You can assign edits exported with the Export to Offline File feature to objects in your scene by referencing or importing them. This allows you to quickly share tweaks between different files.
Maya assigns edits by matching each nodename.attribute in the edit file to the file it’s being applied to. For example, you can export a reference edit for pSphere1.translateX in the scene sphere.ma. This edit is saved in the reference file as <main>:pSphere1.translateX. You can then assign this edit to the scene ball.ma so that ball:pSphere1.translateX is edited.
Assigning edits to a referenced file
To apply offline edits to a referenced object
Valid edit files appear with the extension .editMA or .editMB.
If you chose to apply the edits via reference, the offline edits file appears in the Reference Editor at the bottom of the list of references. A reference node for your edits file also appears in the Outliner. To view the reference node you must turn off DAG Objects Only in the Outliner’s Display menu.
Like other referenced nodes, you can load and unload the reference edits file to view the scene with and without the reference edits.
If you chose to apply the edits via import, the offline edits are baked into your scene. No entry for them appears in the Reference Editor, but you can remove them in the Reference Edits window (for more information, see List, copy, or remove reference edits).
Assigning edits to the main scene
You can also assign an edits file to an object in the main scene.
To assign offline edits to an object in the main scene
Valid edit files appear with the extension .editMA or .editMB.
The edits are applied to the main scene. If you check the Reference Editor, you can the referenced edits file.
In either scenario, you can also import edits such that no reference entry is created for those edits.
To assign edits to the main scene via import
The edits are applied to the main scene. Unlike edits applied via reference, no entry for the edits appear in the Reference Editor and thus those edits cannot be muted or undone.
Depending on the way your project is setup and the location of your fiels, Maya may require you to remap namespaces in order to assign edits properly.
The Remap Missing Namespace window appears.
The left side of this window shows you the automatic remapping that will take place. The right side shows you the namespaces which have no corresponding mapping.
In general, <root> refers to the root namespace and <main> refers to the current workspace.