cacheFile

(This node is referring to the geometry cache/nCloth cache format. For details on particle caches, see Particle disk caching. For details on hair, fluids, and jiggle cache, see Use hair caches, Create fluids cache files, and Using a disk cache for jiggle animation.)

This node stores all the settings for a single geometry cache. Changes to this node’s attributes do not affect its associated cache file on disk. See cacheFile.

In the dependency graph and Attribute Editor, geometry caches are represented as objectShapeNodeName#Cache# nodes. For example, BallShape1Cache1, BallShape1Cache2, and BallShape1Cache3 are the names of the three geometry cache nodes that contain the cache settings for an object named Ball. In the Trax Editor, geometry caches are represented as cache clips. Changing a geometry cache node’s settings also changes the settings of their corresponding geometry cache clips.

Cache File

Base Directory: Specifies the directory in which the current geometry cache node’s original cache file resides on disk. By default, the base directory is: \maya\projects\default\data.
Cache Name: Specifies the name of the current geometry cache node’s original cache file on disk.
Enable: When on, the current geometry cache node’s deformations are used by its object on playback. When off, the current geometry cache node’s deformations are not used by its object on playback.

See Enable or disable geometry caches, Enable or disable geometry cache clips, and Enabled/disabled clips.
Start Frame: Specifies the starting time of the current geometry cache node’s playback. You can change this attribute to modify when your geometry cache node’s playback begins.
Scale: Expands or contracts the time range of the current geometry cache node. If you increase the scale, the geometry cache node’s deformations playback slower. Decreasing the scale has the opposite effect. See Scale geometry cache clips.
Hold: Specifies the number of frames to hold the last frame of the current geometry cache node. See Hold geometry cache clips and Hold.
Pre Cycle/Post Cycle: Specifies the number of cycles that come before (Pre Cycle) and after (Post Cycle) the current geometry cache node.

You can use cycles to repeat the deformations contained in your geometry caches. See Cycle geometry cache clips and Cycle.
Source Start/Source End: Specifies the start frame number and the end frame number for the range of frames from the original cache on disk that are contained in the current geometry cache node. The Source Start and Source End values will not match the Original Start or Original End values if the current geometry cache node has been trimmed.

You can edit these values to use only part of the current geometry cache node. See Trim geometry cache clips.
Original Start/Original End: Specifies the start frame number and end frame number of the current geometry cache node’s original cache file on disk. These values are read-only.
Reverse: When on, the current node’s nCache plays in reverse, starting with the cache’s last frame. Reverse is off by default.
Oscillate: When on, the current node's nCache oscillates between reverse and forward playback every other cycle, creating a continuous playback loop. Oscillate is off by default.
Multi Thread: When on, the cacheFile node is setup for multithreading during playback. Multi Thread is off by default.
Queue Size (frames): Indicates the number of frames of the cacheFile node’s cache Maya will try to preload and keep in memory if multithreading is enabled, but is not setup to preload the entire cache. Queue Size (frames) is 20 by default.
Display Load Progress: When on, the percentage of the multi thread cache memory queue that is full is displayed. Display Load Progress is on by default.

Cache Description

Displays a selection of the information contained in the XML description file for the current cacheFile node. For more information on the values contained in the Cache Description, see Geometry cache XML description file.