How much rig are you keeping in XSI for your render model? Personally I would prefer to only export the meshes from maya, without hierarchy (and have none in xsi).
Doing that with crate doesn't *only* export deforming point caches, it will export kinematics if the object is being animated in a hierarchy I did a simple test like that *- Null* (animated) * - Null* (animated) * - Geo* <-- export without hierarchy as point cache only [image: Inline images 2] XSI: *Model* * - Geo* Select the *Model* import alembic with these settings [image: Inline images 1] That should attach the cache to any objects in the selected model (import root selection) that match the object names in the .abc file strip namespaces (likely you need to) add the time control to the model rather than scene root (optional) And that attached cache to the kinematics so the object is rotating not just deforming. I hope that's helpful! Sorry if it's too simplistic! Simon Reeves London, UK *[email protected] <[email protected]>* *www.simonreeves.com <http://www.simonreeves.com>* *www.analogstudio.co.uk <http://www.analogstudio.co.uk>* On 22 April 2015 at 09:23, Morten Bartholdy <[email protected]> wrote: > I have a complex vehicle which is animated in Maya and needs to be > exported to Softimage for shading and rendering. I am using Crate for > export and import, having a shaded Master model in Softimage and attaching > animation only to the existing geometry. There are some snags though, and > the Crate documenTation is kind of slim on this, so I thought I would ask > the Alembic savvy people here. > > > The model is rigged so rigid geometry is constrained to a hierarchial > rig which is then animated. Hierarchial meaning for instance a crane arm > with several hinged parts. There are deformed tubes which are part of the > crane arm, so eventually I need pointcache as well as SRT exported. > > > When I use the built in Maya alembic exporter I get almost all of the > animation, but it seems certain constraints are nok baked and exported, > plus a few parts jump to wrong positions where identically named parts > (with individual numbering) are positioned. Using Crate I can export the > geometry with animation and import the whole thing fine, but when I try > attaching the same file animation to existing geometry (the shaded master > model) I only get the top hierarchy controllers SRT. The naming is > identical and I strip Maya namespaces, so that should not be a factor. > > > How do you guys manage a Crate workflow similar to this and are there > any particular pitfalls, or do's and don'ts? Specifically I fail to find > the various export options comprehensively documented, so it is a bit > unclear how to be sure to export pointcache for deformed objects and SRT > for rigid ones. > > > Any insight in this wil be much appreciated - thanks! > > > Cheers > > Morten > > >
