Export a solution

When you have finished a solution, you can export the solution camera and 3D locators. Use export to share with Maya Complete users or to transfer to another application. The applications supported are Avid^® Softimage^®, Discreet^® Inferno^® and Discreet^®Flame^®.

Versions supported

Discreet: 1.4.1IR
The export extension is .txt, which can be read by Discreet Inferno.
Avid Softimage: 3.7
The export extensions are .ani, .dsc, .hrc, etc. The export script assumes Avid Softimage is installed locally. If it is not local, refer to Export to Avid Softimage on another machine.

To export a solution

Select the final solution in the Solve control panel.
For Maya Complete export only: Select any geometry you want to export.
Turn on or off the As Object checkbox as needed.
If As Object is not checked, Live exports an animated camera and static 3D locators. If As Object is checked, Live exports a static camera and animated 3D locators.

NoteIn some cases, Inferno and Flame require a static camera (for example, to produce lens distortion effects). To accommodate this requirement, turn As Object on. The visible result will be the same once you import into the Discreet software.
Select Scene > Export Scene As, and select either Maya Complete, Discreet, or Avid Softimage.
Do one of the following:
- Specify the file location and click Export.
- For Avid Softimage export only: Complete the fields described below and click Export.
  Location of Soft DB
  
  Specifies the top-level directory containing the Avid Softimage database. The database directory can be either local or on a network. This directory should have the following sub-directories: ANIMATION, CAMERAS, MODELS, SCENES, and SETUP_SOFT.
  
  Prefix for Scene
  
  Specifies the prefix of the Avid Softimage naming scheme. For example, if you want the name to be studio-stainx1.0, enter studio as the prefix.
  
  Scene Name
  
  Specifies the scene of the Avid Softimage naming scheme. For example, if you want the name to be studio-stainx1.0, enter stainx1.0 as the scene name.
  
  NoteFor the Avid Softimage export, you receive various files in the database directories (ANIMATION, CAMERAS,MODELS, SCENES, and SETUP_SOFT). When you import into Avid Softimage, load the scene file from the SCENES directory.

Export to Avid Softimage on another machine

The export utility assumes Avid Softimage is installed locally on your machine. If it is not local, two issues arise:

The export utility must be able to locate an Avid Softimage database directory structure. You must either specify one on the network or create a dummy database directory structure.
Some Avid Softimage utilities are required to complete the export. You must run these utilities, hrcConvert and bin2ascii, from the command line of the machine where Avid Softimage is installed.

The following instructions explain how to work around both issues.

Perform these steps only if your machine cannot access the target Avid Softimage database across the network. In this case, you must use a temporary, dummy database directory. Otherwise, export as usual and specify the remote Avid Softimage database in the Location of Soft DB field.

Export to a dummy database directory

Create a dummy Avid Softimage database directory, such as LivetoSoft.
Create the following sub-directories under the dummy database directory:
```
ANIMATION
```
```
CAMERAS
```
```
MODELS
```
```
SCENES
```
```
SETUP_SOFT
```
Use all capitals for the directory names.
When you export the solution ( Scene > Export Scene As > Softimage), specify the dummy database directory (such as LivetoSoft) in the Location of Soft DB field.

Because your machine does not have Avid Softimage installed, the export utility can only create ASCII files. You must convert several of these ASCII files to binary using Avid Softimage utilities on your Avid Softimage machine. Follow these instructions.

Run Avid Softimage conversion utilities

If you exported to a dummy database: Copy the files from the dummy database to the actual Avid Softimage database.
```
./ANIMATION/scenename-cam_init1.1-0Ascii.ani
```
```
./CAMERAS/scenename-cam_init1.1-0Ascii.cam
```
```
./MODELS/scenename-pointA_3DAscii.hrc ... ./MODELS/scenename-pointZ_3DAscii.hrc
```
```
./SCENES/prefixname-scenename.1-0.dsc
```
```
./SETUP_SOFT/prefixname-scenename.1-0.sts
```
where scenename and prefixname are the scene and prefix names you specified in the Avid Softimage export window. Notice that the MODELS directory contains one file for each 3D locator.
Log into the machine with Avid Softimage installed.
Run the following command to convert the exported file in the ANIMATION directory.
```
bin2ascii scenename-cam_init1.1-0Ascii.ani scenename-cam_init1.1-0.ani
```
Run the following command to convert the exported file in the CAMERAS directory.
```
bin2ascii scenename-cam_init1.1-0Ascii.cam scenename-cam_init1.1-0.cam
```
In the MODELS directory, list all the 3D locator files you need to convert by typing the following command:
```
ls scenename-*_3DAscii.hrc
```
Run the following commands to convert each file in the MODELS directory.
```
hrcConvert scenename-pointA_3DAscii.hrc scenename-pointA_3D.hrc
```
```
...
```
```
hrcConvert scenename-pointZ_3DAscii.hrc scenename-pointZ_3D.hrc
```
where scenename is your specific scenename and pointA and pointZ are your specific point names.
Leave the files in the SCENES and SETUP_SOFT directories as they are.
To import into Avid Softimage, load the scene file.