tables list the features supported when exporting from a Crosswalk-enabled installation of Maya and importing into Softimage using the dotXSI 6 (*.xsi) format.

Geometry

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Meshes

Yes

 

Triangles

Yes

 

Polygons

Yes

 

Locators

Yes

Converted to nulls.

UVs

Yes

 

Vertex Color

Yes

 

Normals

Yes

 

Splines

No

 

Lights

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Omni

Yes

 

Directional

Yes

 

Spot

Yes

 

Light Common Shading

Yes

 

Cameras

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Perspective Lookat

Yes

 

Perspective Rotation

Yes

 

Orthogonal

Yes

 

Extra Camera Data

Yes

Lens data, aspect ratio, etc.

For a complete description of Maya and Softimage camera interoperability, see Maya to Softimage: Camera Interoperability.

Hierarchies

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

SRT Node Transforms

Yes

 

Advanced SRT Node Transforms

Yes

Support for pivot, neutral pose, etc.

Instances (model)

No

 

Instances (primitive)

No

 

SRT Node Transforms

Yes

 

Deformations

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Skinning (Envelopes)

Yes

 

Shapes

Yes

  • Export All and Export Selection modes are supported.

  • The Maya Envelope value is a global scaling factor applied to all the weight values in the blend shape deformer and it can be used to increase or decrease the effects of all the targets at the same time. On export, the Envelope value is baked into the weight function curve. If the Envelope value is animated, the weight function curve is plotted along with the baked-in Envelope value animation.

  • Support for blend shapes that use targets whose objects exist in the scene as well as targets whose objects have been deleted from the scene.

Bones

No

Converted to nulls.

Animation

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Fcurves (constant)

Yes

 

Fcurves (linear)

Yes

 

Fcurves (spline)

Yes

 

Fcurves (hermite)

Yes

 

Fcurves (per key interpolation)

No

 

Constraints

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Constraints

No

You must bake simulations prior to export from Maya.

IK

No

Plotted to FK.

Physics

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Rigid Body Dynamics

No

 

Shading

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Common Shading

Yes

 

DirectX

No

 

Cg Profile Effects

No

 

User Data

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Maya Extra Attributes

Yes

Imported as Softimage custom psets.

User Data Blob

No

 

File Referencing

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Model Files

No

All references are exported within the scene. That is, they are no longer references, but are now objects in the scene.

Images

Yes

 

Shaders

No

 

Update Mechanism

Element

Maya Export vs. Softimage Import

Comments

Update

No