The Cache Manager allows you to save animated deformations or simulations into point cache files, as well as load point cache files into the animation mixer.
A point cache file contains the point position data of an object that is simulated or has animated deformations. This type of point cache file stores only the XYZ positions of an object's points (vertices) in local (or global) space, but not the object's transform data (translation, rotation, or scale) in its Kinematics node.
For information on using the cache manager, see The Cache Manager.
On this tab, you can load point cache files or .cacheslist files into the animation mixer for selected objects.
For general information, see Reading Cache Files.
Add to Cache List |
Opens a browser in which you can select a cache or .cacheslist file to be added to the Cache List. A .cacheslist file contains multiple caches used for multiple objects. |
Cache List |
The list of all cache files to be read and loaded into the animation mixer for each of the objects in the Apply to Objects list. |
Apply to Objects |
The list of objects in the scene to which you want to apply the cache files. These objects can be the same objects for which you created the cache files, or other objects to which you want to apply the cache files. If you're loading a cache file onto a different object, the number of points on this object must match the number of points that were on the object whose data was cached. |
Up |
Moves the selected cache files or objects up in their respective list. |
Down |
Moves the selected cache files or objects down in their respective list. |
Remove |
Removes the selected cache files or objects from their respective list. |
Clear |
Clears all items in the list. |
Add |
Adds the currently selected objects to the Apply to Objects list. |
Apply All |
Reads and loads the cache files in the Cache List into the animation mixer for each object's model in the Apply to Objects list. If there is simulation on the object when you click Apply, you can choose to either remove or keep the simulation — see Reading Cache Files for more information. |
After you have read and applied a cache file, this information is displayed in gray below the Cache List and Apply to Objects list:
After you have read and applied a cache file, this table gives you feedback about which scene objects have which cache file applied to them and whether or not that object or file is valid.
You can load different cache files or edit their path strings, or use the buttons to do things like open the animation mixer, select scene objects, or delete file cache sources and clips.
Use the buttons above the table to perform various functions.
On this tab, you can create point cache files for objects from these types of simulations and animations:
ICE simulations (particles and deformations, Lagoa, and Syflex ICE) and animated deformations. ICE attributes are also cached.
Soft body and cloth simulations (Non-ICE Syflex is not supported)
A point cache file contains the point position data of an object. This type of point cache file stores only the XYZ positions of an object's points (vertices) in local (or global) space, but not the object's transform data (translation, rotation, or scale) in its Kinematics node.
You can also create Caches List (.cacheslist) files that help you manage how you create multiple cache files for multiple objects.
For general information, see Writing Cache Files.
Click these tabs to see the different Write options:
Path |
Enter the path for where the cache file will be saved. Click the browse (...) button to select a different path. This path is automatically set according to the Default Path option that is set in the Simulation Preferences. |
Tokens |
Opens the help topic for Tokens and Templates so that you can see which tokens are available to add to the Path or File Name syntax. You can add any of the universal tokens, in addition to the caching tokens. At creation, the tokens used in the Path and File Name are automatically set according to what's used in the Simulation Preferences. |
File Name |
Name of the cache file to be saved. This is the syntax: [object]_[version]_[frame] To add frame padding to the frame numbers, see the description for the [Frame] token in Tokens and Templates for more information. |
Version |
Enter any string to identify this version of the cache file, such as Take1 or A, B, C, and so on. This is used in the File Name. |
Format |
The format of the cache file. You can choose from: See Cache File Formats for more information. The default format is set by the Cache Type in the Simulation Preferences. |
Write Cache |
Caches the specified frames into the file that you have selected, as displayed in gray in the Resolved Path. |
Resolved Path |
Displays the current path and file name to use for the cache file. This is for display purposes only. |
Displays a list of ICE attributes for the object to be included in the plotted simulation for the cache file. These are the attributes that are used in the object's ICE tree and in the render tree for rendering.
If you want to see which attributes were cached for a cache file when you're reading it, click the Dump Header button on the Read tab.
For more information, see Setting ICE Attributes for Caching.
Available |
The list of all available attributes for the selected objects. When you select an object in the Objects list, its attributes are highlighted in this list and in the To Cache list. This lets you easily see which attributes belong to which object. Note that custom attributes do not appear in this list unless they are used in the scene. A custom attribute needs to be used before it can be defined, and only defined attributes show up in the Available list. |
To Cache |
The list of attributes that will be cached for the selected objects. Softimage automatically makes sure that all required attributes are included here for the objects in the Object list. However, if you want to cache only specific attributes, you can do so by moving attributes out of the To Cache list and into the Available list. Only the attributes in the To Cache will be cached into the file. See Selecting Which ICE Attributes to Cache for details. |
Move |
Select one or more attributes in the Available or To Cache lists, then click the appropriate Move arrow (>> or <<) to move the selected attributes between the Available and To Cache lists. |
Create Caches List |
Creates a .cacheslist file that includes all the objects in the Objects list above. A .cacheslist file allows you to create and manage multiple cache files for multiple objects — see Creating Cacheslist Files for Multiple Objects for more information. |
File Name |
Enter a name for the .cacheslist file to be created. The path and file name of this file are displayed in gray below and are for display only. |
The Simulation Time Control Property Editor appears in the Cache Manager when you click the Simulation tab at the top of the Cache Manager window.
Click the Caching Files tab at the top of this property editor to find the caching options.
For ICE simulations: You can create point cache files, simulation environment caches, and cache file sources and clips - see Creating ICE Simulation Environment Cache Files for information. Simulation environment caches allow you to play the simulation backwards and scrub through it.
For non-ICE rigid body simulations: You can create simulation environment caches and action sources and clips - see Caching Non-ICE Rigid Body Simulations for information.
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