# Expression versus SetDrivenKey

**URL:** https://forum.highend3d.com/t/expression-versus-setdrivenkey/49324
**Category:** Maya
**Tags:** rendering-lighting
**Created:** [January 15, 2010, 10:02am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/expression-versus-setdrivenkey/49324 "2010-01-15T10:02:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![maju](https://forum.highend3d.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@maju](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/maju)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2010, 10:02am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/expression-versus-setdrivenkey/49324/1 "2010-01-15T10:02:24Z")

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Hello,

first I have to say "Sorry"&nbsp; for my bad english, I'm from germany.

My question is:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; is it true that an Expression&nbsp; takes up more rendertime / capacity than SetDrivenKey ?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; My animation-main-file has 6 reference file in it, some off them have one or two attributes with an expression.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Now someone said thats much faster to render with SetDrivenKeys.

Is that true ?

Thanks   
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Marco Juergens

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### Author: ![thnkr](https://forum.highend3d.com/user_avatar/forum.highend3d.com/thnkr/32/115_2.png) [@thnkr](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/thnkr)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/expression-versus-setdrivenkey/49324/2 "2010-01-15T15:12:53Z")

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That would depend on the expression. There are situations where I would prefer to have a node-based solution over an expression, but I don't think I would use Set Driven Keys. What are you using the expressions for?

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### Author: ![puffpastry](https://forum.highend3d.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/59ef9b/32.png) [@puffpastry](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/puffpastry)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/expression-versus-setdrivenkey/49324/3 "2010-01-15T16:07:24Z")

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I am new to Maya and I have encountered a problem. When I create a poly cube in the view port I do not get the PolySphere 2 tab which gives me the ability to sub divide the cube.  
I have a 2009 anniversary edition of Maya at home and this happened also on the 2008 version I have at school.  
I have asked my teacher why this does not appear . It did orginally and then poof gone.  
I am stumped and I have also searched thru Google to see if there are any others out there with the same issue. Nothing was found  
Am I pressing something I should not have?  
Even resetting the program does not work?

Any thoughts?

Puffpastry