Contents
Learning Resources
New to 3D/New to Maya?
User Interface Overview
The Art of Maya
Tutorials
Getting Started with Maya
Overview
Introduction
About the Getting Started lessons
Before you begin
Installing Maya
Conventions used in the lessons
Using the lesson files
Using the Maya Help
Additional learning resources
Restoring default user settings
Maya Basics
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: The Maya user interface
Introduction
Starting Maya
The Maya interface
Copying and setting the Maya project
Saving your work
Exiting Maya
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Creating, manipulating, and viewing objects
Introduction
Creating a new scene
Primitive objects
The Toolbox:
Layout shortcuts
The Toolbox:
Transformation tools
The Channel Box
Duplicating objects
Save your work
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Viewing the Maya 3D scene
Introduction
Camera tools
Workflow overview
Viewing objects in shaded mode
Grouping objects
The Hypergraph
Selection modes and masks
Pivot points
Save your work
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 4: Components and attributes
Introduction
Template display
Components
The Attribute Editor
Surface materials
Save your work
Beyond the lesson
Polygonal Modeling
Introduction
Preparing for the lesson
Lesson 1: Modeling a polygonal mesh
Introduction
Setting modeling preferences
Using 2D reference images
Creating a polygon primitive
Modeling in shaded mode
Model symmetry
Selecting components by painting
Selecting edge loops
Editing components in the orthographic views
Editing components in the perspective view
Drawing a polygon
Extruding polygon components
Bridging between edges
Adding polygons to a mesh
Splitting polygon faces
Terminating edge loops
Deleting construction history
Mirror copying a mesh
Working with a smoothed mesh
Creasing and hardening edges on a mesh
Beyond the lesson
NURBS Modeling
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Revolving a curve to create a surface
Introduction
Creating a profile curve
Creating a revolve surface
Editing a revolve surface
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Sculpting a NURBS surface
Introduction
Preparing a surface for sculpting
Basic sculpting techniques
Additional sculpting techniques
Sculpting a nose
Sculpting eye sockets
Sculpting eyebrows
Sculpting a mouth
Sculpting other facial features
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Lofting curves to create a surface
Introduction
Creating profile curves for a surface
Duplicating curves
Lofting a surface
Modifying a primitive object
Using the Outliner to
parent objects
Beyond the lesson
Subdivision Surfaces
Introduction
Preparing for the lesson
Lesson 1: Modeling a subdivision surface
Introduction
Creating a subdivision surface
Splitting a surface in polygon proxy mode
Extruding polygon faces
Deleting polygon faces
Subdivision surface levels
Refining surface components
Creating a crease in a subdivision surface
Beyond the lesson
Animation
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Keyframes and the Graph
Editor
Introduction
Setting the playback range
Setting keyframes
Using the Graph Editor
Changing the timing of an attribute
Fine tuning an animation
Deleting extra keyframes and static channels
Using Playblast to
playback an animation
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Set Driven Key
Introduction
Lesson setup
Using Set Driven Key to
link attributes
Viewing the results in the Graph
Editor
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Path animation
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Animating an object along a motion path
Changing the timing of an object along a motion path
Rotating an object along a motion path
Blending keyframe and motion path animation
Using Playblast to
playback an animation
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 4: Nonlinear animation with Trax
Introduction
Open the first scene for the lesson
Creating clips with Trax
Changing the position of clips with Trax
Editing the animation of clips
Reusing clips within Trax
Soloing and muting tracks
Scaling clips within Trax
Open the second scene for the lesson
Creating clips from motion capture data
Extending the length of motion capture data
Redirecting the motion within a clip
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 5: Inverse kinematics
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Understanding hierarchies
Viewing hierarchies using the Hypergraph
Creating a skeleton hierarchy
Parenting a model into a skeleton hierarchy
Applying IK to a skeleton hierarchy
Creating a control object for an IK system
Constraining an IK system
Limiting the range of motion of an IK system
Simplifying the display of a hierarchy
Applying parent constraints on an IK system
Planning an animation for an IK system
Animating an IK system
Beyond the lesson
Character Setup
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Skeletons and kinematics
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Creating joints
Adding joints to a skeleton
Creating a skeleton hierarchy
Forward and inverse kinematics
Posing and animating using inverse kinematics
Posing and animating using forward kinematics
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Smooth skinning
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Smooth binding a skeleton
Skin weighting and deformations
Modifying skin weights
Influence objects
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Cluster and blend shape deformers
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Creating a target object for a blend shape
Creating a cluster deformer on a target object
Editing cluster weights
Creating a blend shape
Refining deformation effects
Adding target objects to an existing blend shape
Beyond the lesson
Polygon Texturing
Introduction
Preparing for the lesson
Lesson 1: UV texture mapping
Introduction
Creating a cracker box model
Applying a texture map to a polygon mesh
Viewing UVs in the UV Texture Editor
Mapping UV texture coordinates
Working with UVs in the UV Texture Editor
Beyond the lesson
Rendering
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Rendering a scene
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Creating shading materials for objects
Refining shading materials for objects
Maya renderers
Rendering a single frame using IPR
Rendering using the Maya software renderer
Batch rendering a sequence of animation frames
Viewing a sequence of rendered frames
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Shading surfaces
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Assigning a shading material
Modifying surface specularity
Material types
Assigning textures
Using the Hypershade editor
Creating a texture within the Hypershade editor
Modifying a bump texture
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Lights, shadows, and cameras
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Directional lights
Spotlights
Editing light attributes
Shadows
Creating additional cameras in a scene
Animating camera moves
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 4: Global Illumination
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Render the scene using raytracing
Render the scene using Global Illumination
Beyond the Lesson
Lesson 5: Caustics
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Render the scene using raytracing
Render the scene using caustics
Beyond the Lesson
Dynamics
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Particles, emitters, and fields
Introduction
Creating an emitter
Creating volume axis fields
Adjusting the velocity of moving particles
Setting the particle render type
Adding dynamic attributes
Adding per particle attributes
Adding color to particles with a color ramp
Hardware rendering particles
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Rigid bodies and constraints
Introduction
Lesson setup
Creating hinge constraints
Running a dynamics simulation
Changing an active rigid body to passive
Beyond the lesson
Painting
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Painting in 2D using Paint
Effects
Introduction
Painting strokes
Modifying the default brush settings
Modifying the canvas
Modifying the colors of a preset brush
Editing strokes with tubes attributes
Saving brush settings for future use
Blending brushes
Smearing, blurring, and erasing paint
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Painting in 3D using Paint Effects
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Brushes and strokes
Rendering Paint Effects strokes
Paint Effects on 3D objects
Creating a surface to paint on
Painting on objects
Using turbulence with brush stroke tubes
Using additional preset brushes
Mesh brushes
Converting mesh strokes to polygons
Modifying a converted polygonal mesh
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Painting textures on surfaces
Introduction
Open the scene for the lesson
Preparing for painting
Painting with an Artisan brush
Painting symmetrical strokes
Using Flood All to
apply a single color
Brush shapes
Painting with a Paint Effects brush
Smearing and blurring
Painting a bump map texture
Beyond the lesson
Expressions
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Creating a simple expression
Introduction
Creating expressions to control a single attribute
Editing expressions
Using expressions to control multiple attributes
Linking multiple attributes on the same object
Controlling attributes in two objects
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Conditional expressions
Introduction
Creating a conditional expression
Other conditional statement options
Fixing a problem in an expression
Using else statements
Simplifying expressions
Editing expressions to refine an animation
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Controlling particle attributes
Introduction
Creating particle objects
Using creation expressions to set a constant color
Using runtime expressions
Modifying runtime expressions
Beyond the lesson
Scripting in Maya
Introduction
Some basic concepts
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Commands in MEL
Introduction
Entering MEL commands
Observing script history
Modifying object attributes
Editing Objects
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Saving scripts to the Shelf
Introduction
Setting up the scene
Recording the script history
Compare the rendered images
Saving the history as a button
Beyond the Lesson
Lesson 3: Using Variables in MEL
Introduction
Setting up the scene
Storing scene information
Create a row of barrels
Stacking the row of barrels
Using MEL built-in functions to calculate the
Y offset
Creating dynamics with MEL commands
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 4: User interface creation and procedures
Introduction
Creating a window
Window naming
Introduction to procedures
Loading a script file
Linking the user interface
Saving the script
Using the saved script file
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 5: Using Python in Maya
Introduction
Entering Python commands
Using flags in Python
Using the edit flag in Python
Communicating between Python and MEL
Beyond the lesson
Getting Started with Maya Unlimited
Overview
Introduction
About Getting Started with Maya Unlimited
Before you begin
Installing Maya Unlimited
Conventions used in the lessons
Using the lesson files
Restoring default user settings
Hair
Introduction
About hair simulation
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Creating a basic hairstyle
Introduction
Lesson setup
Creating hair on a surface
Styling the hair
Setting up hair collisions
Rendering the hair
Modifying hair attributes
Setting up shadowing on hair
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Creating a dynamic non-hair simulation
Introduction
Lesson setup
Setting up the curtain scene
Making the hair collide with another object
Assigning a Paint Effects brush
to the hair
Setting up constraints
Rendering the curtain scene
Beyond the lesson
Fluid Effects
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Creating a dynamic 2D fluid effect
Introduction
Creating a two-dimensional fluid container
Adding a fluid emitter to a container
Changing the behavior of a fluid
Combining colors in a fluid
Colliding a fluid with an object
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Creating a non-dynamic 3D fluid effect
Introduction
Creating a 3D fluid container
Adding fluid to a container
Defining shader attributes for a fluid
Texturing the contents of a fluid container
Adding self shadowing to texture density
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Creating a dynamic 3D effect
Introduction
Creating a 3D container
Painting Fuel and Density into a container
Painting Temperature values
into a container
Adding color to Density and Temperature
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 4: Creating an ocean effect
Introduction
Creating an ocean plane and shader
Adding a preview plane to an ocean
Modifying ocean attributes
Floating objects
Beyond the lesson
Fur
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Assigning a fur description
Introduction
Lesson setup
Duplicating objects across an axis of symmetry
Renaming surfaces on a model
Assigning objects to a reference layer
Assigning a fur description preset to a model
Reversing surface normals
Modifying the fur direction
Painting fur attributes
Modifying the color of a fur description
Creating a new fur description
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Rendering fur
Introduction
Lesson setup
Creating lights in a scene
Adding fur shadowing attributes to lights
Rendering the scene
Beyond the lesson
nCloth
Introduction
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson 1: Creating nCloth collisions
Introduction
Lesson setup
Creating an nCloth object
Making an nCloth collide with its environment
Adjusting the accuracy of nCloth collisions
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Creating nCloth constraints
Introduction
Lesson setup
Constraining an nCloth to a passive object
Changing which nCloth points are constrained
Making nCloth flap in dynamic wind
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 3: Creating nCloth Clothing
Introduction
Lesson setup
Making the dress into an nCloth object
Making the character wear the dress
Caching nCloth to speed up playback
Adjusting the fit of the dress
Defining the behavior of nCloth clothing
Painting nCloth properties
Open the second scene for the lesson
Setting the initial state
Constraining nCloth clothing
Improving the quality of the nCloth simulation
Smoothing nCloth clothing
Beyond the lesson
nParticles
Introduction
Preparing for the tutorials
Creating a smoke simulation with nParticles
Introduction
Lesson 1: Creating an nParticle system
Lesson 2: Adjusting nParticle attributes
Lesson 3: Adding Nucleus wind to the simulation
Creating a liquid simulation with nParticles
Introduction
Lesson 1: Creating a Water style nParticle object
Lesson 2: Adjusting Liquid Simulation attributes
Lesson 3: Create the water surface
Live
Introduction
About Live
Preparing for the lessons
Lesson setup
Lesson 1: Track and solve
Introduction
Tracking preparation
Tracking object points in a shot
Evaluating the tracking of a point
Tracking additional points
Deleting tracking data
Importing tracking data
Preparing to solve
Solving the shot
Evaluating a solved solution
Importing additional tracking data
Beyond the lesson
Lesson 2: Solving with survey data
Introduction
Creating a Distance constraint
Creating a Plane constraint
Registering a solution
Creating additional Plane constraints
Evaluating the solution with imported geometry
Beyond the lesson
Additional Learning Resources
Books & DVDs
User to User Discussion
Technical Support
Classroom Training
Events & Seminars
The Area (user community)
What's New
What’s New in Autodesk Maya
What’s New in General
What’s New in Performance
What’s New in Modeling
What’s New in Animation
What’s New in Rigging
What’s New in Dynamics
What’s New in Fluid Effects
What’s New in nCloth
What’s New in nParticles
What’s New in Rendering and Render Setup
What’s New In Documentation
What’s New in API
User Guide
General
Basics
Interface overview
Working in Maya
3D coordinates
Maya’s Interface
Objects and components
Selection, tools, and actions
Main window
Menus and menu sets
Marking menus
Shelves
Maya Web browser plug-in
Autodesk Maya Error Report
Get help
Print the Maya Help
Work with menu items, tools, and options
Select tools and actions
Set the options for a tool or menu item
Select actions from marking menus
Select actions from the hotbox
Select actions on a shelf
Load the default shelves
Start Maya from the command line
Install the Maya Web browser plug-in
Selecting
Select objects or components
Select multiple components
Select only unobstructed components
Select multiple component types
Select a node
Select only certain types of objects or components
(selection masks)
Save and reuse a selection
Select objects based on hierarchy
Select components by painting
Soft Select components
Change one type of selection to another
Grow, shrink, or change the selected region of CVs
or polygon components
Highlight components before selecting
them
Viewing the scene
Move and rotate the camera
Using the ViewCube
Tumble, track, dolly, or tilt the view
Use the mouse to control camera azimuth, elevation,
yaw or pitch
Center the view on selected or all objects
Return to previous views
Change and resize panels
Change the panel layout
Create a window from the contents of a panel (tear
off)
Control what camera is shown in a view
Show, hide, or change the grid
Show information over top of a view (heads-up display)
Change the display of objects
Change the look and smoothness of the selected objects
Show or hide objects
Show or hide components
Show or hide object-specific UI
Show an isolated subset of objects or components
in a panel
Change an object’s wireframe color
Transforming objects
Transformations
The pivot point
World space, object space, and local space
Maya’s interface
Construction history
Construction planes
Copies vs. instances
Transform objects and components
Use manipulators
Lock a manipulator to the current selection
Move, rotate, or scale objects and components
Move, rotate or scale components proportionally
Use the Universal Manipulator
Move components with the Tweak mode
Move, rotate, or scale components with reflection
Change the pivot point
Flip objects
Transform along different axes
Preserve textures during transformation
Set transformation values to zero
Align and snap
Snap to the grid, a curve, points, or a view plane
Snap all creation tools to a surface or construction
plane
Align objects
Position objects along a curve
Snap one object to another
Change history
Undo, Redo,
and Repeat
Edit completed commands (construction history)
Show a custom manipulator for the selected node
Create and edit models
Create geometric primitives
Create text
Edit objects
Cut, Copy, and Paste
Delete
Duplicate
Edit component numeric values directly
Transfer attribute values
Troubleshooting Manipulators and Transformations
Issues with manipulators
Issues with transformations
Nodes and attributes
Nodes and attributes overview
Two views of the scene: hierarchy and dependency
Scene hierarchy
Dependency graph
The Outliner
The Hypergraph
Node types
View and edit attributes
Change attribute values in the Attribute
Editor or Channel Box
Show or hide the manipulator for an attribute
in the Channel Box
Inline numeric calculation in multiple cells
View and edit multiple attributes on multiple nodes
Save and reuse attribute presets
Lock the value of an attribute
Create, edit, or delete custom attributes
Open multiple Attribute Editors
Control the display of attributes in the Channel Box
View and change the hierarchy of nodes
View and edit the hierarchy of nodes
Change the visual layout of nodes in the Hypergraph
Change the order of nodes
View and change input and output history relationships
between nodes
Show inputs and outputs (dependency graph)
Connect input and output attributes
Connect attributes with an expression
Break connections between attributes
Set a node’s update state
Change the display of nodes and attributes
Show or hide nodes
Control which objects or attribute types appear in
an editor
Save and reuse object or attribute visibility
filters in editors
File management
Managing your files
Supported image formats (rendering)
Supported file formats
Create, open, or save a scene file
Open recently saved files
Import files
Export objects to a new file
Archive a scene
Export objects as a referenced file
Organize files into projects
View images or animations
Recover data after a crash
Scene management
Managing complex scenes
Organizing objects
Sets and partitions
Layers
Optimize scene size
Organize objects
Change the name of one or more objects
Make an object unselectable (template)
Organize objects on display layers
Edit all objects on a layer at once
Group objects together
Create and edit sets
Keep a collection of sets from having overlapping membership
Annotate and measure
Annotate or document objects
Measure the distance between two points
Show parameter or arc-length values on a curve or
surface
Assets
Asset overview
What are assets?
Parts of an asset
Working with assets
What is encapsulation?
Published attributes and nodes
Assets and the Maya hierarchy
What are container templates?
Parts of a container template
Template file format
Assets and file referencing
The Asset Editor
Asset workflows
Pre-planning Workflow
Artist control workflow
Artist workflow tips
Creating and removing containers
Create containers
Preview the contents of a container
Remove containers
Navigating containers
Select a container
Select container contents
Set the current container
Lock a container
Hide unpublished nodes and attributes
Organize containers in the Channel Box
Organize containers in the Attribute Editor
Navigate containers in the Hypergraph or Hypershade
Expand and collapse containers
Lay out nodes inside a container
Show and hide connections
Mark a container with a custom icon in the Hypershade
Customize a container’s background
View containers in the Hypershade
Navigate containers in the Outliner
Showing or hiding container contents
View published attributes
Mark a container with a custom icon in the Outliner
Editing Assets
Add nodes to a container
Remove nodes from a container
Publish or unpublish attributes
Publish ramp attributes
Publish swatch attributes
Publish attributes connected to external nodes
Publish multiple attributes to one published name
Bind/unbind an attribute
Edit published attribute values
Rename a published name
Connect container attributes
Transfer attribute values between containers
Example: Duplicating animation on non-matching
hierarchies
Publish a parent or child anchor
View a container’s parent or child anchor
Example: Swapping arms on a robot
Creating templates and views
Create a container template
Assign a template to a container
Edit a container template
Reload a container template
Save a container template
Change the template search path
Organize container templates into packages
Add a view to a container template
Set the active view for a container
Customize a template view
Localize the container user interface
Example: Creating a template and a view
Assets and file referencing
Reference an asset with file referencing
Replace referenced containers
Example: Referencing and swapping a car in a scene
Lock referenced containers
Create a proxy container
Preferences and customization
Save preferences
Customize the look and feel of the interface
Show or hide user interface elements
Change user interface colors
Create a custom panel layout
Add a new panel to the list of available panels
Change the length (scale) of normals in the display
Customize shelves
Create, rename, rearrange, or delete a shelf
Add a tool, action, or Maya script to a shelf
Edit the MEL or Python script associated with
a shelf item
Edit the contents of a shelf
Use a custom name or icon for a shelf item
Change the display of shelves
Customize menu sets
Custom menu sets
Manage custom menu sets
Customize marking menus and the hotbox
Create or edit a marking menu
Assign a marking menu to a hotkey
Add a marking menu to the hotbox
Customize the hotbox
Maya Hotkeys
Maya Hotkeys
Assign a predefined command to a hotkey
Hotkeys in Maya for Mac OS X
Assign a MEL script to a hotkey
View a list of all assigned hotkeys
Customize how Maya works
Switch operations between actions and tools
Load or unload Maya plug-ins
Improve performance, quality, or interactivity
Switch between Y-up and Z-up
Advanced customization
Directly modify the settings files
Run MEL commands whenever Maya starts up
Run MEL commands whenever a scene is opened or
closed
Create a custom heads-up display readout
Performance tips
Set Maya to use maximum memory (increase the Virtual
Memory limit)
Get the most out of Maya
Running Maya in Japanese
Japanese Maya overview
Extended ASCII characters in node and attribute
names and scene portability
Run Maya with a Japanese user interface
Run Maya in English within a Japanese environment
Prepare Maya files containing Japanese text
Basics Tools
Status line (toolbar)
Panel toolbar
Command line
Tool Box
Select Tool
Lasso Tool
Paint Selection Tool
Move Tool
Rotate Tool
Scale Tool
Universal Manipulator
Soft Modification Tool (toolbox)
Show Manipulator Tool
Quick layout buttons
Hotkeys
View hotkeys
Tool and action hotkeys
Transform marking menus
Basics Menus
File
File > New Scene
File > Open Scene
File > Save Scene
File > Save Scene As
File > Archive Scene
File > Save Preferences
File > Optimize Scene Size
File > Import
File > Export All, Export
Selection
File > Export Proxy Container
File > View Image
File > View Sequence
File > Create Reference
File > Reference Editor
File > Project > New
File > Project > Edit Current
File > Project > Set
File > Recent Files
File > Recent Projects
File > Exit
Edit
Edit > Undo, Redo, Repeat
Edit > Recent Commands List
Edit > Cut
Edit > Copy
Edit > Paste
Edit > Delete
Edit > Delete by Type > History
Edit > Delete by Type > Channels, Static Channels,
Non-particle Expressions
Edit > Delete All by Type
Edit > Select Tool
Edit > Lasso Select Tool
Edit > Paint Selection Tool
Edit > Select All
Edit > Deselect
Edit > Select Hierarchy
Edit > Invert Selection
Edit > Select All by Type
Edit > Quick Select Sets
Edit > Duplicate
Edit > Duplicate Special
Edit > Duplicate with Transform
Edit > Transfer Attribute Values
Edit > Group
Edit > Ungroup
Edit > Level of Detail
Edit > Parent
Edit > Unparent
Create
Create > NURBS Primitives
Create > Polygon Primitives
Create > CV Curve Tool
Create > EP Curve Tool
Create > Pencil Curve Tool
Create > Arc Tools > Three Point
Circular Arc, Two Point Circular Arc
Create > Measure Tools > Distance
Tool, Parameter Tool, Arc Length Tool
Create > Text
Create > Adobe Illustrator Object
Create > Construction Plane
Create > Locator
Create > Annotation
Create > Empty Group
Create > Sets > Set, Partition
Create > Sets > Quick Select Set
Modify
Modify > Transformation Tools >
Move Tool, Rotate Tool, Scale
Tool, Show Manipulator Tool
Modify > Transformation Tools >
Universal Manipulator
Modify > Transformation Tools >
Move Normal Tool
Modify > Transformation Tools >
Default Object Manipulator
Modify > Transformation Tools >
Proportional Modification Tool
Modify > Transformation Tools >
Soft Modification Tool
Modify > Reset Transformations, Freeze Transformations
Modify > Snap Align Objects > Point
to Point, 2 Points to 2 Points, 3 Points to 3 Points
Modify > Snap Align Objects > Align
Objects
Modify > Snap Align Objects > Position
Along Curve
Modify > Align Tool
Modify > Snap Together Tool
Modify > Evaluate Nodes
Modify > Make Live
Modify > Center Pivot
Modify > Prefix Hierarchy Names
Modify > Search and Replace Names
Modify > Add Attribute
Modify > Edit Attribute
Modify > Delete Attribute
Modify > Convert > NURBS to Polygons
Modify > Convert > NURBS to Subdiv,
Polygons to Subdiv
Modify > Convert > Smooth Mesh Preview
to Polygons
Modify > Convert > Polygon Edges
to Curve
Modify > Convert > Subdiv to Polygons
Modify > Convert > Subdiv to NURBS
Modify > Convert > Texture to Geometry
Modify > Convert > Instance to Object
Modify > Replace Objects
Display
Display > Grid
Display > Heads Up Display
Display > UI Elements
Display > Hide, Show
Display > Wireframe Color
Display > Object Display
Display > Transform Display
Display > Polygons
Display > NURBS
Display > Subdiv Surfaces
Display > Animation
Display > Rendering
Window
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Preferences
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Tool Settings
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Performance Settings
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Hotkey Editor
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Color Settings
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Shelf Editor
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Marking Menu Editor
Window > Settings/Preferences >
Panel Editor
Window > Outliner
Window > Hypergraph: Hierarchy
Window > Hypergraph: Connections
Window > View Arrangement, Saved Layouts
Window > Frame All in All Views, Frame
Selection in All Views
Assets
Assets > Create Container
Assets > Add to Container
Assets > Remove from Container
Assets > Asset Editor
Assets > Publish to Container
Assets > Unpublish from Container
Assets > Publish Connections
Assets > Node Publishing
Assets > Node Unpublishing
Assets > Set Current Container
Assets > Select Container Contents
Assets > Lock Unpublished Attributes
Assets > Unlock Unpublished Attributes
Help
Help > Maya Help
Help > Extra Learning Resources
Help > Learning Movies
Help > Tutorials
Help > What’s New
Help > Support Center
Help > Data Exchange Solutions
Help > Online Release Notes Updates
Help > The Area
Help > Download Bonus Tools
Help > Browser Setup Assistant
Help > Report a Problem
Help > Suggest a Feature
Help > Customer Involvement Program
Help > Autodesk DirectConnect Help
Help > Autodesk FBX Help
Help > Autodesk Online Store
Help > MEL Command Reference
Help > Python Command Reference
Help > Node and Attribute Reference
Help > Find Menu
Help > About Maya
Panel menus
View
View > Camera Tools > Tumble Tool
View > Camera Tools > Track Tool
View > Camera Tools > Dolly Tool
View > Camera Tools > Zoom Tool
View > Camera Tools > Roll Tool
View > Camera Tools > Azimuth Elevation
Tool
View > Camera Tools > Yaw-Pitch
Tool
View > Camera Tools > Fly Tool
Shading
Shading menu
Shading > Wireframe
Shading > Smooth Shade All
Shading > Smooth Shade Selected Items
Shading > Flat Shade All
Shading > Flat Shade Selected Items
Shading > Bounding Box
Shading > Points
Shading > Use default material
Shading > Wireframe on Shaded
Shading > X-Ray
Shading > X-Ray Joints
Shading > X-Ray Active Components
Shading > Object Transparency Sorting
Shading > Polygon Transparency Sorting
Shading > Interactive Shading
Shading > Color Index Mode
Shading > Backface Culling
Shading > Smooth Wireframe
Shading > Hardware Texturing
Shading > Hardware Fog
Shading > Apply Current to All
Lighting
Lighting menu
Show
Show menu
Show > Isolate Select
Show > Grid
Panels
Panels > Look Through Selected
Panels menu
Basics Windows and Editors
Asset Editor
Attribute Editor
Attribute Spread Sheet
Channel Box
Color Chooser
Component Editor
Display Layer editor
Hotbox customization
Hotkey editor
Marking Menu Editor
Menu Sets
Outliner
Panel editor
Plug-in Manager
Preload Reference Editor
Relationship Editor
Script editor
Shelf Editor
Visor
Hypergraph
Hypergraph overview
Hypergraph tips
Hypergraph limitations
Maya Help
Maya Help overview
Preferences
Preferences overview
Interface preferences
UI Elements preferences
ViewCube preferences
Help preferences
Display preferences
Kinematics preferences
Animation (Display) preferences
Manipulators preferences
NURBS preferences
Polygons preferences
Subdivs preferences
Settings preferences
Animation (Settings) preferences
Cameras preferences
Dynamics preferences
Files/Projects preferences
Modeling preferences
Rendering preferences
Selection preferences
Snapping preferences
Sound preferences
Time Slider preferences
Undo preferences
Save Actions
Modules preferences
Application preferences
Reference Editor
Reference Editor overview
Reference Editor toolbar
Reference Editor Layouts
Reference editor menus
Basics Nodes
Camera node
General attributes
General attributes
Transform attributes
Display
Node behavior
Level of Detail group node
Mac OS X and Linux Specific Notes
Appendix
Using Maya with Mac OS X
Notes and Procedures
Troubleshooting Maya for Mac OS X
Using Maya with Linux
Notes and Procedures
Troubleshooting Maya for Linux
File referencing
About file referencing
File referencing workflows
About proxy references
Proxies with shared edits
Proxy referencing workflows
About proxy tags
About the Reference Editor
Modifying a file reference
Locking a file reference
How Maya keeps track of edits to file references
File referencing tips
Saving reference edits to grandchild files
File reference and node structure
Work with file references
Work with proxy references
List, copy, or remove reference edits
Edit reference paths in the Reference
Editor
View selected references
Paint Effects and 3D Paint
Paint Effects and 3D Paint Tool overview
What is Painting in Maya?
Maya Paint Effects
What is Paint Effects?
How the Paint Effects Tool works
Prepare to use Paint Effects
Painting in 2D
Paint in 2D
Display the Paint Effects canvas
Set up the canvas
Paint on the canvas
Flip Tube Direction
Erase paint from the canvas
Smear and blur paint on the canvas
Paint pixels
Clear the canvas
Zoom and track
Create new images
Create seamless repeating textures
Modify textures applied to surfaces
Paint on existing images and textures
Save images
Painting in 3D
Paint in 3D
Set up to paint in 3D
Paint different ways in 3D
Select which UV set to use for Paint
Effects (polygons only)
Automatically paint multiple strokes on a surface
Select strokes
Delete strokes
Modify existing strokes
Create a Paint Effects modifier
Attach brushes to curves
Modify tube behavior using control curves
Hide and show strokes and curves
Modify stroke display quality
Convert Paint Effects to polygons
Optimizing Paint Effects Mesh quality
Convert Paint Effects to NURBS
Convert Paint Effects to curves
Painting in the Paint Effects Panel
Paint in the Paint Effects Panel
Switch between views for painting
Show and hide the Paint Effects panel
toolbar
Save a snapshot of the Paint Effects panel view
Save depth as grayscale values
Change the Brush Type
Change the panel lighting
Display RGB, luminance, or alpha channels
Switch between a stylus and the mouse
Working with brushes
Work with brushes
Select preset brushes
Define template brush settings
Reset the template brush
Create new brush presets
Modify brush settings for existing strokes
Select brushes in your scene
Map file textures to color and opacity
Blend preset brush settings
Animating strokes
Add spring behavior to strokes with tubes
Keyframe brush and stroke attributes
Animate tube growth, gaps, twist, and textures
Animate the stroke path
Make tubes react to forces
Create animated textures
Animate textures on strokes
Loop brush animations
Paint Effects samples and techniques
Animate rain effects
Animate a plant growing up a column
Animate a starfield
Create textures from painted 3D objects
Work on an animation project
Rendering scenes with Paint Effects strokes
Prepare to render scenes with Paint
Effects
Render scenes with Paint Effects strokes
Troubleshooting Paint Effects
Troubleshoot Paint Effects
3D Paint Tool
What is the 3D Paint Tool?
How the 3D Paint Tool works
Preparing your model for the 3D
Paint Tool
Paint textures on 3D objects
Restrict the paint area on polygons
Flood the surface
Reflect paint
Paint over existing textures
Paint attributes not seen in hardware texturing
Layer painted textures
Save textures
Paint attributes not shown in the Texture list
Switch nodes and painted textures
Paint Effects and 3D Paint Tools
Paint Effects Tool
3D Paint Tool
Paint Effects and 3D Paint Menus
Modify
Modify > Convert > Paint Effects
to Polygons
Modify > Convert > Paint Effects
to NURBS
Modify > Convert > Paint Effects
to Curves
Display
Display > Rendering > Paint Effects
Mesh Display
Display > Rendering > Stroke Display
Quality
Texturing
Texturing > 3D Paint Tool
Paint Effects
Paint Effects > Flip Tube Direction
Paint Effects > Paint Effects Globals
Paint Effects > Paint Effects Tool
Paint Effects > Make Paintable
Paint Effects > Paint on Paintable
Objects
Paint Effects > Paint on View Plane
Paint Effects > Apply Settings to Last
Stroke
Paint Effects > Apply Settings to Selected
Strokes
Paint Effects > Get Settings from Selected
Stroke
Paint Effects > Share One Brush
Paint Effects > Remove Brush Sharing
Paint Effects > Select Brush/Stroke
Names Containing
Paint Effects > Create Modifier
Paint Effects > Auto Paint > Paint
Grid
Paint Effects > Auto Paint > Paint
Random
Paint Effects > Curve Utilities >
Simplify Stroke Path Curves
Paint Effects > Curve Utilities >
Set Stroke Control Curves
Paint Effects > Curve Utilities >
Attach Brush to Curves
Paint Effects > Curve Utilities >
Make Pressure Curve
Paint Effects > Mesh Quality Attributes
Paint Effects > Get Brush
Paint Effects > Template Brush Settings
Paint Effects > Reset Template Brush
Paint Effects > Preset Blending
Paint Effects > Save Brush Preset
Paint Effects > Brush Animation >
Bake Spring Animation
Paint Effects > Brush Animation >
Make Brush Spring
Paint Effects > Brush Animation >
Loop Brush Animation
Paint Effects and 3D Paint Windows and Editors
Paint Effects panel
Paint Effects Brush Settings
Render Settings window
Paint Effects Rendering Options
Paint Effects and 3D Paint Nodes
strokeShape node
lineModifier node
Artisan
Artisan overview
What is Artisan?
Tools that use Artisan
Reset Artisan brush tools
Using Artisan brush tools
Using Artisan brush tools
How Artisan brush tools work
Paint strokes
Flood paint
Paint reflected
Restrict an area for painting
Map attributes
Set stylus pressure
Change the brush outline color
Create an Artisan tool shelf
Use Artisan hotkeys
Use Artisan marking menus
Painting with MEL scripts and the Paint Scripts
Tool
Painting with MEL scripts and the Paint Scripts
Tool
Overview of MEL script painting
Script paint
Set Paint Scripts Tool settings
Script paint on restricted surface areas
Flood surfaces
Write MEL Scripts for the Paint
Scripts Tool
Painting attribute values
Painting attribute values
Paint attributes
Restrict an area for painting
Flood surfaces
Map attributes
Set Paint Attributes Tool settings
Make an attribute paintable
Artisan Menus
Modify
Modify > Paint Scripts Tool
Modify > Paint Attributes Tool
Artisan Windows and Editors
Artisan Tool Settings
MEL and Expressions
Background
MEL Overview
The MEL and expressions book
MEL for programmers
Running MEL
Run MEL commands
See or record the MEL commands associated with
actions
Make a shelf button for a script
Get help on a MEL command
Values and variables
Integer and floating point numbers
Strings
Explicit and implicit typing
Variables
Assigning values to variables and attributes
Printing values
Picking a random number
Arrays, vectors, and matrices
Arrays
Get and change the size of an array
Vectors
Matrices
Style
Good MEL style
Using white space
Adding comments
Naming variables
Procedures and scripts
Bullet-proof scripting
Controlling the flow of a script
Testing and comparing values
Boolean values
if...else if...else
?: operator
switch...case
while
do...while
for
for-in
break
continue
Testing the existence of commands, objects, and attributes
The difference between = and ==
Common problems
Attributes
Attributes overview
Attribute names
Data types of attributes
Getting and setting attributes
Getting and setting multi-value attributes
Procedures
Procedures
Defining procedures
Calling procedures
Global and local variables
Testing if a function is available in MEL
Checking where a procedure comes from
Animation expressions
Animation expressions
Creating animation expressions
Each attribute can only have one driver
time and frame keywords
Find an animation expression you created previously
Edit text in an animation expression
Edit an animation expression with a text
editor
Delete an animation expression
I/O and interaction
User interaction
Reading and writing files
Testing file existence, permissions, and other properties
Manipulating files
Working with directories
Executing system commands
Reading from and writing to system command pipes
Calling MEL from AppleScript and vice-versa
Debugging, optimizing, and troubleshooting
MEL debugging features
Signaling with error, warning, and trace
Handling errors with catch and catchQuiet
Showing error line numbers
Showing the calling stack when an error occurs
Optimizing script and expression speed
Optimize scripts
Optimize expressions
Reduce redundant expression execution
Troubleshooting
Accessing global variables
Initialization is different from assignment
Common expression errors
Executing MEL commands in an expression can have
unintended side effects
Error message format
Common error messages
Creating interfaces
ELF commands
Windows
Controls
Layouts
Groups
Menus
Collections
Parents and children
Naming
UI command templates
Deleting UI elements
Attaching commands to UI elements
A simple window
Modal dialogs
Using system events and scriptJobs
Particle expressions
About particle expressions
Particle expressions
Creation expression execution
Runtime expression execution
Set the dynamics start frame
Set attributes for initial state usage
Write creation expressions
Write runtime expressions
Work with particle attributes
Add dynamic attributes
Understand per particle and per object attributes
Understand initial state attributes
Assign to a custom attribute
Assign to a particle array attribute of different length
Use creation expression values in a runtime expression
Work with position, velocity, and acceleration
Work with color
Work with emitted particles
Work with collisions
Work with lifespan
Work with specific particles
Assign to vectors and vector arrays
Assign to vectors and vector arrays
Assign to a vector variable
Use the vector component operator with variables
Assign to a vector array attribute component
List of particle attributes
Script nodes
MEL script nodes
Create or edit a script node
Prevent script nodes from executing when you open
a file
Advanced
Advanced programming topics
Automatic type conversion
Limits
Local array collection
Array arguments are passed by reference
Changing the user script locations with MEL
Advanced animation expressions topics
How often an expression executes
Use custom attributes in expressions
Display attribute and variable contents
Reproduce randomness
Remove an attribute from an expression
Disconnect an attribute
Rename an object
Executing MEL commands in an expression
Understand path names
Unexpected attribute values
Data type conversions
Syntax
Command syntax
Delimiters and white space
Expressions, operators and statements
Operator precedence
Blocks
Comments
Differences between expression and MEL syntax
Useful functions
Limit functions
Introduction to limit functions
abs
ceil
floor
clamp
min
max
sign
trunc
Exponential functions
Introduction to exponential functions
exp
log
log10
pow
sqrt
Trigonometric functions
Introduction to trigonometric functions
cos
cosd
sin
sind
tan
tand
acos
acosd
asin
asind
atan
atand
atan2
atan2d
hypot
Vector functions
Introduction to vector functions
angle
cross
dot
mag
rot
unit
Conversion functions
Introduction to conversion functions
deg_to_rad
rad_to_deg
hsv_to_rgb
rgb_to_hsv
Array functions
Introduction to array functions
clear
size
sort
Random number functions
Introduction to random number functions
gauss
noise
dnoise
rand
sphrand
seed
Curve functions
Introduction to curve functions
linstep
smoothstep
hermite
General commands
Introduction to general commands
eval
print
system
FAQ
Tasks
What is the command for getting the Set Editor?
Why are the extra attributes I added not in the Channel
Box?
How can I change the order of extra attributes
in the Channel Box?
How can I export selected data to an already opened
file?
Scripting and syntax
What is the operator for raising to a power?
How can I find out what variables have been declared?
How do I list all global variables?
How can I change an integer to a string?
Can I specify a dynamic matrix?
How do I execute a statement created at runtime?
What is the difference between eval, backquotes,
and ()?
How can I stop a MEL script that is running?
Modeling
How can I count polygons?
How can I get the name of a (selected) shape node?
Commands to pick curve on surface
How do I get and set specific UV values on a polygon?
How can I create a closestPointOnSurface node?
How can I get an object’s pivot point in world
space?
Animation, dynamics, and rendering
How do I get or set the position along the timeline
using MEL?
How to randomize keyframes?
How do I export sets from a Maya file?
How can I select a set of particles?
How do I kill individual particles?
How can I make a list of what objects are connected
to what shading groups?
How can I render from within a script?
How do I set the batch render directory in MEL?
What is the command to strip shaders from an object?
Example scripts
Learning from Maya’s own script files
Read animation values from a text file
Particle Collision Boundary
Point Explosion
Testing Added Particle Attributes
Testing Dynamics Events
Dynamics Time Playback
Finding Unshaded Objects
MEL Windows and Editors
Expression Editor
Python
Python in Maya
Using Python
Python and threading
Python from an external interpreter
Important differences between MEL and Python
Current limitations
Installation and Licensing
Introduction
Overview of installation and licensing
Maya Plug-ins
Bonus Tools
Installing Maya 2009 alongside previous versions
Quick Start Licensing
Quick Start: How to activate your copy of Maya
Installing Maya for Windows
Overview of installing Maya for Windows
Before you begin: checklist
System requirements
Installation directory (Windows)
Maya on Windows 64-bit systems
Installing Maya (Windows)
Uninstalling Maya
Graphics requirements for Maya
Installing Maya for Mac OS X
Overview of installing Maya for Mac OS X
Before you begin: checklist
System requirements
Maya on Intel Mac OS X
Installing Maya (Mac OS X)
Uninstalling Maya
Software that can be installed separately
Installing Maya 2009 alongside previous versions of Maya
Maya Terminal window provided with Maya
Installing Maya for Linux
Overview of installing Maya for Linux
Before you begin: checklist
System requirements
Installation directory (Linux)
Maya on 64-bit systems
Installing Maya (Linux)
Uninstalling Maya
Additional Linux notes
Installing mental ray for Maya satellite
Overview of mental ray (satellite)
Slave machine installation
Slave machine additional setup
Slave machine port setup
Licensing of satellite rendering
Installing license server software and updates
Installing license server software
Licensing Maya
Who should use this chapter
Activating Maya and installing
a license
Activating the software
from a serial number
Installing a license
If the licensing is not
successful
Server setup
Additional setup for networked licenses
Client setup
Setting up each client
Limiting the use of Maya
Unlimited product licenses
Finishing installation
Confirming Maya startup
Additional licensing information
Verifying license server installation
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting licensing: introduction
Contacting Support Services
Issues at startup
Licensing troubleshooting
When you start Maya
Examining a licensing log file
Finding licensing problems with diagnostic tools
Miscellaneous troubleshooting
Running previous versions of Maya: USB hardware
lock issues
Understanding licenses
Additional resources
Release Notes
Glossary
Glossary: A
absolute mode
active lines
active view
AIFF file format
aim constraint
aim vector
air field
algorithm
aliasing
alpha channel
ambient light
angle of view
angular unit
angular velocity
anim curve
anim file
animation
animation control
animation layer
anti-aliasing
aperture
API
area light
area value
articulation
Artisan tools
ASCII file
ASHLI
aspect ratio
asset
atmosphere
attenuation
attractor
attribute
Attribute Editor
attribute map
Attribute Spread Sheet
automatic mapping
axis
azimuth
Glossary: B
back shadow
backdrop
backface culling (backculling)
background
bake
bake-set
ball joint
barrier constraint
batch bake
batch render
bend deformer
beveling
Bezier curve
Bezier patch
bias
bin
bind
binary file
bind pose
binding skin
birail
blacking
blend
blend shape
blind data
Blinn material
blobby surface
blur
bone
bone lattice flexor
bone sculpt flexor
bookmark
Boolean operation
border edge
border line
BOT
bounciness
bounding box
breakdown
broadcast quality
Brownian texture
brush
brush stamp
B-spline patch
bump map
bumpiness
Glossary: C
cache file
camera
canvas
CgFX Viewer
chamfer
channel
Channel Box
Channel Control
character
character mapper
character partition
character set
character setup
child scene
child object
chroma keying
clip
clipping plane
cloth
cloth solver
cloud
clumping
cluster deformer
CMYK
color bar
color curve
color map
color set
combing
common edge
common end point
component
component mode
Component Editor
component video
composite video
compositing
compound attribute
comprehensive solver
concave polygon
Connection Editor
constrained object
constraint
construction history
construction plane
container
container template
contour rendering
control curve
control point
control vertex (CV)
coordinate system
CPV rendering
crease line
creation expression
culling
current character set
curvature modulation
curve attractor
curve-on-surface
CV
cylindrical projection
Glossary:
D
DAG
DAG object
damping
decoder
deformable
object
deformation
deformation
chain
deformation
order
deformer
deformer set
dependency
graph (DG)
depth channel
depth constraint
depth map
depth of
field
diffuse
digital disk recorder
DirectConnect
directional
light
directional point emitter
displacement
map
displacement
material
displacement to polygons
distance
constraint
dolly
dongle
dope sheet
double transformation effect
dress-up pose
driven key
dropoff
dropouts
DWG
DXF
dynamic
attribute
dynamics
Glossary: E
EBU time code
edge
edge loop
edge ring
edit point
effector
effects
elevation
ELF
emitter
encapsulation
encoder
end effector
end joint
envelope
environment fog
environment map
environment variable
equalizer map
ethernet address
Euler angle
Euler rotation
expression
extrude
Glossary: F
face
falloff
FBIK (full-body IK)
FBIK effector
FBIK solver
FBX
Fcheck
FFD (free-form deformation)
field
field rendering
file referencing
file texture
fillet blend
fill shader
final gather
FK (forward kinematics)
FK posing
flag
flare deformer
flat shading
flexor
floating license
floor contact
fluid effects
focal length
follicle
fractal
frame
framebuffer
frame range
free-form geometry
Fresnel reflection
frustum
fur
fur description
fur feedback
fur file
fur render settings
fur normal
fur shading effects
Glossary: G
gamma
gamma correction
garment
geometry
geometry cache
geometry constraint
ghosting
gimbal lock
global space
glow object
gnomon
goal
Graph Editor
grid
grouping
Glossary: H
hair
hair curve
halo
handle
handle vector
handle wire
hardware ID
hardware render
HDTV
helix
hidden attribute
hidden-line
hierarchy
highlight
high-quality interactive shading
hinge joint
hinge rigid body constraint
hotbox
hotkey
HSL
HSV
hull
HumanIK
Hypergraph
Hypershade
Glossary: I
IFF
IGES
IK (inverse kinematics)
IK chain
IK handle
IK posing
IK solver
IK spline curve
IK system
image-based lighting (IBL)
image plane
image viewer
IMF
impulse
industrial quality
influence object
in-point
input connection
input node
instance
interface
intersection line
invisible node
invisible object
IPR
isoparm
Glossary:
J
jaggies
jiggle deformer
joint
joint chain
joint chain
plane
joint chain plane indicator
joint cluster
flexor
joint lattice
flexor
joint sculpt
flexor
Glossary: K
key
kinematics
Glossary: L
lattice deformer
Layer Editor
layer set
lens flare
license file
light fog (illuminated fog)
light source
linear unit
LMB
local axes
local space
locator
loft
luminance
Glossary: M
.ma file format
macro
manipulator
marking menu
mask channel
match moving
material
matrix
matte
matte channel
Maya
.mb file format
MEL
.mel file format
mental ray
mesh
mesh brush
MMB
model
motion blur
MotionBuilder
motion capture
motion history dependence
motion path
motion warping
MultiPoint
MultiStreak
muting
Glossary: N
nail rigid body constraint
namespace
nCloth
neutral pose
Newton field
nickeling
node
node-locked license
nonlinear deformer
nonmanifold topology
non-planar polygon
normal
normal constraint
normalization
NTSC
Maya Nucleus
numeric render type
NURBS
Glossary:
O
object
object space
occlusion
culling
ocean
offset
offset mesh
Online Product Activation (OPA)
opacity
optical FX node
orient constraint
origin axis
orthographic projection
Outliner
out-point
output connection
output node
outside points transform
oversampling
Glossary: P
Paint Effects
Paint Hair
paint sculpt map
PAL
panel
parameter
parameterization
parametric space
parent constraint
parent object
parent scene
particle
particle object
partition set
patch
path
path curve
Phong material
Phong E material
photon map
pick mask
pin constraint
pivot point
pixel
planar polygon
plane
plane constraint
plateau tangent
Platonic solid
Playblast
plug-in
point
point constraint
point light
point of view
pole vector
pole vector constraint
polygon
polygon count
polygon proxy mode
polygonal shell
polygonal solid
pond
popup help
pose
Preload Reference editor
prelighting
preroll
preset
primitive
procedural texture
profile curve
profile line
projection map
proxy reference
proxy set
proxy tag
PSD
PSD network
Glossary: Q
quantize
quaternion
rotation
Glossary: R
radial field
radial wrinkle deformer
ramp
ray (light ray)
raytracing
real time
redirect control
Reference Editor
reference view set
referenced scene
reflection map
refraction
Relationship Editor
relative mode
render layer
render settings
Render View
rendering
reserved word
resolution
rest pose
retargeting
revolve surface
RGB
RGBA
rigging
rigid body
rigid body constraint
rigid skin
rigid skin object
rigid skin point
RLE
RMB
rolling camera
rolling effect
root frame solver
root joint
rotate order
rotation
rotoscoping
roughness
runtime expression
Glossary: S
scale constraint
scanline
scene hierarchy
scene view
screen projection
screenspace
Script Editor
scrubbing
sculpt deformer
sculpt geometry tool
sculpt map
search envelope
SECAM
selection mask
selective file loading
self-illumination
self-shading
serial number
set
set driven key
shaded surface
shader
shader manager
shading
shading map
shading network
shadow
shape node
shared display layers
shared polygons
shelf
shell
shininess
sine deformer
skeleton
skin object
skin point
skinning
smear
smooth proxy
smooth shading
smooth skin
smooth skin influence object
smooth skin object
smooth skin point
smoothing
SMPTE time code
soft body
soft modification
software render
solver
sorting bin
soundtrack
source
SPAR
specular reflection
sphere render type
spherical projection
spin impulse
spline
spot light
spring constraint
spring IK solver
sprite
squash deformer
start pose
stitching
storyboard
streak
stroke
STU space
subcarrier
subdivision surface
substitute geometry
summary
surface
surface sampler
surface highlights
surface material
swatch rendering
sync
sync generator
Glossary: T
tangent
tangent constraint
target
template
tessellation
text filter field
texture
texture map
thorn
time
time warp
time working units
toon shading
topology
track
Transfer Maps
transform (xform)
transform node
transformation
translate
transparency
transplant
Trax Editor
trim
tube
tumble
turbulence field
tweaking
twist deformer
Glossary:
U
underworld
nodes
Unfold UVs
uniform field
universal
joint
universal
manipulator
up axis
up vector
utility node
UV coordinate
system
UV Lattice
UV set
UV Smudge
UV
Snapshot
Glossary: V
valency
vector
vector render
vertex
vertex normal
video field
videotape controller
view
view axis
ViewCube
Visor
visualization map
volume axis field
volumetric material
vortex field
voxel
VTR
Glossary:
W
wake
warp image
wave deformer
weight
wheelmouse
wire deformer
wire
dropoff locator
wireframe
working units
workspace
world space
world up vector
wrap deformer
wrinkle
deformer
Glossary:
X
xform
x-ray shading
XYZ coordinate
system
Glossary:
Y
Y-up world
Glossary:
Z
zoom
Z-up world
Glossary: Numerics
2D motion blur
3D motion blur
3D paint tool
Modeling
Polygonal Modeling
Polygons overview
Introduction to polygons
Polygon modeling overview
Polygon normals
Two-manifold vs. non-manifold polygonal geometry
Planar and non-planar polygons
Polygon component display
Polygon modeling features on marking menus
Polygon selection and creation
Polygon selection
Select polygon components
Select a face loop
Select a vertex loop
Select an edge ring
Select an edge loop
Edge ring and edge loop selection tips
Select border edges
Select a path of edges between two vertices
Select components based on criteria
Change vertex selection using pick walk
Change edge loop selection using pick walk
Polygon creation
Create polygon primitives
Create polygon primitives interactively
Create polygon primitives using the Create menu
Create polygon primitives using the Shelf
Create a polygon mesh
Add polygons to an existing mesh
Create a polygon face with a hole
Extrude a polygon face, edge, or vertex
Extrude polygons in an arc or wedge shape
Create symmetrical polygon meshes
Duplicate polygon faces
Polygon conversion
Convert NURBS surfaces to a polygon mesh
Convert polygon faces to triangles or quadrangles
Convert polygonal surfaces to subdivision surfaces
Convert textures to a polygon mesh
Polygon modeling preferences and tips
Polygon modeling preferences
Display the polygon count in the scene view
Combining, separating, and splitting
Merge polygons
Merge boundary edges
Merge vertices, edges, or faces into one vertex
Bridge between border edges
Combine and separate polygon meshes
Combine polygon meshes
Combine polygon meshes using booleans
Edit the original objects after a boolean operation
Separate polygon shells into separate meshes
Extract faces from a mesh
Split polygon components
Split shared vertices
Split polygon faces
Split multiple polygon faces
Split a face so that a vertex is added at its
center
Insert an edge loop
Create edge loops that are offset from an edge
Divide polygon components
Divide faces into triangles or quadrangles
Subdivide faces by painting
Divide polygon edges
Editing polygons
Modifying polygon meshes
Bevel polygon edges
Crease polygonal edges and vertices
Chamfer a vertex
Deform a polygonal mesh
Make a hole in a polygon face
Fill holes in a polygon mesh
Flip triangle edges
Transfer vertex attributes
Moving polygon components
Move, rotate, or scale polygon components
Move polygon vertices along their normals
Slide polygon edges
Smoothing polygon meshes
Preview a smoothed polygonal mesh
Work with polygon meshes using Subdiv
Proxy
Smooth polygon meshes
Editing polygon normals
Edit the vertex normals to affect polygon shading
Reverse polygon normals
Deleting and simplifying polygons
Delete polygon vertices and edges
Clean up, simplify, or validate meshes
Reduce the number of faces in a mesh
Sculpting surface meshes
Soft Selection
Soft Selection overview
Soft Select a NURBS or polygon surface mesh
Modify Soft Selection Falloff
Change the size of the falloff area
Change the shape of the falloff area
Change the color of the falloff area
Influence multiple meshes
Reflect Soft Select transformations
Soft Select UVs
Example: Expanding cheeks with Soft Selection
Sculpt Geometry Tool
Sculpt Geometry Tool overview
Sculpt a NURBS or polygon surface mesh
Sculpt a subdivision surface mesh
Smooth a surface mesh
Relax a surface mesh
Erase surface sculpting to an earlier state
Sculpt according to an attribute map on NURBS
Sculpt across seams and surface edges on NURBS
Keyframe sculpting changes
Coloring polygons
Color per vertex overview
Coloring polygons using color per vertex data
Prelighting polygons
Polygon color sets
Working with color per vertex data
Make vertex colors visible
Assign colors to polygon vertices
Assign colors to polygon vertices by painting
Assign colors to polygon vertices using Prelight
Animate polygon vertex colors
Remove colors or prelighting from polygon vertices
Create and edit color sets
Transfer color data between meshes
Blind data
Blind data overview
What is blind data?
Working with blind data
Set up the structure of blind data
Apply blind data to components
Make blind data visible
Appendices
Appendix A: Tangent and binormal vectors
Polygons menus
Select
Select > Object/Component
Select > Vertex
Select > Edge
Select > Face
Select > UV
Select > Vertex Face
Select > Select Edge Loop Tool
Select > Select Edge Ring Tool
Select > Select Border Edge Tool
Select > Select Shortest Edge Path
Tool
Select > Convert Selection > To
Vertices
Select > Convert Selection > To
Vertex Faces
Select > Convert Selection > To
UVs
Select > Convert Selection > To
UV Shell
Select > Convert Selection > To
UV Border
Select > Convert Selection > To
Edges
Select > Convert Selection > To
Edge Loop
Select > Convert Selection > To
Edge Ring
Select > Convert Selection > To
Contained Edges
Select > Convert Selection > To
Faces
Select > Convert Selection > To
Face Path
Select > Convert Selection > To
Contained Faces
Select > Grow Selection Region
Select > Shrink Selection Region
Select > Select Selection Boundary
Select > Select Contiguous Edges
Select > Select Using Constraints
Mesh
Mesh > Combine
Mesh > Separate
Mesh > Extract
Mesh > Booleans
Mesh > Smooth
Mesh > Average Vertices
Mesh > Transfer Attributes
Mesh > Paint Transfer Attributes Weight
Tool
Mesh > Clipboard Actions > Copy
Attributes
Mesh > Clipboard Actions > Paste
Attributes
Mesh > Clipboard Actions > Clear
Clipboard
Mesh > Reduce
Mesh > Paint Reduce Weights Tool
Mesh > Cleanup
Mesh > Triangulate
Mesh > Quadrangulate
Mesh > Fill Hole
Mesh > Make Hole Tool
Mesh > Create Polygon Tool
Mesh > Sculpt Geometry Tool
Mesh > Mirror Cut
Mesh > Mirror Geometry
Edit Mesh
Edit Mesh > Keep Faces Together
Edit Mesh > Extrude
Edit Mesh > Bridge
Edit Mesh > Append to Polygon Tool
Edit Mesh > Cut Faces Tool
Edit Mesh > Split Polygon Tool
Edit Mesh > Insert Edge Loop Tool
Edit Mesh > Offset Edge Loop Tool
Edit Mesh > Add Divisions
Edit Mesh > Slide Edge Tool
Edit Mesh > Transform Component
Edit Mesh > Flip Triangle Edge
Edit Mesh > Poke Face
Edit Mesh > Wedge Face
Edit Mesh > Duplicate Face
Edit Mesh > Detach Component
Edit Mesh > Merge
Edit Mesh > Merge To Center
Edit Mesh > Collapse
Edit Mesh > Merge Vertex Tool
Edit Mesh > Merge Edge Tool
Edit Mesh > Delete Edge/Vertex
Edit Mesh > Chamfer Vertex
Edit Mesh > Bevel
Edit Mesh > Crease Tool
Edit Mesh > Crease Sets > Create
Crease Set
Proxy
Proxy > Subdiv Proxy
Proxy > Remove Subdiv Proxy Mirror
Proxy > Crease Tool
Proxy > Toggle Proxy Display
Proxy > Both Proxy and Subdiv Display
Normals
Normals > Vertex Normal Edit Tool
Normals > Set Vertex Normal
Normals > Lock Normals
Normals > Unlock Normals
Normals > Average Normals
Normals > Set to Face
Normals > Reverse
Normals > Conform
Normals > Soften Edge
Normals > Harden Edge
Normals > Set Normal Angle
Color
Color > Prelight (Maya)
Color > Batch Bake (mental ray)
Color > Assign New Vertex Bake Set
Color > Assign Existing Bake Set
Color > Edit Assigned Bake Set
Color > Create Empty Color Set
Color > Delete Current Color Set
Color > Rename Current Color Set
Color > Modify Current Color Set
Color > Color Set Editor
Color > Set Keyframe for Vertex Color
Color > Apply Color
Color > Paint Vertex Color Tool
Color > Toggle Display Colors Attribute
Color > Color Material Channel
Color > Material Blend Setting
Polygons windows and editors
Blind Data Editor
Color Set Editor
Polygons nodes
blendColorSets
Tangent Space
Smooth Mesh
NURBS Modeling
NURBS overview
What are NURBS?
NURBS modeling overview
The mathematics behind NURBS
Degree of NURBS curves and surfaces
Parameterization of NURBS curves and surfaces
Normals
Periodic, closed, and open geometry
Curvature and Continuity
Components of NURBS curves
Moving edit points vs. moving CVs
Multi-knots and CV multiplicity
Tips for constructing NURBS curves
Displaying and selecting NURBS components
Creating NURBS curves
Draw curves
Create a curve from a surface edge, isoparm, or
curve-on-surface
Create arcs
Create a fillet curve between two existing curves
Create a degree 3 curve to match degree 1 (scan)
data
Creating NURBS surfaces
Create NURBS primitives
Create a flat surface inside a curve
Skin a surface across profile curves
Sweep a profile curve along a path curve
Sweep one or more profile curves along two path
curves (birail)
Create a surface within bounding curves
Create a four-sided surface with continuity (Square)
Create a surface using Revolve
Extrude and bevel a surface from a curve
Duplicate NURBS surface patches
Create NURBS transition surfaces
Round off the meeting point between two edges
Create a fillet between two surfaces
Create a surface between two sets of boundary curves
Editing NURBS
Reshape a curve or surface manually
Align a curve with a curve or surface
Align surface edges
Smooth a curve
Lock or unlock the length of a curve
Straighten, smooth, curl or bend a curve
Extend a curve
Extend a surface
Select curve CVs: first, last or all
Edit NURBS curves and surfaces
Join curves or surfaces together
Split a curve or surface (detach)
Insert additional edit points/isoparms in a curve or
surface to add more CVs
Create an offset copy of a curve or surface
Reverse the direction of a curve or surface normals
Reduce the complexity of a curve or surface
Control multi-knots and CV hardness
Automatically add spans to areas of a curve with high
curvature
Convert a curve or surface to uniform parameterization
Convert a surface to non-rational geometry
Change a curve or surface’s degree or number of
spans/patches
Make a curve or surface open or closed
Match the topology of one curve to another
Trimming
Trimming NURBS surfaces
NURBS Booleans
Curves-on-surface
Create a curve-on-surface
Trim or untrim a NURBS surface
Perform boolean operations on surfaces
Stitching
Stitch multiple surfaces together
Manually stitch surface edges together
Manually stitch surface points together
Sculpting surface meshes
Soft Selection
Using Soft Selection for
NURBS
Sculpt Geometry Tool
Using the Sculpt Geometry Tool for
NURBS
NURBS menus
Edit Curves
Edit Curves > Duplicate Surface Curves
Edit Curves > Attach Curves
Edit Curves > Detach Curves
Edit Curves > Align Curves
Edit Curves > Open/Close Curves
Edit Curves > Move Seam
Edit Curves > Cut Curve
Edit Curves > Intersect Curves
Edit Curves > Curve Fillet
Edit Curves > Insert Knot
Edit Curves > Extend > Extend Curve
Edit Curves > Extend > Extend Curve
on Surface
Edit Curves > Offset > Offset Curve, Offset
Curve on Surface
Edit Curves > Reverse Curve Direction
Edit Curves > Rebuild Curve
Edit Curves > Fit B-spline
Edit Curves > Smooth Curve
Edit Curves > CV Hardness
Edit Curves > Add Points Tool
Edit Curves > Curve Editing Tool
Edit Curves > Project Tangent
Edit Curves > Modify Curves
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Lock
Length
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Unlock
Length
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Straighten
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Smooth
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Curl
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Bend
Edit Curves > Modify Curves > Scale
Curvature
Edit Curves > Selection
Edit Curves > Selection > Select
Curve CVs
Edit Curves > Selection > Select
First CV on Curve
Edit Curves > Selection > Select
Last CV on Curve
Edit Curves > Selection > Cluster
Curve
Surfaces
Surfaces > Revolve
Surfaces > Loft
Surfaces > Planar
Surfaces > Extrude
Surfaces > Birail
Surfaces > Boundary
Surfaces > Square
Surfaces > Bevel
Surfaces > Bevel Plus
Edit NURBS
Edit NURBS > Duplicate NURBS Patches
Edit NURBS > Project Curve on Surface
Edit NURBS > Intersect Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Trim Tool
Edit NURBS > Untrim Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Booleans > Union Tool, Difference Tool, Intersection
Tool
Edit NURBS > Attach Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Attach Without Moving
Edit NURBS > Detach Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Align Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Open/Close Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Move Seam
Edit NURBS > Insert Isoparms
Edit NURBS > Extend Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Offset Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Reverse Surface Direction
Edit NURBS > Rebuild Surfaces
Edit NURBS > Round Tool
Edit NURBS > Surface Fillet > Circular
Fillet
Edit NURBS > Surface Fillet > Freeform
Fillet
Edit NURBS > Surface Fillet > Fillet
Blend Tool
Edit NURBS > Stitch > Stitch Surface
Points
Edit NURBS > Stitch > Stitch Edges
Tool
Edit NURBS > Stitch > Global Stitch
Edit NURBS > Sculpt Geometry Tool
Edit NURBS > Surface Editing > Surface
Editing Tool, Break Tangent, Smooth
Tangent
Edit NURBS > Selection
NURBS nodes
StitchSrf node
Subdivision Surfaces
Subdivision surfaces overview
What are subdivision surfaces?
Subdivision surface modeling overview
Standard mode and polygon
proxy mode
Subdivision surface conversion
Prepare a polygonal surface for conversion to
a subdivision surface
Prepare a NURBS surface for conversion to a subdivision
surface
Convert a NURBS or polygonal surface to a subdivision
surface
Convert a subdivision surface to polygons
Convert a subdivision surface to a NURBS surface
Editing subdivision surfaces
Create a new subdivision level
Switch between subdivision levels
Apply or remove a crease in a subdivision surface
Use polygon tools to modify a subdivision surface
Modify a subdivision surface using Soft Modification
Display the edited vertices on a subdivision surface
Convert a subdivision component selection
Attach subdivision surfaces
Use transformation tools with subdivision surface
components
Improve interactive performance when editing subdivision
surfaces
Cleaning up subdivision surfaces
Reduce the number of levels in a subdivision surface
Remove unused vertices from a subdivision surface
Mapping and editing UVs
UV mapping for subdivision surfaces
Edit UVs in Polygon Proxy Mode
Map UVs onto a subdivision surface
Edit subdivision surface UVs
Sculpting surface meshes
Using the Sculpt Geometry Tool for subdivision
surfaces
Subdivision
surfaces tips
Bind subdivision surfaces to skeletons
Apply a deformer to a subdivision surface
Render subdivision surfaces
Subdivision surfaces menus
Subdiv Surfaces
Subdiv Surfaces > Texture > Planar
Mapping
Subdiv Surfaces > Texture > Automatic
Mapping
Subdiv Surfaces > Texture > Layout
UVs
Subdiv Surfaces > Full Crease Edge/Vertex
Subdiv Surfaces > Partial Crease Edge/Vertex
Subdiv Surfaces > Uncrease Edge/Vertex
Subdiv Surfaces > Mirror
Subdiv Surfaces > Attach
Subdiv Surfaces > Match Topology
Subdiv Surfaces > Clean Topology
Subdiv Surfaces > Collapse Hierarchy
Subdiv Surfaces > Standard Mode
Subdiv Surfaces > Polygon Proxy Mode
Subdiv Surfaces > Sculpt Geometry Tool
Subdiv Surfaces > Convert Selection
to Faces
Subdiv Surfaces > Convert Selection
to Edges
Subdiv Surfaces > Convert Selection
to Vertices
Subdiv Surfaces > Convert Selection
to UVs
Subdiv Surfaces > Refine Selected Components
Subdiv Surfaces > Select Coarser Components
Subdiv Surfaces > Expand Selected Components
Subdiv Surfaces > Component Display
Level > Finer
Subdiv Surfaces > Component Display
Level > Coarser
Subdiv Surfaces > Component Display
Level > Base
Subdiv Surfaces > Component Display
Filter > All
Subdiv Surfaces > Component Display
Filter > Edits
Mapping UVs
UV mapping overview
Introduction to UV mapping
Creating UVs
Viewing and evaluating UVs
UV mapping tips
UV Texture Editor overview
UV sets
Mapping UVs
Planar UV mapping
Cylindrical UV mapping
Spherical UV mapping
Automatic UV mapping
User-defined UV mapping
Confirm UV placement
Transfer UVs between meshes
Editing UVs
Display UVs
Select UVs
Display a subset of UVs
Move, rotate, and scale UVs
Dolly or track within the UV
Texture Editor
Display a texture behind the UVs
Delete UVs
Update a texture image after UV modification
Use the UV Texture Editor grid
Save an image of the UV layout
Modify UVs using the UV Lattice Tool
Modify UVs using the UV Smudge Tool
Separate and attach UV shells
Display overlapping UVs
Display UV winding order
Layout UV shells
Map border UVs to a square or circle
Straighten border UVs
Relax and untangle UVs
Unfold a UV mesh
Example: Lay out a UV shell using unfold and relax
Flip or rotate UV shells
Copy UVs and color attributes between polygons
UV sets
Create UV sets
Switch between UV sets
Duplicate, rename, or delete a UV set
Assign a texture to a UV set
Copy UVs from one UV set to another
Working with per-instance UV sets
Edit NURBS UVs
UVs menu reference
Create UVs
Create UVs > Planar Mapping
Create UVs > Cylindrical Mapping
Create UVs > Spherical Mapping
Create UVs > Automatic Mapping
Create UVs > Create UVs Based On Camera
Create UVs > Best Plane Texturing Tool
Create UVs > Assign Shader to Each
Projection
Create UVs > Create Empty UV Set
Create UVs > Copy UVs to UV Set
Create UVs > Set Current UV Set
Create UVs > Rename Current UV Set
Create UVs > Delete Current UV Set
Create UVs > UV Set Editor
Create UVs > Per Instance Sharing
Edit UVs
Edit UVs > Normalize
Edit UVs > Unitize
Edit UVs > Flip
Edit UVs > Rotate
Edit UVs > Grid
Edit UVs > Align
Edit UVs > Warp Image
Edit UVs > Map UV Border
Edit UVs > Straighten UV Border
Edit UVs > Relax
Edit UVs > Unfold
Edit UVs > Layout
Edit UVs > Cut UV Edges
Edit UVs > Split UVs
Edit UVs > Sew UV Edges
Edit UVs > Move and Sew UV Edges
Edit UVs > Merge UVs
Edit UVs > Delete UVs
Edit UVs > UV Texture Editor
UVs windows and editors reference
UV Texture Editor
UV Texture Editor reference
UV Texture Editor menu bar
UV Texture Editor toolbar
UV Set Editor
UVs tool reference
Move tool (in UV
texture editor)
Animation
Animation
Animation Basics
Animation in Maya
Controlling animation
Previewing animation
Muting animation
Adding sound to your animation
Baking simulations
Animation Snapshot and Animated Sweep
Turntable animation
Animated rotation in Maya
Edit animation preferences
Use the animation controls
Set the appearance of key ticks in the Time Slider
Create a turntable animation
Preview your animation
Ghost an object
Change the status of a mute node from the Channel
Box
Apply Motion Trails to an object
Playback animation
Display the frame rate of an animation
View object manipulators during playback
Optimize your scene for playback
Playblast animation
Add sound to your animation
Add sound to your animation
Import an audio file
Play an audio file
Set the audio playback settings
Delete audio from your scene
Set Animation Snapshot and Animated Sweep
Set Animation Snapshot and Animated Sweep
Apply animation snapshot
Apply animated sweep
Turn Animation Snapshot and Animated Sweep on
or off
Delete Animation Snapshot or Animated Sweep construction
history
Keyframe Animation
Keys
Auto Key
Keys in the Attribute Editor
Keys in the Channel Box, Graph
Editor, and Dope Sheet
Cutting, copying, and pasting keys between scenes
Keys clipboard
Driven keys
Breakdowns
Inbetweens
Graph Editor overview
Dope Sheet overview
Set keys
Set key preferences
Add keys
Set key options
Modify key attributes
Edit the keyability of an object
Disable the editability of attributes without deleting
them
Edit keys
Cut keys
Copy keys
Paste keys
Copy and paste keys in the Graph
Editor
Delete keys
Scale keys
Snap keys
Bake keys
Mute keys in the Dope Sheet or Graph
Editor
Create Dope Sheet custom
key colors
Use Auto Key
Use Auto Key
Set Breakdowns
Set Breakdowns
Convert keys to Breakdowns
Convert Breakdowns to keys
Set Inbetweens
Set Inbetweens
Set Driven Keys
Set Driven Keys overview
Set a driven key relationship
Use the Graph Editor and Dope
Sheet
Display the Graph Editor and Dope
Sheet
Navigate the Graph Editor graph
view or Dope Sheet view area
Edit curves
View curves while editing
Set curve behavior
Set rotation interpolation for curves
Smooth curves
Simplify curves
Resample curves
Scale curves
Mute or unmute a channel in the Dope
Sheet or Graph Editor
Template or untemplate an animation channel and
its curve in the Graph Editor
Fix my curves when they have been corrupted
Manipulate curves with the lattice manipulator
Change animation curve colors
Normalize curves
Edit keys from curves
Add keys to a curve
Move keys on a curve
Copy and paste keys on a curve
Delete keys from a curve
Edit tangents
Use the Dope Sheet Manipulator
Copy, cut, paste, scale, move, or mute a range
of time and keys with the Dope Sheet Manipulator
Nonlinear Animation
What is nonlinear animation?
Nonlinear animation tools in Maya
Nonlinear animation components in Trax
Open and view the Trax Editor
Open the Trax Editor
Set the Trax Editor view
Set the Time Slider’s playback range to reflect the
range of clips in Trax
Use the Outliner and Visor with
Trax
Use the Outliner with
Trax
Use the Visor with
Trax
Create, load, and highlight character sets
Create character sets
Load character sets
Rename character sets in the Trax
Editor
Highlight characters, groups, or subcharacters
in Trax
Collapse, expand, and edit summaries
Expand and collapse a summary track
Edit the summary clip
Create clips and poses
Create clips
Create expression or constraint clips
Create poses
Cut, copy, and paste clips
Duplicate clips
Manipulate clips
Edit a clip’s weighting
Move clips
Trim clips
Scale clips
Cycle clips
Hold clips
Split clips
Merge clips
Enable or disable clips
Activate or deactivate clips
Offset clip channels
Create and edit blends
Create and edit time warps
Key on top of clips
Key into a clip
Edit clip attributes
Edit a clip’s animation curves
Select and edit source clips
Select source clips
Copy source clips to a character
Edit source clips
Select, create, and remove tracks
Select tracks
Add tracks
Remove tracks
Group and ungroup clips
Create groups
Rename groups
Ungroup clips
Work with subcharacter sets in Trax
Create a source clip for subcharacter set curves
Rename subcharacter sets in the Trax
Editor
Import/export animation data
Import or export animation data
Work with audio
Work with audio
Path Animation
What is path animation?
Positioning your object on a path curve
Orienting your object on a path curve
Manipulating your object on the motion path
Motion path markers
Marker timing
Create a motion path animation
Create a motion path using a curve
Create a motion path using keys
Edit motion paths
Detach an object from a motion path
Delete motion paths
Animate along a motion path
Create a path animation
Create a path animation using the Motion Path Manipulator
tool
Animate an object along a surface
Orient an object on a path
Deform an object along a motion path curve
Set motion path markers
Set motion path markers
Motion Capture Animation
Motion capture devices
Motion capture devices
Server
Axis
Button
Attachments
Virtual devices
Multiple devices
Motion capture systems
Optical capture system
Magnetic capture system
Motion capture process
Motion capture process
Rehearsing the motion
Recording the motion
Reviewing the motion
Filters and Resamplers
Saving files to disk
Motion capture tips
Tips for full-body motion capture
Tips for working with the data
Create motion capture animation
Create full body motion capture
Create simple motion capture
Set devices
Use the Device Editor
Create attachments
Edit attachments
Prepare motion capture data
Prepare motion capture data
Rehearse motion
Create attachments script
Create a filter or resampler
Set virtual devices
Number takes
View takes
Save preview data
Create motion capture data
Record motion data
Save takes
Edit motion capture data
Edit motion capture data
Geometry Caching
Geometry caching overview
What is geometry caching?
Geometry cache creation
Geometry cache XML description file
Geometry cache threading
Create and edit geometry caches
Cache geometry
Work with geometry cache clips
Animation Layers
What are animation layers?
Understanding layered animation
BaseAnimation
Create animation layers
Open the Animation Layer Editor
Create an animation layer
Set the animation layer modes
Add and remove attributes from animation layers
Animate on layers
Load existing animation to work with layers
Keyframe objects on animation layers
Mute, Lock, and Solo animation layers
Keyframe the weight of animation layers
Display ghosts for layered animation
Select objects with attributes on an animation layer
Select an animation layer node
Organize animation layers
Re-order animation layers
Parent and unparent animation layers
Package animation layers into containers
View layered animation
Change the animation layer stack display
Filter the display of animation layers
View layer weight animation
Template the curves of locked animation layers
Manipulate animation layers
Import and export animation layers
Copy an animation layer
Extract animation to or from an animation layer
Merge animation layers
Bake animation layers
Delete or empty animation layers
Example workflows with animation layers
Use animation layers to modify existing animation
Use animation layers like takes
Use animation layers to enhance motion capture data
Keyframe two characters on separate animation layers
Advanced workflow: Use constraints and expressions
with animation layers
Animation Menus
Edit
Edit > Keys > Copy Keys
Edit > Keys > Cut Keys
Edit > Keys > Paste Keys
Edit > Keys > Delete Keys
Edit > Keys > Delete FBIK Keys
Edit > Keys > Scale Keys
Edit > Keys > Snap Keys
Edit > Keys > Bake Simulation
Window
Window > Playblast
Animate
Animate > Set Key
Animate > Set Breakdown
Animate > Hold Current Keys
Animate > Set Driven Key > Set
Animate > Set Driven Key > Go to
Previous and Go to Next
Animate > Set Transform Keys menu
Animate > Create Clip
Animate > Create Pose
Animate > Ghost Selected
Animate > Unghost Selected
Animate > Unghost All
Animate > Create Motion Trail
Animate > Create Animation Snapshot
Animate > Update Motion Trail/Snapshot
Animate > Create Animated Sweep
Animate > Motion Paths > Set Motion
Path Key
Animate > Motion Paths > Attach
to Motion Path
Animate > Motion Paths > Flow Path
Object
Animate > Turntable
Geometry Cache
Geometry Caching menus
Geometry Cache > Create New Cache
Geometry Cache > Import Cache
Geometry Cache > Disable All Caches
On Selected
Geometry Cache > Enable All Caches
On Selected
Geometry Cache > Replace Cache
Geometry Cache > Merge Caches
Geometry Cache > Delete Cache
Geometry Cache > Append to Cache
Geometry Cache > Replace Cache Frame
Geometry Cache > Delete Cache Frame
Geometry Cache > Delete History Ahead
Of Cache
Geometry Cache > Paint Cache Weights
Tool
Animation Tools
Animation controls
Animation controls menu
Animation Windows and Editors
Animation Layer Editor
Animation Layer Editor overview
Animation Layer Editor menu bar
Animation Layer toolbar
Animation Layer pane
Channel Control Editor
Device Editor
Device Editor overview
Device outliner
Tab sections
Dope Sheet overview
Dope Sheet editor
Dope Sheet menu bar
Dope Sheet toolbar
Dope Sheet outliner
Dope Sheet view area
Graph Editor
Graph Editor overview
Graph Editor menu bar
Graph Editor toolbar
The Graph Editor outliner
Graph Editor graph view
Set Driven Key window
Trax Editor
Trax Editor overview
Trax menu bar
Trax toolbar
Track control area
Track view area
Context-sensitive menu
Animation Nodes
mute
animClip
clipLibrary
clipScheduler
motionPath
cacheFile
cacheBlend
Rigging
Character Setup
Character Setup overview
Setting up the components of your scene for animation
Using skeletons
Skinning your character
Creating deformation effects
Constraining objects
Character sets
Skeletons
What are skeletons?
Skeleton components
Skeleton components
Joints and bones
Joint chains
Skeleton hierarchy
Building skeletons
Building skeletons
Setting up joints for posing and animation
Skeletons and skinning
Posing skeletons
Posing skeletons
IK handles
IK solvers
IK/FK blending
Full body IK
Retargeting animation
Animation retargeting
Set-up joint chains
Create a joint or joint chain
Create a joint chain with an IK handle
Insert joints
Connect joints
Move joints
Move joints while using the Joint
Tool
Mirror joint chains
Orient a joint’s local axes manually
Orient a joint’s local axes automatically
Reroot skeletons
Set preferred angles
Disconnect joints
Remove joints
Pose with Forward or Inverse Kinematics
Pose joints with FK
Set-up an IK handle
Specify the IK Handle Tool’s settings
Create IK handles
View all IK handle components
Pose joints with IK handles
Disable or enable IK handles
Delete IK handles
Set IK solver attributes
Turn all IK solver nodes on or off
Use single chain IK
Create a single chain IK handle
Pose joints with single chain IK handles
Create an ikSCsolver node in addition to the default
Use rotate plane IK
Create a rotate plane IK handle
Pose joints with rotate plane IK handles
Create an ikRPsolver node in addition to the default
Use multi-chain IK
Create the multi-chain solver
Create a multi-chain IK handle
Pose joints with multi-chain IK handles
Use spline IK
Tips for working with spline IK handles
Specify the IK Spline Handle Tool’s
settings
Create spline IK handles
Pose joints with spline IK curves
Use the advanced Spline IK twist controls
Prevent flipping in the spline IK chain
Use 2 bone IK
Create a 2 bone solver
Create a 2 bone IK handle
Pose joints with 2 bone IK handles
Use spring IK
Create spring IK solver
Create and edit a spring IK handles
Blend FK and IK
Blend IK and FK animation
Adjust the skeleton display
Display a joint’s local axis
Display all the local axes in a skeleton
Set display size of all joints
Display bones as boxes
Set the display of IK/FK animated joint chains
Retarget animation
Retargeting workflow
Set a skeleton’s neutral pose
Label a skeleton’s joints
Toggle the visibility of joint labels
Remove the labels from my joints
Retarget animation from one skeleton to another
Troubleshoot animation retargeting
Troubleshoot retargeting error messages
Use full body IK
Full body IK workflow
Setup character for full body IK
Prepare your character for full body IK
Label or rename your character’s joints
Create and use full body IK
Create the full body IK system for your character
Pin and unpin your character’s effectors
Pose and animate your character with full body
IK
Examples: Working with full body IK
Troubleshoot full body IK
Create auxiliary pivots
Create floor contacts for your character’s hands
and feet
Create auxiliary effectors
Skinning
What is skinning?
Deformable objects and skin objects
Direct skinning methods
Indirect skinning methods
Bind pose
Double transformation effects
Editing skin point set memberships
Point tweaking skinned objects
Editing node behavior to improve performance
Workflow summary
Smooth skinning
Smooth skinning
Understanding smooth skinning
Understanding smooth skinning
Smooth skin objects and points
Smooth skin point weights
Smooth skin point sets
Smooth skin influence objects
Checking the binding
Editing smooth skin
Editing smooth skin
Editing maximum influences
Editing skin point weights
Painting smooth skin point weights
Holding smooth skin weights
Controlling smooth skin weight normalization
Batch export and import of smooth skin weight
maps
Using smooth skin influence objects
Swapping bound geometry with unbound geometry
Rigid Skinning
Rigid Skinning
Understanding rigid skinning
Understanding rigid skinning
Rigid skin objects and points
Rigid skin point weights
Rigid skin point sets
Flexors
Binding rigid skin
Checking the binding
Adjusting rigid skin behavior
Editing rigid skin
Editing rigid skin
Editing rigid skin point set membership
Painting rigid skin point set membership
Set smooth skinning
Bind smooth skin
Set point tweaking
Set bind pose
Reset bind pose from Command Line
Set maximum influences
Query skin weights
Hold weights
Paint skin weights
Paint skin weights for creases
Mirror smooth skin weights
Smooth skin weights
Add an influence object
Examples
Add multiple influences at the same time
Edit smooth skinning
Change a skinned object’s deformation order
Bind smooth skin
Edit joint smooth skin attributes
Edit skin cluster channels
Edit skin cluster attributes
Modify skin weights
Rotate joints while painting skin weights
Copy smooth skin weights
Replace bound geometry with a piece of unbound geometry
Reset skin point weights to default weights
Normalize weights
Prune insignificant smooth skin weights
Remove unused influences from a smooth skinned
surface
Export weights
Import weights
Detach smooth skin
Set rigid skinning
Set rigid bind options
Bind skin
Reset bind pose from Command Line
Paint rigid skin weights
Paint rigid skin membership
Create all types of flexors
Edit rigid skinning
Edit joint cluster attributes
Edit rigid skin point weights
Edit rigid skin membership
Detach rigid skin
Detach and reattach to skeletons
Detach and reattach to selected joints
Copy joint lattice flexors
Edit joint lattice flexor channels
Copy bone lattice flexors
Edit bone lattice flexor channels
Reassign bone lattice flexor joints
Edit sculpt flexor channels
Edit with joint cluster flexor manipulators
Constraints
What are constraints?
Types of constraints
Point constraints
Aim constraints
Orient constraints
Scale constraints
Parent constraints
Geometry constraints
Normal constraints
Tangent constraints
Pole Vector constraints
Animation-Constraint blending
Set Driven Key-Constraint blending
Set constraints
Edit least squares modifier attributes
Set point constraints
Set point constraint options
Create point constraints
Add target objects for point constraints
Animate target object weights
Offset constrained object’s position
Set aim constraints
Set aim constraint options
Create aim constraints
Set orient constraint
Set orient constraint options
Create orient constraints
Add orient constraint target objects
Set scale constraints
Set scale constraint options
Create scale constraints
Set parent constraints
Create a parent constraint
Parent constraint workflow
Set geometry constraints
Set geometry constraints workflow
Set geometry constraint options
Create a geometry constraint
Animate target object weights for geometry constraints
Animate the constrained object for geometry constraints
Set normal constraints
Set normal constraint options
Create normal constraints
Set tangent constraints
Set tangent constraint options
Create tangent constraints
Set pole vector constraints
Set pole vector constraint options
Create a pole vector constraint
Set the rest position
Set the rest position
Apply animation and constraints to the same object
Animate and constrain an object
Animation-Constraint blending
workflow
Edit constraints
Turn all constraint nodes on or off
Edit point constraints
Edit point constraint node behavior
Edit point constraint attributes
Edit point constraint channels
Remove target objects for point constraints
Change target object weights for point constraints
Delete point constraints
Edit aim constraints
Edit aim constraint channels
Edit aim constraint attributes
Add target objects for aim constraints
Remove target objects for aim constraints
Change target object weights for aim constraints
Prevent rolling effects for aim constraints
Control motion history dependence effects for
aim constraints
Delete aim constraints
Examples
Edit orient constraints
Edit orient constraint channels
Edit orient constraint attributes
Remove orient constraint target objects
Change orient constraint target object weights
Animate target object weights for orient constraints
Delete orient constraints
Troubleshoot orient constraint error messages
Edit scale constraints
Edit scale constraint channels
Edit scale constraint attributes
Add target objects for scale constraints
Remove target objects for scale constraints
Change target object weights for scale constraints
Animate target object weights for scale constraints
Delete scale constraints
Edit parent constraints
Edit a parent constraint
Offset parent constraints
Edit geometry constraints
Editing geometry constraints workflow
Edit geometry constraint channels
Edit geometry constraint attributes
Add target objects for geometry constraints
Remove target objects for geometry constraints
Change target object weights for geometry constraints
Delete geometry constraints
Edit normal constraints
Edit normal constraint channels
Edit normal constraint attributes
Add target objects for normal constraints
Remove normal constraint target objects
Change normal constraint target object weights
Prevent rolling effects for normal constraints
Control motion history dependence effects for
normal constraints
Delete normal constraints
Edit tangent constraints
Edit tangent constraint channels
Edit tangent constraint attributes
Delete tangent constraints
Edit pole vector constraints
Edit pole vector constraints workflow
Edit pole vector constraint attributes
Add target objects to a pole vector constraint
Remove target objects from pole vector constraints
Change target object weights for pole vector constraints
Offset constrained pole vector’s end position
Delete pole vector constraints
Modify Constraint Axes
Modify Constraint Axes
Remove a target object
Remove a target object
Character Sets
What are character sets?
Character node behavior
Creating Character Sets
Animating Character Sets
Redirecting character animation
Mapping animation between characters
Workflow summary
Set Character Sets
Create character sets
Create character sets within character sets
Create subcharacter sets
Select character sets
Add channels to a character set
Edit character sets
Edit character sets
Edit character set node behavior
Remove channels from a character set
Edit character set channels
Edit character attributes
View objects in a character set
Edit character set attributes
View and edit the character partition
Merge character sets
Delete character sets
Set the current character Set
Map one character to another
Workflow for mapping characters
Map one character to another
Redirect the motion of an animated character
Workflow for redirecting animation
Animation redirection example
Redirect the motion of an animated character
Character Setup Tools
Joint Tool
IK Handle Tool
IK Spline Handle Tool
Insert Joint Tool
Move Skinned Joints Tool
Paint Skin Weights Tool
Character Setup Menus
Animate
Animate > Set Full Body IK Keys
Animate > IK/FK Keys > Set IK/FK
Key
Animate > IK/FK Keys > Enable IK
Solver
Animate > IK/FK Keys > Connect to
IK/FK
Animate > IK/FK Keys > Move IK to
FK
Animate > Set Key
Skeleton
Skeleton > Joint Tool
Skeleton > IK Handle Tool
Skeleton > IK Spline Handle Tool
Skeleton > Insert Joint Tool
Skeleton > Reroot Skeleton
Skeleton > Remove Joint
Skeleton > Disconnect Joint
Skeleton > Connect Joint
Skeleton > Mirror Joint
Skeleton > Orient Joint
Skeleton > Set Preferred Angle
Skeleton > Assume Preferred Angle
Skeleton > Enable IK Handle Snap
Skeleton > Enable IK/FK Control
Skeleton > Enable Selected IK Handles
Skeleton > Disable Selected IK Handles
Skeleton > Joint Labelling
Skeleton > Joint Labelling > Add
Retargeting Labels
Skeleton > Joint Labelling > Add
FBIK Labels
Joint Labelling > Toggle Selected Labels
Skeleton > Joint Labelling > Show
All Labels
Skeleton > Joint Labelling > Hide
All Labels
Skeleton > Joint Labelling > Rename
Joints From Labels
Skeleton > Joint Labelling > Label
Based On Joint Names
Skeleton > Retargeting
Skeleton > Retargeting > Set Neutral
Pose
Skeleton > Retargeting > Go to Neutral
Pose
Skeleton > Retargeting > Retarget
Skeleton
Skeleton > Full Body IK
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Add Full
Body IK
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Add Auxiliary
Effector
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Add Auxiliary
Pivot
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Activate
Auxiliary Pivot
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Change
Auxiliary Pivot Placement
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Show FBIK
FK Skeleton
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Hide FBIK
FK Skeleton
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Add Floor
Contact Plane
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Go to
Stance Pose
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Add Missing
Effectors
Skeleton > Full Body IK > Body Part
Autoload
Skin
Skin > Detach Skin
Skin > Go To Bind Pose
Skin > Bind Skin > Smooth Bind
Skin > Bind Skin > Rigid Bind
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Add Influence
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Remove
Influence
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Set Max
Influences
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Move Skinned
Joints Tool
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Paint
Skin Weights Tool
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Export
Skin Weight Maps
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Import
Skin Weight Maps
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Mirror
Skin Weights
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Copy Skin
Weights
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Smooth
Skin Weights
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Reset
Weights to Default
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Prune
Small Weights
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Remove
Unused Influences
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Disable
Weight Normalization
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Enable
Weight Normalization
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Normalize
Weights
Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Substitute
Geometry
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Create
Flexor
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Copy Flexor
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Reassign
Bone Lattice Joint
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Preserve
Skin Groups > Detach Skeleton
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Preserve
Skin Groups > Detach Selected Joints
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Preserve
Skin Groups > Reattach Skeleton
Skin > Edit Rigid Skin > Preserve
Skin Groups > Reattach Selected Joints
Constrain
Constrain > Point
Constrain > Aim
Constrain > Orient
Constrain > Scale
Constrain > Parent
Constrain > Geometry
Constrain > Normal
Constrain > Tangent
Constrain > Pole Vector
Constrain > Remove Target
Constrain > Set Rest Position
Constrain > Modify Constrained Axis
Character
Character > Create Character Set
Character > Create Subcharacter Set
Character > Character Mapper
Character > Add to Character Set
Character > Remove from Character Set
Character > Merge Character Sets
Character > Redirect
Character Setup Windows and Editors
Character Mapper
Character Setup Nodes
Skeleton and IK nodes
General skeleton and IK node attributes
joint
ikHandle
effector
hikHandle
hikEffector
hikFloorContactMarker
bindPose
IK solver nodes
Skinning nodes
General skin node attributes
skinCluster
tweak
jointCluster
jointFlexor
boneFlexor
jointFtd
ffd
Constraint nodes
General constraint node attributes
Rest Position attributes
targetObject Wn
pointConstraint
aimConstraint
orientConstraint
scaleConstraint
parentConstraint
normalConstraint
tangentConstraint
poleVectorConstraint
pairBlend
Character nodes
General character set node attributes
character
characterMap
characterOffset
Deformers
Deformers overview
What are deformers?
Setting deformers
Deformable objects, points, and sets
Nodes, history, and the deformation order
Deformation order
Modifying deformers
Editing deformer set membership
Point tweaking objects
Displaying and hiding intermediate objects
Changing an object’s deformation order
Changing evaluation performance
Modeling with deformers
Setup and animation with deformers
Editing node behavior to improve performance
Create deformers
Paint deformer set membership
Prune deformer set membership
Edit deformation effects
Edit deformer set membership
Change deformation order
Set the display of deformation objects
Set deformer node performance
Edit deformer sets with the Relationship
editor
Work with the tweak node
Blend Shape deformer
What are blend shapes?
Target shapes, base shapes, and blend shapes
Targets
Scaling influence of all targets
Matching position, rotation, and scaling of targets
Blending objects with different topologies
Deleting a target’s object
Setting target weights
Setting keys for blend shapes
Saving a blend shape as a new target
Selecting a blend shape deformer node
Adding target object shapes
Removing target object shapes
Swapping target object shapes
Changing Blend Shape editor
slider orientation
Create deformers
Set blend shape deformers
Use the Blend Shape editor
Edit deformation effects
Edit blend shape deformers
Propagate topological changes from base shapes
to their target shapes
Paint blend shape deformer weights
Lattice deformer
What are lattice deformers?
Lattices
Influence lattice and base lattice
Lattices as deformable objects
Lattice deformers and lattice flexors
Skinning with lattice deformers
Create deformers
Set lattice deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit lattice deformers
Cluster deformer
What are cluster deformers?
Understanding cluster deformers
Creating cluster deformers
Editing cluster deformation effects
Create deformers
Set cluster deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit cluster deformers
Nonlinear deformers
Bend deformer
What are bend deformers?
Creating bend deformers
Editing bend deformation effects
Flare deformer
What are flare deformers?
Creating flare deformers
Editing flare deformation effects
Sine deformer
What are sine deformers?
Creating sine deformers
Editing sine deformation effects
Squash deformer
What are squash deformers?
Creating squash deformers
Editing squash deformation effects
Twist deformer
What are twist deformers?
Creating twist deformers
Editing twist deformation effects
Wave deformer
What are wave deformers?
Creating wave deformers
Editing wave deformation effects
Create nonlinear deformers
Set bend nonlinear deformers
Set flare nonlinear deformers
Set sine nonlinear deformers
Set squash nonlinear deformers
Set twist nonlinear deformers
Set wave nonlinear deformers
Edit nonlinear deformers
Edit bend nonlinear deformers
Edit flare nonlinear deformers
Edit sine nonlinear deformers
Edit squash nonlinear deformers
Edit twist nonlinear deformers
Edit wave nonlinear deformers
Sculpt deformer
What are sculpt deformers?
Creating sculpt deformers
Editing sculpt deformation effects
Create deformers
Create sculpt deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit sculpt deformers
Soft Modification deformer
What is soft modification?
Create deformers
Use the Soft Modification Tool
Example 1: Soft modification with history
Example 2: Soft modification without history
Example 3: Moving a character’s ear using the Soft Modification deformer
Example 4: Symmetrically deforming a character’s
nose using the Soft Modification deformer
Resize the Soft Modification Tool falloff
manipulator
Jiggle deformer
What are jiggle deformers?
Creating Jiggle deformers
Adjusting jiggle weight by painting
Using a disk cache for jiggle animation
Create deformers
Set jiggle deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit jiggle deformers
Wire deformer
What are wire deformers?
Influence wires and base wires
Holders
Wire dropoff locators
Creating wire deformers
Editing wire deformation effects
Create deformers
Set wire deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit wire deformers
Paint wire deformer weights
Wrinkle deformer
What is a wrinkle deformer?
Creating wrinkle deformers
Editing wrinkle deformation effects
Create deformers
Set wrinkle deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit wrinkle deformers
Wrap deformer
What are wrap deformers?
Creating wrap deformers
Editing wrap deformation effects
Skinning with wrap deformers
Create deformers
Set wrap deformers
Edit deformation effects
Edit wrap deformers
Point On Curve deformer
What are point on curve deformers?
Create deformers
Set point on curve deformers
Deformer Tools
Soft Modification Tool
Wire Tool
Wrinkle Tool
Paint Blend Shape Weights Tool
Paint Cluster Weights Tool
Paint Jiggle Weights Tool
Paint Wire Weights Tool
Paint Set Membership Tool
Edit Membership Tool
Deformer Menus
Edit
Edit > Delete by Type > Non-Deformer
History
Animate
Animate > Set Blend Shape Target Weights
Keys
Create Deformers
Create Deformers > Blend Shape
Create Deformers > Lattice
Create Deformers > Wrap
Create Deformers > Cluster
Create Deformers > Soft Modification
Create Deformers > Nonlinear > Bend
Create Deformers > Nonlinear > Flare
Create Deformers > Nonlinear > Sine
Create Deformers > Nonlinear > Squash
Create Deformers > Nonlinear > Twist
Create Deformers > Nonlinear > Wave
Create Deformers > Sculpt Deformer
Create Deformers > Jiggle Deformer
Create Deformers > Jiggle Disk Cache
Create Deformers > Jiggle Disk Cache
Attributes
Create Deformers > Wire Tool
Create Deformers > Wire Dropoff Locator
Create Deformers > Wrinkle Tool
Create Deformers > Point On Curve
Edit Deformers
Edit Deformers > Edit Membership Tool
Edit Deformers > Prune Membership
Edit Deformers > Blend Shape > Add
Edit Deformers > Blend Shape > Remove
Edit Deformers > Blend Shape > Swap
Edit Deformers > Blend Shape > Bake
Topology To Targets
Edit Deformers > Lattice > Reset
Lattice
Edit Deformers > Lattice > Remove
Lattice Tweaks
Edit Deformers > Wrap > Add Influence
Edit Deformers > Wrap > Remove Influence
Edit Deformers > Wire > Add
Edit Deformers > Wire > Remove
Edit Deformers > Wire > Add Holder
Edit Deformers > Wire > Reset
Edit Deformers > Wire > Show Base
Wire
Edit Deformers > Wire > Parent Base
Wire
Edit Deformers > Display Intermediate
Objects
Edit Deformers > Hide Intermediate
Objects
Edit Deformers > Paint Blend Shape
Weights Tool
Edit Deformers > Paint Cluster Weights
Tool
Edit Deformers > Paint Jiggle Weights
Tool
Edit Deformers > Paint Wire Weights
Tool
Edit Deformers > Paint Set Membership
Tool
Deformer Windows and Editors
Blend Shape Editor
Deformer Nodes
General deformer node attributes
Advanced deformer options
tweak
blendShape
ffdLatticeShape
ffd
cluster
clusterHandle
bend
flare
sine
squash
twist
wave
sculpt
softMod
jiggle
jiggleCache
wire
dropoffLocator
wrap
leastSquaresModifier
Maya Muscle
Introducing Maya Muscle
Overview
Load Maya Muscle
Muscle workflow
Creating Muscles
Creating Maya Muscles
Muscle Objects
Types of Muscle
Other Muscle deformation
Understand muscle Jiggle
Create a capsule
Adjust capsule settings
Create polygon cylinders from capsules
Convert Maya joints to capsules
Convert polygonal meshes to bones
Manually convert NURBS to Muscle Objects
Set up muscle attach points
Create muscles with the Muscle Creator
Open the Muscle Creator window
Create a muscle
Delete a muscle
Set muscle pose states
Sculpt muscles
Grow a muscle
Mirror muscles
Copy/paste Muscle Creator settings
Create simple muscles with the Muscle
Builder
Change the shape of simple muscles
Finalize a simple muscle
Adjust simple muscle parameters
Create a Muscle Spline deformer
Set up a Muscle Spline deformer
Create a Muscle Stretch deformer
Delete a muscle Jiggle cache
Set up a Master muscle control
Fix invalid Muscle Object nodes
Skin Deformation
Skin deformation
Sticky deformation
Relative Sticky deformation
Sliding deformation
Displacement deformation and rendering
Force deformation
Per-Point Jiggle deformation
Relax deformation
Smooth deformation
Apply the Muscle deformer
Convert Maya skin to Maya Muscle
Connect Muscle Objects to a Muscle deformer
Re-Initialize setup data on Maya Muscle
Auto-Fix invalid Sticky Bind points
Disconnect muscle nodes
Disconnect selected Muscle Objects
Auto-Fix deleted/missing muscles
Delete muscle history
Reset base pose for selected Muscle Objects
Create base for selected Muscle Objects
Re-Bind Sticky for selected Muscle Objects
Visualize the Sticky Bind distance
Set up Relative Sticky deformation
Set a constant fat offset for Sliding deformation
Create a Muscle Direction object
Set up Displacement deformation
Set up Force deformation
Set up Jiggle deformation
Apply default weights
Paint Muscle weights
Load and save weights
Mirror weights
Transfer weights
Prune weights
Collision
Collision
Smart Collision
Self Collision
Multi-Object Collision
Transform collisions with KeepOut nodes
Set up Muscle Smart Collision
Connect selected Muscle Smart Collide nodes
Set up Smart Collision region weights
Use Self Collision
Set up Muscle Multi Collision
Rig an object hierarchy for KeepOut collision
Connect muscles to KeepOut
Caching
Point-caching
Create a cache
Delete a node cache
Technical API
Maya Muscle Commands
cMuscleBindSticky
cMuscleCache
cMuscleCompIndex
cMuscleQuery
cMuscleRayIntersect
cMuscleRelaxSetup
cMuscleSplineBind
cMuscleWeight
cMuscleWeightDefault
cMuscleWeightMirror
cMuscleWeightSave
cMuscleWeightPrune
Muscle Menu
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Muscle
Creator
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Convert
Surface to Muscle/Bone
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Make Capsule
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Make Capsule
with End Locator
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Add End
Locator to Capsule
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Generate
Polygon Cylinders from Capsules
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Delete
Muscle Jiggle Cache
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Fix Invalid
Muscle Object nodes
Muscle > Muscles/Bones > Setup Master Muscle
Control
Muscle > Simple Muscles > Muscle
Builder
Muscle > Simple Muscles > Set Muscle Parameters
Muscle > Simple Muscles > Apply
Muscle Spline Deformer
Muscle > Simple Muscles > Custom
Muscle Shapes
Muscle > Simple Muscles > Reset
Base Pose for Muscle Spline Deformer
Muscle > Simple Muscles > Apply
Muscle Stretch Deformer
Muscle > Skin Setup > Apply Muscle
System Skin Deformer
Muscle > Skin Setup > Convert Maya
Skin to Muscle System
Muscle > Skin Setup > Re-Initialize
Setup Data on Muscle System
Muscle > Skin Setup > Bind Fat on
Muscle System
Muscle > Skin Setup > Auto-Fix Invalid
Sticky Bind Points
Muscle > Skin Setup > Auto-Fix Deleted/Missing
Muscles
Muscle > Skin Setup > Safe Delete
History
Muscle > Skin Setup > Disconnect
all Muscle Objects
Muscle > Skin Setup > Disconnect
all Muscle Directions
Muscle > Skin Setup > Disconnect
all Muscle Displaces
Muscle > Skin Setup > Disconnect
all Smart Collides
Muscle > Skin Setup > Setup for
Relative Sticky Deformation
Muscle > Skin Setup > Set Selected
Bones/Muscles as Not Relative
Muscle > Skin Setup > Set Selected
Bones/Muscles as Relative
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Connect
selected Muscle Objects
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Disconnect selected
Muscle Objects
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Reset
Base Pose for selected Muscle Objects
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Delete
selected Muscle
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Create
Base for selected Muscle Objects
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Re-Bind
Sticky for selected Muscle Objects
Muscle > Muscle Objects > Visualize
Sticky Bind Distance for selected Muscle Objects
Muscle > Paint Muscle Weights
Muscle > Weighting > Apply Default
Weights
Muscle > Weighting > Load/Save Weights
Muscle > Weighting > Mirror Weights
Muscle > Weighting > Transfer Weights
Muscle > Weighting > Prune Weights
Muscle > Direction > Make Muscle
Direction
Muscle > Direction > Connect selected Muscle
Directions
Muscle > Direction > Disconnect
selected Muscle Directions
Muscle > Displace > Create Muscle
Displace
Muscle > Displace > Connect selected
Muscle Displace nodes
Muscle > Displace > Disconnect selected Muscle
Displace nodes
Muscle > Displace > Connect NURBS
Curve to Muscle Displace
Muscle > Displace > Disconnect NURBS
Curve from Muscle Displace
Muscle > Displace > Create Maya
Muscle Shader Network
Muscle > Displace > Create Mental
Ray mib_cMuscleShader Network
Muscle > Smart Collision > Create
Muscle Smart Collide
Muscle > Smart Collision > Connect
selected Muscle Smart Collide nodes
Muscle > Smart Collision > Disconnect selected
Muscle Smart Collide nodes
Muscle > Self/Multi Collision >
Self Collision Grouping
Muscle > Self/Multi Collision >
Apply Muscle Multi Collide Deformer
Muscle > Self/Multi Collision >
Rig selection for KeepOut
Muscle > Self/Multi Collision >
Connect Muscles to KeepOut
Muscle > Self/Multi Collision >
Disconnect Muscles from KeepOut
Muscle > Caching > Set Location
of Cache File
Muscle > Caching > Create Cache
Muscle > Caching > Delete Node Cache
Muscle > Caching > Delete Per-Point
Skin Jiggle Cache
Muscle > Selection > Select connected muscleObjects
from selected muscleSystems
Muscle > Selection > Select connected muscleDirections
from selected muscleSystems
Muscle > Selection > Select connected muscleSystems
from selected muscleObjects
Muscle > Selection > Select connected muscleSystems
from selected muscleDirections
Muscle > Bonus Rigging > Create
Muscle Spline
Muscle > Bonus Rigging > Surface
Attach
Muscle > Bonus Rigging > Fix Surface
Attach to allow for Poly Smooth
Muscle Windows and Tools
Muscle Builder window
Muscle Creator window
Sticky Bind Maximum Distance dialog
box
Muscle Paint tool
Default Weights tool
Muscle Save Weights dialog
box
Self Collision Grouping window
Muscle Spline tool
Muscle Spline Deformer tool
Muscle Spline Deformer Shape dialog box
Muscle Nodes
Muscle Nodes
cMuscleCreator node
cMuscleDirection node
cMuscleDisplace node
cMuscleDisplay node
cMuscleKeepOut node
cMuscleMultiCollide node
cMuscleObject node
cMuscleRelative node
cMuscleShader node
cMuscleSmartCollide node
cMuscleSmartConstraint node
cMuscleSpline node
cMuscleSplineDeformer node
cMuscleStretch node
cMuscleSurfAttach node
cMuscleSystem node
Maya Muscle Advanced Techniques
Rigging simple muscles
Introduction
Preparing for the Lessons
Lesson 1: Setting up Basic Skin Deformation
Lesson 2: Painting Sticky Weights to Bones
Lesson 3: Setting up Simple Muscles
Lesson 4: Painting Sticky Weights to Simple Muscle
Lesson 5: Setting up Sliding Deformation
Lesson 6: Setting up Jiggle Deformation
Rigging muscles
Introduction
Preparing for the Lessons
Lesson 1: Create and set up a muscle object
Lesson 2: Set muscle pose states
Lesson 3: Editing Muscles
Lesson 4: Adjusting Muscle Length
Lesson 5: Sculpting Muscles
Lesson 6: Growing Muscles
Lesson 7: Mirroring Muscles
Troubleshooting Muscle
Troubleshoot capsules
Troubleshoot muscles
Troubleshoot painting muscle weights
Troubleshoot deformation
Dynamics and Effects
Dynamics
About Dynamics
Introduction to dynamics
What you can do with Maya Dynamics
Particles
Overview of particles
Particle objects
Advanced particle topics
Control complex motion and forces
Emitters
Goals
Goals
Particle goals
Nonparticle goals
Multiple goals
Particle collisions
Particle collisions
Rendering particles
Rendering particles
Hardware rendered particles
Use the Particle Cloud shader
Particle Sampler Info node
Create particles
Place particles on a surface
Animate particles
Work with particle attributes
Edit particle attributes
Choose how particles render
Use lights, reflections, refractions, and shadows
Set particle color
Set particle opacity
Set particle lifespan
Set attributes on a per particle basis
Set particle attributes with the Component Editor
Set particle attributes with a ramp texture
Instance geometry to particles (single and animated)
Instance strokes from Paint Effects
Deform particles
Work with advanced dynamics
Make an object move with a dynamic parent
Adjust frame-to-frame velocity conservation
Apply forces in an object’s local space
Control execution time of particle dynamics
Duplicate particle objects
Assign image sequences to sprites
Export particle data
Work with emitters
Create emitters
Edit attributes of an emitter
Edit attributes of emitted particles
Duplicate emitters
Connect emitters and particles
Vary emission from different points of point emitters
Use a texture to color emission or scale the rate
Tips for advanced users
Work with emission randomness
Spread emission more evenly from NURBS surfaces
Work with goals
Create goals
Edit goal attributes
Animate goal behavior
Create particle collisions
Make particles collide with a surface
Edit particle collision attributes
Duplicate collision effects
Use the Particle Collision Event Editor to emit, kill,
or split particles upon contact
Render particles
Before rendering particles
Preview hardware particles
Render hardware particles at final production quality
View rendered hardware particles
Apply shadow casting to particles
Software rendered particles
Create raytraced shadows with particles
Set Particle Sampler Info node
attributes
Troubleshoot particles
Fields
Overview of fields
Work with fields
Create fields and connect objects to them
Edit field attributes
Work with per-particle field attributes
Keep particles or inside the volume
Set field attributes with workspace manipulators
Use manipulator icons
Duplicate fields
Types of fields
Work with air fields
Work with drag fields
Work with gravity fields
Work with newton fields
Work with radial fields
Work with turbulence fields
Work with uniform fields
Work with vortex fields
Work with volume axis fields
Work with volume axis curves
Soft and Rigid Bodies
Soft bodies
Rigid bodies
Rigid body constraints
Springs
Soft and Rigid bodies limitations
Create soft bodies
Create soft bodies
Duplicate soft bodies
Render soft bodies with motion blur
Paint Soft Body Weights Tool
Special uses of soft bodies
Use attributes for advanced applications
Create rigid bodies
Create rigid bodies
Edit attributes of a rigid body
Edit attributes of a rigid body solver
Control complex motion and forces
Convert rigid body animation to keys
Segregate collisions with multiple solvers
Work with rigid body constraints
Create a Nail constraint
Create a Pin constraint
Create a Hinge constraint
Create a Spring constraint
Create a Barrier constraint
Edit constraints
Key and parent constraints
Create springs
Create springs
Edit spring operation
Troubleshoot Dynamics
Fix rigid body problems
Fixing problems with constraints
Fix playback problems
Effects
Overview of effects
Fire
Smoke effects
Fireworks
Lightning
Curve Flow
Surface Flow
Create Fire
Create Smoke
Create fireworks
Create lightning
Create shatter
Connect shards to fields
Create curve flow
Create a surface flow
Surface Flow procedures
Effects limitations
Troubleshoot Dynamics
Avoid twists in the flow manipulators
Solvers and caching
Particle caching
Particle disk caching
Particle startup caching
Memory caching
Particle Disk Caching
Use particle disk caching
Particle startup caching
Memory caching
Dynamic Animation
Animating with dynamics
Set the initial state of dynamic objects
Work with dynamic animation run-up
Lessen playback time with dynamics
Disable dynamics for particles or rigid bodies
PDC File Format
Use the PDC File Format
Dynamic Relationships Editor
Dynamic relationship editor
Connect or disconnect items
Connect and disconnect gravity - example
Connect to selected fields or emitters of an object
Dynamics Menus
Window
Window > Relationship Editors >
Dynamic Relationships
Particles
Particles > Particle Tool
Particles > Create Emitter
Particles > Emit from Object
Particles > Use Selected Emitter
Particles > Per-Point Emission Rates
Particles > Make Collide
Particles > Particle Collision Events
Editor
Particles > Goal
Particles > Instancer (Replacement)
Particles > Sprite Wizard
Particles > Connect To Time
Fields
Fields > Air
Fields > Drag
Fields > Gravity
Fields > Newton
Fields > Radial
Fields > Turbulence
Fields > Uniform
Fields > Vortex
Fields > Volume Axis
Fields > Volume Curve
Fields > Use Selected as Source of
Field
Additional Field Attributes
Soft/Rigid Bodies
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Create Active Rigid
Body
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Create Passive
Rigid Body
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Create
Constraint
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Set Active Key
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Set Passive Key
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Break Rigid Body Connections
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Create Soft Body
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Create Springs
Soft/Rigid Bodies > Paint Soft Body
Weights Tool
Effects
Effects > Create Fire
Effects > Create Smoke
Effects > Create Fireworks
Effects > Create Lightning
Effects > Create Shatter
Effects > Create Curve Flow
Effects > Create Surface Flow
Effects > Delete Surface Flow
Solvers
Solvers > Create Particle Disk Cache
Solvers > Edit Oversampling or Cache
Settings
Solvers > Interactive Playback
Dynamics Windows and Editors
Particle Collision Event Editor
Sprite Wizard
Dynamics Nodes
Particle nodes
particleShape node
Emitter node
geoConnector node
List of particle attributes
Sprite attributes
geoConnector attributes
Particle Cloud attributes
Particle Sampler Info node
dynGlobals
Soft and Rigid Body nodes
rigidBody node
rigidSolver node
rigidConstraint node
springShape node
Hair
Introducing Maya Hair
Hair overview
Basic workflow for Hair
Creating hair
Overview of creating hair
Start, Rest, and Current Position curves
Passive hair curves
Creating other models and effects with hair
Use hair presets
Create your own hair on surfaces
Choose which hair curves to display
Select hair, follicles, curves, and CVs
Set hair curve positions
Assign a selection to a hair system
Select which UV set to use for Hair (polygons only)
Make curves dynamic
Transplant hair
Delete hair
Simulating hair
Play a hair simulation
Use hair caches
Modifying hair
Styling hair and modifying the hair look and behavior
Style the hair and modify behavior
Change the look of the hair
Paint hair follicles
Paint hair textures
Modify the hair system
Modify hair follicles
Adjust the hair length
Edit hair curves
Braid hair
Make hair collide
Set up hair constraints
Assign hair constraints
Assign a Paint Effects brush
to Hair
Rendering Hair
Rendering scenes with hair
Set up hair shading
Set up hair self-shadowing
Render scenes with hair
Samples and techniques for Hair
Sample hairstyles
Create wavy, curly hair
Create ponytails and braids
Sample dynamic curve scenarios
Dynamic spline IK chain illustrated using a butterfly
tail
Stiffness Scale along curve and emit particles
from curve example
Advanced tips for working with Hair
Troubleshoot Hair
Hair Tools
Scale Hair Tool
Paint Hair Follicles
Paint Hair Textures
Hair Menus
Hair
Hair > Create Hair
Hair > Scale Hair Tool
Hair > Paint Hair Follicles
Hair > Paint Hair Textures
Hair > Get Hair Example
Hair > Display
Hair > Set Start Position
Hair > Set Rest Position
Hair > Modify Curves
Hair > Create Constraint
Hair > Create Constraint > Rubber
Band
Hair > Create Constraint > Stick
Hair > Create Constraint > Transform
Hair > Create Constraint > Hair
to Hair
Hair > Create Constraint > Hair
Bunch
Hair > Convert Selection
Hair > Assign Hair System
Hair > Make Selected Curves Dynamic
Hair > Make Collide
Hair > Assign Hair Constraint
Hair > Assign Paint Effects Brush to
Hair
Hair > Transplant Hair
Hair > Create Cache
Hair > Append to Cache
Hair > Truncate Cache
Hair > Delete Cache
Hair > Delete Entire Hair System
Hair Nodes
pfxHair
hairSystemShape
follicleShape
hairConstraintShape
hairTubeShader
Fluid Effects
Introducing Maya Fluid Effects
Fluid Effects overview
Types of fluids
Getting started with Fluid Effects
Creating Fluid Effects
What are the components of a fluid?
Defining the contents of a fluid container
Fluid examples
Import Fluid examples
Create dynamic fluid effects
Create non-dynamic fluid effects
Create fluid containers
Add properties to fluid containers
Add properties as predefined gradients
Emit fluid properties into grids
Paint fluid properties into grids
Add color to fluids
Display fluid container contents
Display subvolumes of 3D containers
Emit fluids from objects
Set Contents with Curve
Add predefined initial states to fluid containers
Modifying fluids
Modifying fluids
Changing fluid container size
Change fluid resolution
Change the size of a fluid container
Change the resolution of a fluid
Change dynamic fluid behavior
Change fluid behavior at the container boundaries
Define an arbitrary falloff region for fluid containers
Convert fluids to polygons
Modify fluid attributes
Use fluid attribute presets
Object interaction with dynamic fluids
Object interaction
Make fluids collide with geometry
Move geometry with the force of a fluid
Move particles with the force of a fluid
Modify geometry with the force of a fluid
Work with motion fields
Create motion field
Playing fluids
Fluids playback
Fluids initial state
nCaching fluids
Set the initial state of a fluid
Delete the initial state of a fluid
Save the current state of a fluid
Create fluids cache files
Speed up playback
Disable the solver
Disable fluids collisions, emissions, and fields
Disable display options
Open water effects
Open water effects
Ocean and Pond examples
Oceans
Ponds
Wakes
Floating objects
Create ocean effects using example oceans or ponds
Create new oceans
Preview a patch of ocean
Convert wave displacement to polygons
Add locators
Add a buoy to an ocean
Make objects float
Make boats float
Create an Interactive boat simulation
Create Ponds
Create wakes
Troubleshoot open water effects
Ocean jitters along the horizon
Texturing and shading fluids
Fluid Effects texturing and
shading
Texturing fluids
Fluids as textures
Fluids as materials
Fluid Shape shader as a particle
shader
Ocean shader and texture
Texture a fluid
Apply a fluid texture to an object
Assign a fluid shape material to a volume shape
Shade particles using the fluid shape shader
Rendering fluids
Rendering fluids
Prepare to render fluids
Cast fluid shadows onto objects
Cast shadows onto fluids (fluids receive shadows)
Set the properties of rendered images
Render scenes with fluid effects
Optimize rendering times
Improve the render quality of fluids
Fluid Effects Nodes
fluidShape
fluidEmitter
motionField
cacheFile
cacheBlend
cache_fluidShape
oceanPreviewPlane
locator (Fluid Effects)
oceanShader / ocean (texture)
Fluid Effects Menus
Modify
Modify > Convert > Fluid to Polygons
Fluid Effects
Fluid Effects > Create 3D Container
Fluid Effects > Create 2D Container
Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents >
Emitter
Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents >
Emit from Object
Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents >
Gradients
Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents >
Paint Fluids Tool
Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents >
With Curve
Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents >
Initial States
Fluid Effects > Create 3D Container
with Emitter
Fluid Effects > Create 2D Container
with Emitter
Fluid Effects > Get
Fluid Example
Fluid Effects > Get
Ocean/Pond Example
Fluid Effects > Ocean
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Create Ocean
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Add Preview Plane
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Create Wake
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Add Ocean Surface
Locator
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Add Dynamic Locator
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Add Boat Locator
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Add Dynamic Buoy
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Float Selected Objects
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Make Boats
Fluid Effects > Ocean > Make Motor Boats
Fluid Effects > Pond
Fluid Effects > Pond > Create Pond
Fluid Effects > Pond > Create Wake
Fluid Effects > Pond > Add Pond Surface
Locator
Fluid Effects > Pond > Add Dynamic Locator
Fluid Effects > Pond > Add Boat Locator
Fluid Effects > Pond > Add Dynamic Buoy
Fluid Effects > Pond > Float Selected Objects
Fluid Effects > Pond > Make Boats
Fluid Effects > Pond > Make Motor Boats
Fluid Effects > Extend Fluid
Fluid Effects > Edit Fluid Resolution
Fluid Effects > Make Collide
Fluid Effects > Make Motion Field
Fluid Effects > Set Initial State
Fluid Effects > Clear Initial State
Fluid Effects > Save State As
Fluid nCache
Fluid nCache > Create New Cache
Fluid nCache > Delete Cache
Fluid nCache > Attach Existing Cache
File
Fluid nCache > Disable All Caches On
Selected
Fluid nCache > Enable All Caches On
Selected
Fluid nCache > Replace Cache
Fluids nCache > Merge Caches
Fluid nCache > Append to Cache
Fluid nCache > Replace Cache Frame
Fluid nCache > Delete Cache Frame
Cache Format
Fluid Effects cache format
Fur
Introducing Maya Fur
Fur overview
Fur workflow overview
Fur Presets
Load Fur
Creating and modifying fur
Preparing polygon and subdivision surface models
for fur
Create fur
Use Fur Presets
Delete fur
Attach and detach fur
Select the surfaces a fur description is attached
to
Select which UV set to use for Fur (polygons only)
Preview fur using fur feedback
Reverse fur normals
Offset the direction fur grows
Style fur using hair curves
Change fur attributes
Edit fur descriptions
Paint fur attribute values
Map fur attribute values
Update fur maps
Remove maps from fur attributes
Make fur clump together
Copy fur descriptions into other scenes
Animating fur attributes
Animate fur attributes
Adding movement to fur
Add movement to fur
Create a hair system to be used with fur
Attach and detach hair systems to/from fur
Delete fur curve attractor sets
Set the start position of hair curves to the fur position
Change fur curve attractor set attributes
Manually keyframe fur movement
Make fur move using dynamics
Adding fur shading effects
Fur shading effects
Fur shading
Create fur shading and shadows
Create fur shading and shadows using the mental
ray for Maya renderer (Method 2)
Rendering scenes with fur
Render scenes with fur
MEL scripts for Advanced Fur Rendering
Set up Fur Render Settings before
rendering
Render scenes with fur
Fur samples and techniques
Create body fur, whiskers, and eyelashes
Part fur
Work on an animation project
Create fur shadows in the alpha channel
Troubleshooting Fur
Troubleshoot Fur
Troubleshoot general Fur issues
Troubleshoot rendering Fur in the Maya Software renderer
Troubleshoot rendering Fur in mental ray for Maya
Fur Tools
Paint Fur Attributes Tool
Fur Menus
Fur
Fur > Attach Fur Description
Fur > Edit Fur Description
Fur > Paint Fur Attributes Tool
Fur > Update Fur Maps
Fur > Fur Description (more)
Fur > Reverse Fur Normals
Fur > Offset Fur Direction by
Fur > Fur Shadowing Attributes
Fur > Fur Render Settings
Fur > Attach Hair System to Fur
Fur > Detach Hair System from Fur
Fur > Edit Curve Attractor Set
Fur > Set Start Position To
Fur > Delete Curve Attractor Set
Fur Windows and Editors
Fur Render Settings
Fur Nodes
FurFeedbackShape node
Fur Description node
FurCurveAttractors node
light Shape node
Live
Introducing Maya Live
Introducing Live
Live menu set
Live playback tools
Load Live
Use Live control
panels
Setting up shots
Setting up shots
Load images
Set up filmback and aspect ratios
Set up image cache
Other Maya setup
Deinterlace video shots
Create proxy images
Shot strategy
Shot strategy
Choosing good points
Constraint strategies
Problematic shots
Production tips
Tracking
Tracking in Maya Live
Overall tracking workflow
Track a point
Evaluate a track point
Correct track failure
Filter track points for interlaced
shots
Review the Track Summary
Determine when you’re ready to solve
Use the Track Display panel
Track Options panel
Import track points
Export track points
Tracked point file format
Solving
Solving in Maya Live
Overall solve workflow
Run the solver
How the solver computes a solution
Evaluate a solution
Review the Locator Summary
Improve solutions
Choose survey constraints
Create and modify survey constraints
Create infinite and locked points
Create a focal length constraint
Create camera translation and rotation constraints
Render a solution
Export a solution
Fine tuning and corrections
Fine tuning in Maya Live
Fine Tune
Corrective options
Live Menus
Scene
Scene > New MatchMove
Scene > Live Controls
Scene > Export Scene As
Track
Track > Create Track Point
Track > Filter
Track > Import Track Points
Track > Export Track Points
Solve
Solve > Root Frame Solve
Solve > Register Solution
Solve > Start Root Frame Solve
Solve > Continue Root Frame Solve
Solve > Refine Root Frame Solve
Solve > Finish Root Frame Solve
Live Constraints
Live Constraints > Point
Live Constraints > Distance
Live Constraints > Plane
Live Constraints > Depth
Live Panels
Live Panels > Setup
Live Panels > Cache
Live Panels > Track
Live Panels > Track Options
Live Panels > Track Display Options
Live Panels > Solve
Live Panels > Camera Constraints
Live Panels > Survey Constraints
Live Panels > Solution
Live Panels > Fine-Tune
nDynamics
About nDynamics
Introduction to nDynamics
Maya Nucleus solver properties
nDynamic Collisions
Constraining Nucleus objects
nDynamic Force Fields
Nucleus objects and external dynamic forces
nCloth
nCloth overview
nCloth introduction
Making a mesh nCloth
Optimizing geometry for nCloth conversion
nCloth collisions
Constraining nCloth
nCloth and external dynamic forces
nCloth simulation and caches
Creating nCloth
Create or remove nCloth
Edit nCloth
Paint nCloth property maps
Create and edit nCloth collisions
Create and edit nCloth constraints
Generate Force Fields with nCloth
Create external forces for nCloth
Create and edit nCloth caches
nCloth Examples
nCloth Zipper
nCloth Confetti
nCloth Bag of Marbles
nCloth Tree
nCloth Balloon
nCloth Soda Can
nCloth Shirt
nCloth attribute presets
nCloth material presets
nCloth tips and troubleshooting
Tips
Troubleshooting
Optimizing nCloth
nCloth advanced techniques
Overview
Preparing for the lessons
About the tutorial assets
Lesson 1: Converting the pants to nCloth and setting
up the simulation
Lesson 2: Simulating the pants in a static stance
Lesson 3: Wrapping the high resolution mesh and
simulating the pants during animation
Lesson 4: Simulating the low resolution shirt
Lesson 5: Simulating medium resolution meshes
using custom nCloth attribute presets
nParticles
nParticles overview
nParticles introduction
Creating nParticle systems
Setting nParticle object properties
Working with nParticle attribute ramps
nParticle per-particle attributes
nParticle Lifespan and
Size properties
nParticle Collisions attributes
and Dynamic Properties
Shading properties
Setting nParticle emitter properties
Force Field Generation properties
Liquid Simulation properties
Goal properties
Instancing properties
nParticle collision events
Constraining nParticles
nParticles and external dynamic forces
nParticle simulation and caching
Creating nParticles
Create nParticles
Set nParticle attribute ramps
Set nParticle Lifespan
Set nParticle size
Set nParticle Collisions properties
Set nParticle Dynamic Properties
Generate Force Fields with nParticles
Create Liquid Simulations with
nParticles
Convert nParticles to polygons
Set nParticle Emission Attributes
Set nParticle Shading attributes
nParticle Per Particle (Array)
Attributes
Create and Edit nParticle Constraints
Create and edit goals
Instance geometry to nParticles
Use the Particle Collision Event
Editor with nParticles
Create and Edit springs for nParticles
nParticles and non-Nucleus dynamics
Create and edit nParticle caches
nParticle Examples
nCaching
nCaching overview
What is nCaching?
nCache creation
nCache XML description file
nCache threading
Create or import nCaches
Work with nCache clips
Rename nCaches
Scale nCache clips
Cycle nCache clips
Hold nCache clips
Trim nCache clips
Split nCache clips
Append nCaches
Merge nCaches
Blend nCaches
Replace nCaches
Detach nCache files
Delete nCache clips
nDynamics menus
nParticles
Modify > Convert > nParticle to Polygons
nParticles > Create nParticles
nParticles > Use Selected Emitter
nParticles > Per-Point Emission Rates
nParticles > Get nParticle Example
nParticles > Particle Collision Event
Editor
nParticles > Goals
nParticles > Instancer (Replacement)
nParticles > Sprite Wizard
nParticles > Create Springs
nMesh
nMesh > Create Passive Collider
nMesh > Create nCloth
nMesh > Display Input Mesh
nMesh > Display Current Mesh
nMesh > Rest Shape
nMesh > Get nCloth Example
nMesh > Remove nCloth
nMesh > Delete History
nMesh > Convert nCloth Output Space
nMesh > Paint Vertex Properties
nMesh > Paint Texture Properties
nMesh > Convert Texture to Vertex Map
nMesh > Convert Vertex to Texture Map
nConstraint
nConstraint option windows
nConstraint > Transform
nConstraint > Component to Component
nConstraint > Point to Surface
nConstraint > Slide on Surface
nConstraint > Weld Adjacent Borders
nConstraint > Force Field
nConstraint > Attract to Matching Mesh
nConstraint > Tearable Surface
nConstraint > Disable Collision
nConstraint > Exclude Collide Pairs
nConstraint > Remove Dynamic Constraint
nConstraint > nConstraint Membership
Tool
nConstraint > Select Members
nConstraint > Replace Members
nConstraint > Add Members
nConstraint > Remove Members
nConstraint > Paint properties by Vertex
Map
nConstraint > Paint properties by Texture
Map
nConstraint > Convert Texture to Vertex
Map
nConstraint > Convert Vertex to Texture
Map
nCache
nCache > Create New Cache
nCache > Delete Cache
nCache > Attach Existing Cache File
nCache > Disable All Caches On Selected
nCache > Enable All Caches On Selected
nCache > Replace Cache
nCache > Merge Caches
nCache > Append to Cache
nCache > Replace Cache Frame
nCache > Delete Cache Frame
nCache > Transfer Cache to Input Mesh
nCache > Paint Cache Weights Tool
nSolver
nSolver > Assign Solver
nSolver > Initial State
nSolver > AE Display
nSolver > Interactive Playback
Fields
Fields menu overview
nDynamics nodes
nClothShape
nParticleShape
Emitter node
nucleus
nRigidShape
dynamicConstraintShape
nComponent
cacheFile
cacheBlend
nDynamics tips and troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Rendering and Render Setup
Shading
About shading and texturing surfaces
Shading
Surface shading
Surface texture
Swatch rendering for any renderer
Shading networks
About shading networks
Render nodes
Render node attributes
Render node connections
Maya materials
Surface, displacement, volumetric materials
Layered shaders
Double-sided shaded surfaces
Maya textures
2D and 3D textures
Procedural textures
File textures
Adobe Photoshop texture networks
Texture filtering
Mapping and positioning textures
Texture mapping
Mapping methods
2D and 3D texture positioning
Texture placement vs. label mapping
Object space, world space and tangent space
Transfer Maps
Hardware shaders
About hardware shaders
CgFX shaders
HLSL shaders
Build shading networks
Overview of building shading networks
Open and customize Hypershade
Open and navigate Hypershade
Show top and bottom level tabs
Hide shape and transform nodes in Hypershade
Create Hypershade tabs
Hide, resize or customize the Create
bar
Organize render nodes with Hypershade sorting
bins
Change default connection line colors
Troubleshoot Hypershade limitations
Create nodes
Create a node
Duplicate a node
Delete a node and its network
Import and export shading networks
Connect nodes
Show node connections
Assemble nodes into logical groupings using container
nodes in the Hypershade
Connect render nodes using their default connections
Connect default output to a specific input attribute
Connect render nodes by dragging existing connection
lines
Connect render nodes using the Connection
Editor
Change existing render node attribute connections
Delete a render node connection
Adjust node attributes
Set node attributes
Animate a node attribute
Work with shader libraries
View the Shader Library Gallery
Assign a shading group from the Shader
Library
Create and assign materials to surfaces
Create a material
Assign existing materials to surfaces
Assign shaders to polygon faces
Layer shaders
Create double-sided shaded surfaces
Troubleshoot changing polygonal topology may affect
shader assignments
Map and position textures
Map a 2D or 3D texture
Position 2D textures and labels
Position 3D textures
Use a layered texture
Display layered textures in the hardware renderer
with multiple UV sets
Create Texture Reference Object
Convert a texture or shading network to a File Texture
Create texture maps with the Transfer
Maps editor
Creating normal maps for use with hardware shaders
Viewing tangent space or object space normal maps
Creating and using mirrored normal maps on a character
or object
Hardware shading limitations
Texturing limitations
Filter features and compatibility with the mental ray
for Maya renderer and Maya software renderer
Use Adobe Photoshop files in Maya
Use PSD Networks as textures in Maya
Create a PSD file with layer sets from within Maya
Display the alpha of a PSD file in the scene view
Open a PSD network in Adobe Photoshop from Maya
Sketch out guidelines (“lipstick”) for paint application
Edit PSD Networks
Convert a PSD node to a file texture
Adjust conversion options
Update PSD Networks
Photoshop integration limitations
Test textures
Test textures (and texture ranges)
Disable the initial load of a file texture image
Using hardware shaders
Work with hardware shaders
Work with CgFX shaders
Work with HLSL shaders
Override a Maya shader in the viewport using a hardware
shader
Troubleshoot working with HLSL shaders
Display high dynamic range images
Display a high dynamic range image
Maya materials and textures
Troubleshoot movies don’t play on Image
Plane
Troubleshoot NURBS surface blend renders incorrectly
Troubleshoot warped textures
Troubleshoot can’t see the place2DTexture swatch
Troubleshoot when I move a referenced object, the
texture swims
Troubleshoot movies files are slow to load
Troubleshoot textures on deforming surfaces
Troubleshoot Normal Mapping
Troubleshoot texture mapping
Surface Relief
About surface relief
Scattering
Bump maps
Displacement maps
Feature-based displacement
Connect a texture as a displacement map
Connect a displacement map
Preview the displacement results
Adjust displacement sampling rates
Convert a displacement to polygons
Change bounding box scale
Work with Scattering
Troubleshoot displacement textures ‘pop’
Troubleshoot black holes appear on rendered surfaces
with displacement maps
Troubleshoot my blurred file texture looks crisp,
not blurred
Troubleshoot bump maps
Backgrounds
About backgrounds
Basic color and texture backgrounds
Image file backgrounds
Create a basic color background
Create a texture background
Create, edit, or position an image plane
Depth compositing with image planes
Create a static image file background
Create an animated image file background
Create a 3D image file background
Size and position an image file background
Remove or hide a background
Troubleshoot grainy or jagged background image
Reflection and Environment
True reflections
Simulated reflections
Create true reflections
Simulate reflections with Env Ball
Simulate reflections with Env
Cube
Simulate reflections with Env
Sphere
Troubleshoot cube maps swap front and back images
Troubleshoot environment reflection maps
Atmosphere
Fog, smoke, dust, and silt
Simulate fog, smoke, or dust
Change the visual effect of fog, smoke, or dust
Troubleshoot Environment Fog problems
Baking textures and Prelighting
Baking illumination and color
Bake sets
Create a bake set
Adjust bake set attributes
Assign objects to existing bake sets
Create a Bake Set tab in Hypershade
mental ray for Maya Shading
mental ray for Maya shading concepts
Ambient occlusion concepts
Basics of mental ray for Maya shading
mental ray for Maya shaders
mental ray Shader connections
mental ray for Maya textures
mental ray for Maya reflections
mental ray Surface relief
mental ray for Maya Surface relief
mental ray for Maya displacement
mental ray atmospheric effects
Fog, smoke, dust, and silt
Create light fog using mental ray for Maya sample
workflow
Baking textures and prelighting in mental ray
for Maya
Baking to textures and vertices
Baking with final gather
Limitations of baking to textures
mental ray custom shaders
mental ray for Maya custom shaders
The Node Factory
mental ray shader language extensions
Swatch rendering in mental ray for Maya
Advanced mental ray for Maya shading
Phenomena
Custom mental ray text
Custom vertex data
Advanced information
mental ray for Maya reference links
Basics of mental ray for Maya shading
Use a mental ray for Maya shader
mental ray for Maya shaders sample workflow
Native mental ray light linking
Render color per vertex in mental ray for Maya
Create blurry reflections using mental ray for Maya
Create lightmaps by baking textures and vertices
Bake lightmaps from the command line
Create an ambient occlusion map with the Transfer
Map tool
Exclude an object from an occlusion render
High quality texture filtering with elliptical filtering
Specialized workflow examples for mia_material and
mia_physicalsky shaders
Sample workflow for mia_envblur
Troubleshoot mental ray for Maya transparency mapping
is broken
Advanced mental ray for Maya shading
Create and use custom mental ray shaders
Use a custom-made mental ray for Maya shader in
Maya
Write a shader declaration file
Edit the maya.rayrc file
Load shaders
Relate Maya custom shaders to mental ray for Maya
custom shaders
Integrating Custom Mental Ray Shaders
Specify light parameters
Troubleshoot custom mental ray shaders
Work with phenomenon
Build phenomena
Use a phenomenon in a scene
Create custom shaders for use with multi-render passes
Creating a pass-compliant shader using the AdskShaderSDK
Work with custom mental ray text
Assign custom text to an object or shader
Assign text to entities
Rendering particles with mental ray for Maya
Using the Particle Sampler Info node with mental
ray shaders
mental ray for Maya dynamic attributes
Dynamic attributes for mental ray custom shaders
mental ray for Maya shaders
Troubleshoot crash or render abort
Troubleshoot node factory errors in Script
Editor
Troubleshoot error messages
Troubleshoot cannot find main function
Troubleshoot cannot open input file “shader.lib”
mental ray for Maya transfer maps
Troubleshoot Transfer Maps search envelope produces unexpected
results
Troubleshoot ambient occlusion transfer map appears
grainy with lost details
Troubleshoot mental ray for Maya aborts rendering
when using normal maps
Atmospheric effects in mental ray for Maya
Troubleshoot volumetric fog with depth map shadows
Baking textures in mental ray for Maya
Troubleshoot 32 bit TIFF and IFF images are black
Troubleshoot baking quality with final gather
Troubleshooting mia_roundcorners shader has no
effect
Troubleshooting surfaces bent incorrectly when mia_roundcorners
shader is applied
Troubleshoot batch baking texture with 32bit .tif
produces IMF error
Render node utilities
Render node utilities
Use General utilities
Use the Array Mapper utility
Use the Bump 2d utility
Use the Bump 3d utility
Use the Clear Coat utility
Use the Condition utility
Use the Distance Between utility
Use the Height Field utility
Use the Light Info utility
Use the Multiply Divide utility
Use the 2d Placement utility
Use the 3d Placement utility
Use the Plus Minus Average utility
Use the Projection utility
Use the Reverse utility
Use the Sampler Info utility
Use the Set Range utility
Use the Stencil utility
Use the Studio Clear Coat utility
Use the Vector Product utility
Use Color Utilities
Use the Blend Colors utility
Use the Clamp colors utility
Use the Contrast utility
Use the Gamma Correct utility
Use the Hsv to Rgb utility
Use the Luminance utility
Use the Remap Color, Remap
Hsv, or Remap Value utilities
Use the Rgb to Hsv utility
Use the Smear utility
Use the Surf. Luminance utility
Use Switch utilities
Use the Single Switch utility
Use the Double Switch utility
Use the Triple Switch utility
Use the Quad Switch utility
Appendices
Appendix A: mental ray user data nodes
Appendix B: Custom Colors
Appendix C: Custom vertex data
Shading menus
Window
Window > Rendering Editors > mental
ray > Shader Manager
Create
Create > Volume primitives
Rendering menu set
Lighting/shading
Lighting/shading > Material Attributes
Lighting/shading > Assign New Material
Lighting/shading > Assign Existing
Material
Lighting/shading > Assign New Bake
Set
Lighting/shading > Assign Existing
Bake Set
Lighting/shading > Batch Bake (mental
ray)
Lighting/Shading > Transfer Maps
Texturing
Texturing > Create Texture Reference
Object
Texturing > Delete Texture Reference
Object
Texturing > Select Texture Reference
Object
Texturing > NURBS Texture Placement
Tool
Texturing > Create PSD Network
Texturing > Update PSD Networks
Shading Windows and Editors
mental ray Custom text editor
Connection Editor
Hypershade
Hypershade window
Create bar
Sorting Bins
Hypershade tabs
Hypershade top tabs
Work Area tab (bottom tab)
Hypershade toolbars
Hypershade main toolbar
Hypershade tab toolbar
Hypershade menu bar
Hypershade menus
File > Import
File > Export Selected Network
Edit > Delete
Edit > Delete Unused Nodes
Edit > Delete Duplicate Shading Networks
Edit > Delete All by Type
Edit > Revert Selected Swatches
Edit > Select All by Type
Edit > Select Objects with Materials
Edit > Select Materials from Objects
Edit > Duplicate
Edit > Convert to File Texture (Maya
Software)
Edit > Convert PSD to Layered Texture
Edit > Convert PSD to File Texture
Edit > Create PSD Network
Edit > Edit PSD Network
Edit > Update PSD Networks
Edit > Create Container
Edit > Remove Container
Edit > Collapse Container
Edit > Expand Container
Edit > Edit Texture
Edit > Test Texture
Edit > Render Texture Range
View > Frame All
View > Frame Selected
View > As Icons
View > As List
View > As Small/Medium/Large/Extra
Large Swatches
View > By Name
View > By Type
View > By Time
View > Reverse Order
Bookmarks > Create Bookmark
Bookmarks > Bookmark Editor
Create menu
Create > Create Render Node
Tabs > Create New Tab
Tabs > Move Tab Up, Move
Tab Down, Move Tab Left, Move Tab
Right
Tabs > Rename Tab
Tabs > Remove Tab
Tabs > Revert to Default Tabs
Tabs > Show Top Tabs Only
Tabs > Show Bottom Tabs Only
Tabs > Show Top and Bottom Tabs
Tabs > Current Tab
Graph > Graph Materials on Selected
Objects
Graph > Clear Graph
Graph > Input Connections
Graph > Output Connections
Graph > Input and Output Connections
Graph > Show Previous Graph
Graph > Show Next Graph
Graph > Add Selected to Graph
Graph > Remove Selected from Graph
Graph > Rearrange Graph
Window > Attribute Editor
Window > Attribute Spread Sheet
Window > Connection Editor
Window > Connect Selected
Options > Create Bar
Options > Bins Sort Shading Node Only
Options > Display (Work Area Only)
Options > Keep Swatches at Current
Resolution
Options > Clear Before Graphing
Options > Show Relationships Connections
Options > Merge Connections
Options > Opaque Containers
Shading Nodes
Material nodes - Maya software
Surface materials
About surface materials
Common surface material attributes
Common surface material Specular Shading attributes
Anisotropic
Blinn
CgFX Shader
HLSL shader
Lambert
Layered Shader
Ocean Shader
Phong
Phong E
Ramp Shader
Shading Map
Surface Shader
Use Background
Shared surface material sections
Displacement material
About displacement material
Volumetric materials
About volumetric materials
Environment Fog
Volume Fog
Light Fog
Particle Cloud
Volume Shader
Fluid Shape
Common Volumetric material
attributes
Shading group node
Shading group node attributes
Texture nodes
Overview of texture nodes
2D textures
About 2D textures
Bulge
Checker
Cloth
File
Fluid Texture 2D
Fractal
Grid
Mountain
Movie
Noise
Ocean
PSD File
Ramp
Water
Shared 2D texture attributes
3D textures
About 3D textures
Brownian
Cloud
Crater
Fluid Texture 3D
Granite
Leather
Marble
Rock
Snow
Solid Fractal
Stucco
Volume Noise
Wood
Shared 3D texture attributes
Environment textures
About environment textures
Common Environment texture attributes
Env Ball
Env Chrome
Env Cube
Env Sky
Env Sphere
Other textures
Layered texture
Placement nodes
Place 2d Texture
mental ray for Maya shaders
mental ray for Maya nodes
mental ray mia_material/mia_material_x shader attributes
mental ray render pass utility shaders
Feature-based displacement map
Feature-based displacement map attributes
Image Planes
Image plane
Bake set nodes
Texture Bake Set
Vertex Bake Set
Maya Render Nodes
General Utilities
About General Utilities
Array Mapper
Bump 2d
Bump 3d
Clear Coat
Condition
Distance Between
Height Field
Light Info
Multiply Divide
2d Placement
3d Placement
Plus Minus Average
Projection
Reverse
Sampler Info
Set Range
Stencil
Studio Clear Coat
Uv Chooser
Vector Product
Color Utilities
About Color Utilities
Blend Colors
Clamp
Contrast
Gamma Correct
Hsv to Rgb
Luminance
Remap Value
Remap Color
Remap HSV
Smear
Rgb to Hsv
Surf. Luminance
Switch Utilities
About Switch Utilities
Single Switch
Double Switch
Triple Switch
Quad Switch
Toon
Toon shading
Toon shading overview
Toon examples
Adding toon lines and shading to a scene
Types of toon lines
Toon line connections
Work with toon lines
Hide and show toon lines
Modify toon line attributes
Paint toon line attributes
Use Paint Effects with
toon lines
Use a modifier to alter toon line and brush attributes
Paint additional lines in toon scenes
Convert toon lines to polygons
Work with toon shaders
Tips for working with toon shading
Troubleshoot toon lines
Toon menu
Toon
Toon > Assign Fill Shader
Toon > Assign Outline
Toon > Create Modifier
Toon > Set Camera Background Color
Toon > Get Toon Example
Toon > Reverse Surfaces
Toon > Assign Paint Effects Brush to
Toon Lines
Toon > Convert Toon to Polygons
Toon > Paint Line Attributes
Toon nodes
pfxToonShape node
pfxToonProfileShader node
lineModifier node
Lighting
Basics of Lighting
Light and shadow in the real world
Absorption, reflection, and refraction of light
Indirect (global) vs. direct illumination
Direct light sources
Sources of direct light
Default lighting in Maya
Light decay
Light linking
Shadow linking
Glows, halos, and lens flares
Shadow
Shadow in Maya
Depth map and raytraced shadows
Shadow catching
Apply and adjust basic direct lighting
Plan light sources
A typical direct light/shadow workflow
Create a Maya light source
Adjust a light source’s attributes
Move a light source to another location
Interactively place a spot, area or directional
light
Turn default lighting on or off
Position features of a light interactively
Show, hide, or resize a light manipulator
Move the center of interest or origin
Move the pivot point
Move the Cone Radius of a spot light
Move the Penumbra Radius of a spot light
Move the Decay regions of a spot light
Move barn doors (shutters) of a spot light
Light specific surfaces
Determine a light’s area of illumination
Link light sources to surfaces
Link sets of lights and objects
Select objects illuminated by a specific light
Select lights illuminating a specific object
Link light sources to surfaces to control shadow calculations
Control area lights
Control highlights of an area light
Control soft lighting distribution
Produce raytraced shadows
Adjust decay
Interactively set decay regions
Create custom spot light intensity or color decay
Adjust a spot light’s light circle
Control a spot light’s circle boundary
Apply barn doors (shutters)
to a beam of light
Create glows, halos, or lens flares
Create a light optical effect
Adjust the size of the glow object
Create environments that glow
Create illuminated fog
Cast shadows
See shadows in the scene view
Control which objects cast shadows
Render depth map shadows
Reuse depth maps
Render raytraced shadows
Catch shadows for an alpha channel
Remove shadows
Troubleshoot direct light sources
Troubleshoot lights don’t light the object
Troubleshoot surface glows affect glow of another surface
Troubleshoot glow flickers throughout animation sequence
Troubleshoot shader glow behind semi-transparent
object is too intense
Troubleshoot Shader Glow, Light Glow, and Light Fog
limitations
Troubleshoot turning on Emit Ambient volume light
attribute does not update the IPR render
Troubleshoot shadows
Troubleshoot shadow map problems
Troubleshoot inaccurate shadows from shadow depth
maps
Troubleshoot transparent objects cast shadows for
shadow depth maps
Troubleshoot shadow quality poor with light fog
Troubleshoot hardware shadows produce unexpected
results
Troubleshoot lights don’t cast shadows
Troubleshoot shadows flicker over animations
Troubleshoot jagged edges
Troubleshoot jagged or flickering shadow edges
Troubleshoot grainy or flickering shadows in illuminated
fog
Troubleshoot dark spots or streaks on illuminated
surfaces (outside of shadows)
Troubleshoot shadow appears detached from shadow
casting surface
Troubleshoot grainy or flickering shadow edges (raytraced
shadows)
Troubleshoot staircase of dark triangles on surface
(raytraced shadows)
Troubleshoot Dmap resolution changes don’t update
in IPR
Troubleshoot translucence limitation with raytraced
shadows
mental ray for Maya Lighting
mental ray for Maya Lighting concepts
Raytracing concepts
Global illumination, caustics, and final gather
Final gather and ambient occlusion
mental ray Light Source
mental ray Area Light
mental ray Native light linking
Native light linking in mental ray
Global illumination and caustics
Global illumination
Caustics
Color bleed
Participating media
Photon maps and photon tracing
Photon maps
Photon tracing
Final gather and HDRI
Final gather
Irradiance as the source of light
High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI)
Image-based lighting (sky-like illumination)
Sun and sky
Simulating the sun and sky
Shadow in mental ray
mental ray shadow maps
mental ray for Maya reference links
Create a mental ray area light source
Create a mental ray area light
Render with global illumination and caustics
Global illumination and caustics workflow
Set up mental ray for Maya raytracing
Turn on photon emission for a light source
Flag objects to cast and receive photons
Set scene-wide photon tracing overrides
Render with global illumination
Tweak color bleed
Render with Caustics
See the distribution of photons
Work with Final Gather
Final gather sample workflow
Retune the final gather settings for pre-Maya
6.5 scenes
Render with final gather
Store and reuse Final Gather results
Combine global illumination with final gather
Work with sun and sky
Adding sun and sky to your scene
Work with High Dynamic range images (HDRI)
Render infinitely distant (sky-like) illumination and
reflection
Render finitely distant illumination and reflection
Cast shadows
To create mental ray shadow maps
Render detail shadow maps in mental ray for Maya
Use detail shadow maps for colored shadows
Troubleshoot depth map shadow settings and volumes
Troubleshoot mental ray lighting
Troubleshoot directional light does not work well with
photons
Troubleshoot global illumination and caustics
Troubleshoot global illumination doesn’t work
or looks incorrect
Troubleshoot caustics don’t work or look incorrect
Troubleshoot final gather and HDRI
Troubleshoot final gather ignores Render Stats settings
Troubleshoot scenes with final gather render slower
in Maya 8.0/8.5/2009 than in Maya 7.0
Troubleshoot final gather renders black
Troubleshoot final gather file problems
Troubleshoot HDR image warning message
Troubleshoot mental ray for Maya shadows
Troubleshoot raytraced shadow artifacts
Troubleshoot shadows are not motion blurred when
the rasterizer is used
Troubleshooting shadow banding when light angle
on a directional light is set above 15 degrees
Troubleshoot fur shadows flickering
Troubleshoot soft shadows do not render correctly
when Simple Shadow Method is used
Troubleshoot depth map shadow quality with rapid
scanline rendering
Troubleshoot photon tracing
Troubleshoot photon tracing limitations
Troubleshoot photons are not bright enough
Troubleshoot no photons stored after emitting 10000
photons
Lighting menus
Create
Create > Lights > Directional Light
Create > Lights > Ambient Light
Create > Lights > Area Light
Create > Lights > Point Light
Create > Lights > Spot Light
Create > Lights > Volume Light
Rendering menu set
Lighting/shading
Lighting/shading > Make Light Links
Lighting/shading > Break Light Links
Lighting/shading > Select Objects Illuminated
by Light
Lighting/shading > Select Lights Illuminating
Object
Lighting/shading > Light Linking Editor
Lighting/shading > Make Shadow Links
Lighting/shading > Break Shadow Links
Panel menus
Lighting
Lighting > Use Default Lighting
Lighting > Use All Lights
Lighting > Use Selected Lights
Lighting > Use No Lights
Lighting > Use Previously Specified
Lights
Lighting > Two Sided Lighting
Lighting > Shadows
Lighting > Specify Selected Lights
Lighting Windows and Editors
Render Settings for Lighting
Lighting nodes
Light nodes
Directional Light Attributes
Ambient Light Attributes
Area Light Attributes
mental ray Area Light Attributes (created
using area light)
mental ray Area Light Attributes (created
using spot light)
Point Light Attributes
Spot Light Attributes
Volume Light Attributes
mental ray attributes for lights (point, spot, directional,
area)
Image based lighting node attributes
Light Effects
Shadow attributes
Glow nodes
Optical FX Attributes
Photon and final gather nodes
mapVizShape node
Rendering
About rendering and renderers
Rendering
Introduction to rendering
Hardware, software, and vector rendering
Renderers
Maya Software renderer
Maya Hardware renderer
Maya Vector renderer
mental ray for Maya renderer
Select a renderer
Camera set up
Cameras
Viewing cameras vs. rendering cameras
Maya camera types
Motion blur and depth of field
Focus and blur
fStop (aperture) and shutter speed/angle
Motion blur
Framing objects with a camera
Camera aim
Angle of view (focal length)
Safe display regions for TV production
Clipping planes
Create and use a camera
Create a camera
Adjust a camera’s attributes
Make an existing camera renderable
Turn scene view guidelines on or off
Adjust depth of field
Camera limitations
Look through (select) a camera
Select the current scene view’s camera
Look through another camera
Frame your scene
Move a camera to another location
Aim a camera
Look at selected objects
Frame selected objects
Frame all objects
Frame part of a scene
Save sequential camera movements
Troubleshoot Resolution Gate and Film Gate display incorrectly
Using a stereoscopic camera
Create a stereoscopic camera
Edit the anaglyph attributes of a stereoscopic camera
Render a scene with stereoscopic camera
Create a custom rig
Tessellation and Approximation
Tessellation and approximation
Introduction to Tessellation and Approximation
Maya tessellation
Primary vs. secondary tessellation passes
NURBS surface, poly, and subD tessellation
Tessellate NURBS surfaces
View Maya tessellation settings for an object
Adjust NURBS tessellation settings
Determine which objects to tessellate
Display NURBS tessellation triangles
Use span-based tessellation
Tessellate polygonal surfaces
Adjust polygonal tessellation
Tessellate subdivision surfaces
Display subdivision surface tessellation triangles
Adjust subdivision surface tessellation
Visualize and render images
Rendering methods
Interactive Photorealistic Rendering (IPR)
Render View rendering
Batch renders from within Maya (UI)
Render from a command line
Render output
File formats
Subfolders and names of rendered images
File output location
Pixel aspect ratio
Resolution
Frames vs. Fields
Color, Depth, and Mask (alpha) channels
Pre Render MEL and Post
Render MEL scripts
Layers and passes
Render layer overview
Working with render layers: different layer examples
Render layer concepts
Mask and depth channels
Render passes
Compositing Interoperability Plug-in
Compositing Interoperability Plug-in for Toxik
Render tiles in the Maya Software renderer
Render tiles
Visualize scenes and render images
A typical rendering workflow
Choose a rendering method
Set scene options
Open the Render Settings window
Render all or some objects from a camera
Set the rendered image file format
Set file name syntax
Set rendered images output location
Set the resolution and pixel aspect ratio
Enable color, depth, and mask channels for rendered
images
Create and view depth files
Modify a mask channel
Specify frame or field rendering
Run Pre Render MEL or Post Render MEL scripts
Adjust anti-aliasing
Adjust output image filtering
Create and load a plug-in multipixel filter
Set raytracing quality
Set motion blur
Maya software
Set IPR options
Set Paint Effects rendering options
Set per-material vector rendering options
Work with render layers
Work with layers
Work with layer overrides
Remove material overrides from objects in any
render layer
Assign different component shading for each render
layer
Work with attribute overrides
Preview layers
Render layers to PSD format
Batch and command-line render with layers
Duplicate an existing render layer
Naming render layers
Recycling rendered images to save time
Control visibility/reflection per layer
Merging display layers or render layers when importing
files
Visualize a scene
Visualize interactively with IPR
See shading and lights in a scene view
Test render a low-res still or frame
Test render a low-res animation
Render selected objects
Render a region of your scene
Perform final renders from within Maya
Render a single frame
Batch render a still or animation
Render with several processors
Perform command line rendering
Command line rendering
Render multiple scenes
Render multiple scenes
Work with the Compositing Interoperability plug-in
Work with Autodesk Toxik 2007
Work with Autodesk Toxik 2008
Troubleshooting Rendering
Troubleshoot image plane displays black swatch
Troubleshoot displacement is not displayed
Troubleshoot software-rendered is too bright
Troubleshoot Multi-UVs for NURBS don’t software
render
Troubleshoot NURBS surface does not appear when
rendering
Troubleshoot rendered image doesn’t match interactive window
display
Troubleshoot projection texture swims over an
animation
Troubleshoot transparent blobby surface rendering
anti-aliasing problem
Troubleshoot memory exceptions
Troubleshoot highlight artifacts close to object
edge
Troubleshoot background surfaces show through
Troubleshoot objects vibrate when an animation
is rendered as fields
Troubleshoot 2D Motion Blur problems
Troubleshooting Surfaces (Maya software)
Troubleshoot edits in the Texture Editor don’t
update in IPR
Troubleshoot looping renders
Troubleshoot render tiles
Troubleshoot assigning objects to Render Layers
through the Relationship editor
Troubleshoot render layer color indicators do
not appear correctly (Linux only)
Troubleshoot Interactive Photorealistic Rendering
(IPR)
Quality, render speed, diagnostics
Image quality and render speed
The speed/quality tradeoff
Anti-aliasing and flicker
Artifacts
Render speed
Maya render diagnostics
Improve rendered image quality
Adjust scene anti-aliasing parameters (Maya software)
Adjust per-object anti-aliasing parameters
Reduce artifacts and flicker
Increase render speed
Increase overall rendering speed
Increase surface rendering speed
Increase shadow rendering speed
Increase camera views render speed
Global illumination and caustics
Final Gather
Reduce render memory usage
Reducing memory usage
Cache texture tiles using BOT (block ordered texture)
Delete information not relevant to the renderer
Render parts of a scene separately
Decrease file size (Maya Vector renderer)
Strategies to decrease vector render file size
Diagnose scene problems
Run diagnostics
Sample diagnostic messages
Network rendering
Overview of network rendering
Maya network rendering
Managing Maya network rendering
Network render with Maya software
mental ray for Maya rendering
About the mental ray renderer
About the mental ray for Maya renderer
Motion Blur
mental ray for Maya motion blur
Approximation in mental ray for Maya
Approximation
Approximation nodes
Approximation styles
mental ray for Maya geometry types
Visualize and render images
Command line render
Exporting .mi files
Multi-render passes
Quality, render speed, diagnostics
mental ray for Maya diagnostics
Converting textures to optimized format
Network rendering
Overview of network rendering
mental ray for Maya network rendering
mental ray network rendering: Satellite and standalone
What you need to set up network rendering
Configuration files
mental ray for Maya reference links
mental ray for Maya Output window messages
Work with mental ray for Maya approximation
Create an approximation node
Assign an approximation node
Edit an approximation node
Unassign an approximation node
Delete an approximation node
Override approximation settings
Obtain quads for subdivision surfaces
Troubleshoot partial creases rendering as full creases
Control Fine approximation triangles
Setting Fine approximation cache limit
Control Fine approximation triangles
Tweak Approximation node settings
Render time smoothing of polygon meshes
Smooth polygon meshes at render time
Rendering a smooth polygon mesh
Render a smooth polygon mesh using Smooth Mesh
Preview
Contour rendering
Adding a contour to your scene
Work with multi-render passes
Introduction to multi-render passes: a simple workflow
example
Sample workflow for multi-render passes
Exporting the multi-render passes for compositing
in Toxik
Set scene options
Open the Render Settings window
Modify a mask channel
Adjust anti-aliasing in mental ray for Maya
Set motion blur in mental ray for Maya
Perform command line rendering
Rendering from the command line
Export .mi files
Export a .mi file and render with mental ray
Managing your scenes using render proxies
Using render proxies in your scene
Material assignments for render proxy
Increase render speed
Increase overall rendering speed in mental ray
for Maya
Increase surface rendering speed in mental ray for
Maya
Increase shadow rendering speed in mental ray for
Maya
Diagnose scene problems
mental ray for Maya error handling and diagnostics
Network rendering
Network render with mental ray for Maya
Set up mental ray network rendering
Set up a master machine with mental ray for Maya
or mental ray for Maya Satellite
Verify which hosts file is being read
Change the set of slaves used for mental ray for Maya
renders
Set up a master machine with mental ray standalone
(method 1)
Set up a master machine with mental ray standalone
(method 2)
Slave machine setup
Submit a job to render over the network
Dynamic Attributes for mental ray for Maya
Dynamic Attributes
Troubleshoot mental ray for Maya rendering
Troubleshoot general mental ray for Maya rendering
issues
Troubleshoot render layers do not render correctly
when exporting a .mi file
Troubleshoot Motion Blur
Troubleshoot Surfaces
Troubleshoot final gather causes flicker
Troubleshoot Network rendering with mental ray for
Maya
Troubleshoot exporting .mi files
Appendices
Appendix A: Extra mental ray render
settings
Appendix B: Creating camera output passes with mental
ray for Maya
Appendix C: Additional mental ray for
Maya rendering commands
Appendix D: Render layer presets
Work with layer presets
Render layers example: automotive preview
Appendix E: Render Passes for Maya software renderer
Work with render passes
Appendix F: mental ray user framebuffers
mental ray for Maya user framebuffers
Create, edit and delete user framebuffers
miDefaultOptions node
mentalrayUserBuffer node attributes
mentalrayOutputPass node
Rendering menus
File
File > Export All, Export
Selection (mental ray)
Modify
Modify > Convert > Displacement
to Polygons
Create
Create > Cameras > Camera
Create > Cameras > Camera and Aim
Create > Cameras > Camera, Aim,
and Up
Window
Window > Rendering Editors > Render
View
Window > Rendering Editors > Hardware
Render Buffer
Window > Rendering Editors > Render
Settings
Window > Rendering Editors > Hypershade
Window > Rendering Editors > Rendering
Flags
Window > Rendering Editors > Shading
Group Attributes
Window > Rendering Editors > Multilister
Window > Rendering Editors > mental
ray > Approximation Editor
Window > Rendering Editors > mental
ray > Custom Text Editor
Render
Render > Render Current Frame
Render > Redo Previous Render
Render > IPR Render Current Frame
Render > Redo Previous IPR Render
Render > Test Resolution
Render > Run Render Diagnostics
Render > Batch Render
Render > Cancel Batch Render
Render > Show Batch Render
Render > Render Using > Maya Hardware
Render > Render Using > Maya Software
Render > Render Using > Maya Vector
Render > Set NURBS Tessellation
Render > Render Using > mental ray
Render > Export All Layers to Toxik 2007
Render > Export Selected Layers to
Toxik 2007
Render > Export to Toxik 2008
Render > Export Pre-Compositing
Panel menus
View
View > Select Camera
View > Camera settings
View > Camera Attribute Editor
View > Camera Tools
View > Image plane
Stereo
Stereo > Center
Eye
Stereo > Active
Stereo > Horizontal
Interlace
Stereo > Checkerboard
Stereo > Anaglyph
Stereo > Luminance
Anaglyph
Stereo > Freeview
(Parallel)
Stereo > Freeview
(Crossed)
Stereo > Background
Color
Stereo > Set
Color Using Preferences
Renderer
Renderer > Default Quality Rendering
Renderer > High Quality Rendering
Renderer > <Custom
Renderer>
Rendering Windows and Editors
Approximation Editor
mental ray Approximation Editor
Surface Approximation settings (Attribute Editor)
Render Layer Editor
Render Settings
Render Settings window
Render Settings: Common tab
Render Settings: Maya
Software tab
Render Settings: mental
ray tabs
Render Settings: Maya
Hardware tab
Render Settings: Maya
Vector tab
Create Render Passes window
Custom Stereo Rig Editor
Render View
Render View menu bar
Render View toolbar
Rendering Flags
Rendering Flags window
Hardware Render Buffer
Hardware Render Buffer window
Hardware Render Buffer global settings
Hardware Render Buffer menus
Rendering nodes
Render Layer attributes
Render Layer render attributes
Render pass nodes
Render pass Attribute Editor
Render pass set Attribute Editor
Render pass contribution map Attribute
Editor
mental ray for Maya
Dynamic Attributes for Rendering
Dynamic Attributes for Rendering
Transform node mental ray attributes
Transform node mental ray rendering attributes
Object-specific mental ray attributes - Attribute
Editor
mental ray
Object-specific render attributes
- Attribute Editor
Render Stats
Smooth Mesh Render
Vector Renderer Control
Texture Map
Tessellation
NURBS objects tessellation
Rendering Utilities
Small Utilities
blur2d
from100to97
interlace
filePaste
fileStats
imconvert (Image Magick)
imgcvt
FCheck
Overview of FCheck
FCheck windows
Overview of FCheck features
FCheck options
FCheck hotkeys
Frame numbering and padded numbers
Start FCheck
Open a file in FCheck
Control animation playback in FCheck
Open image sequences
Adjust color values
Save images or sequences
Use FCheck with
sound
Use FCheck with
Maya
FieldAssembler
About the FieldAssembler
Reassembling Field Rendered Images
Define Sequence Dialog
Using the Command Line
Command line renderer
Command line renderer
Render from the command line
Stop a command line render
Using customized renderer
Rendering Utilities Tools
Common flags for the command line renderer
Renderer-specific flags for the command line renderer
Rendering Utilities Windows and Editors
FCheck
FCheck options list
Display keys
Image adjustment keys
Animation playback control keys
FCheck supported file formats
Supported save formats
FCheck File menu
Fcheck View menu
(Windows)
FCheck Help menu
(Windows)
FCheck Mouse controls
FCheck Control
Bar
FieldAssembler
File menu commands
Edit menu commands
Help menu commands
Translators and Exporters
Translators
Introduction
to Translators
Maya Translators
FBX file translator
FBX file translator
IGES Translator plug-in
IGES Translator plug-in
StudioImport Plug-in and Translator
StudioImport
Export plug-ins
MayaToAlias export plug-in
Wavefront (OBJ) export plug-in
RenderMan (RIB) export plug-in
Maya OpenFlight Importer/Exporter
Overview of OpenFlight
Import/export OpenFlight files
User Interface
OpenFlight > Create Light Points
OpenFlight > Create Lights on Curve
OpenFlight > Edit Light Point Colors
OpenFlight > Edit Light Point Normals
Workflow Considerations
Supported OpenFlight Beads
Known Issues
Games
Introduction
Introduction
Run a games translator
Customize and rebuild translators
Build the necessary translators
Installing on different platforms
Load translators in Maya
VRML2 Translator
Overview of VRML2
Install the VRML2 translator
Set VRML2 properties in Maya
Import a VRML2 file using wrl2ma
Menus
File
File > Export All > VRML2
RTG Utility and File Format
Overview of RTG translator
Install the RTG translator
Menus
File
File > Export All > RTG
RTG translator options
Game Exchange 2 Translator
Overview of GE2 translator
Install the GE2 translator
Menus
File
File > Export All > GE2
MDt API
Overview of Games export toolkit
Incorporate functions/ideas
Use the MDt
library
Find API function documentation
Use the MDt API
Minimal
Program example
Basic Program
example
Developer Resources
API Guide
Maya API introduction
Introduction
Loading a Plug-in
Unloading a plug-in
Writing a simple plug-in
Important plug-in features
Interacting with Maya
MObject
Wrappers
Objects and Function Sets
Naming Conventions
Adding arguments
Error checking
MStatus class
Error logging
Selecting with the API
Overview of selecting with the API
MGlobal::setActiveSelectionList()
MSelectionList
MItSelectionList
setObject() method
MFn::Type enumeration
MGlobal::selectByName()
Command plug-ins
Overview of adding commands to Maya
Registering commands
MFnPlugin
initializePlugin()
uninitializePlugin()
Creator methods
MPxCommand
Returning results to MEL
Syntax objects
Flags
Contexts
MPxContext
MPxContextCommand
Tool property sheets
MPxToolCommand
Attaching a plug-in to a Maya menu
Third party installation of plug-ins
DAG Hierarchy
Overview of the DAG Hierarchy
Nodes
Transforms and shapes
DAG paths
Generalized instancing
Transforms with multiple shapes
DAG walking example
Writing a Shading Node
Overview of shading node plug-ins
Writing a shading node plug-in
Anatomy of a shading node plug-in
InterpNode example code walkthrough
Shading nodes classification
Shading node icons for Hypershade
Special shading nodes
SuperSampling within shading nodes
Evaluating shading nodes outside of the rendering
context
Dependency graph plug-ins
Overview of dependency graph plug-ins
Parent class descriptions
The basics
Dependency Graph (DG) nodes
Nodes
Attributes and plugs
Complex Attributes
Data blocks
Data handles
Data creators
Compute methods
A more complex example
MPxNode and its derived classes
Manipulators
Overview of creating manipulators
What is a manipulator?
Base manipulators
Writing a manipulator
Manipulator containers
Communication between manipulators and nodes
Connect manipulators to the Show
Manipulator Tool
Shapes
Shapes in Maya
Shape classes
Writing a shape
Drawing and refresh
Selection
Components
Tweaks and internal attributes
Geometry data
File IO
Deformers
Marking Menus
Example Shapes
Writing a Hardware Shading Node
Overview of hardware shading node plug-ins
Implementing a hardware shading node plug-in
A hardware shading node plug-in example
Improving the performance of hardware shaders
Hardware Shading node plug-in
examples
Writing a Custom Transform Node
Overview of custom transforms
Implementing a custom transform
Example custom transform
Custom Transform node examples
Writing a Deformer Node
Overview of Deformers
Implementing a Deformer Node
Deformer Node Example
Deformer Examples
Writing File Translators
Overview of File Translators
Implementing a File Translator
File Translator Examples
File Translator Examples
Polygon API
Overview of Polygon API
How polygons are handled internally
The five basic polygonal API classes
Construction History and Tweaks
polyModifierCmd example
splitUVCmd example
Poly exporter plug-ins
Setting up your build environment
Introduction to building plug-ins and applications
Compiler Requirements
Linux environments (64-bit)
Linux compiler requirement
Using a debugger to debug your plug-ins
Windows environment (32-bit and 64-bit)
Installing the Maya Plug-in Wizard
Maya Plug-in Wizard 2.0(32 bit version)
Maya Plug-in Wizard 2.0(64 bit version)
Mac OS X environment
Maya Python API
Introduction to Maya Python API
The Development Kit
Using the Maya Python API
Differences between the C++ Maya API and Maya
Python API
Technical Notes
Generic Attributes
Threading and Maya API
Internationalizing plug-ins
Overview of the Maya API Internationalization
Architecture
Internationalization Process
Localization Process
Example code
Translated resource file for Japanese
Translated version of the closestPointOnCurve.pres.mel
resource file
Example Plug-ins
Overview of example plug-ins
Example stand-alone applications
Example C++ plug-in descriptions
Example stand-alone application descriptions
Shader source code examples
ASHLI shader
Example Scripted Plug-ins
Appendices
Appendix A: NURBS Geometry
Appendix B: Dependency graph rendering nodes
Appendix C: Rendering attributes
Appendix D: Frequently asked questions
Appendix E: API and Devkit limitations
Appendix F: Adding Image Plug-ins
Environment Variables
Overview of environment variables
Setting and getting environment variables within
Maya
Setting environment variables using Maya.env
Setting environment variables using system commands
Standard paths
General variables
File path variables
Rendering variables
Mac OS X specific variables
Linux specific variables
File Formats
Maya ASCII file format
About file formats
Maya ASCII file format
Overview of Maya ASCII file format
Write file translators
Embedded comments
Organization of Maya data
Organization of Maya ASCII files
Animation curves
Overview of animation curves
Import anim curves
Export anim curves
Anim File
Format
Maya Image File Format - IFF
Overview of Maya IFF
Generate IFF files with Maya
View and convert IFF images
Program with the IL and FL libraries
Use example programs
Additional resources
IFF Format overview
Introduction to the image library
Extensions to the IFF format
Channel move
files - MOV
Channel move files (.mov)