How To Replace Reference File With Mel..?

[kurt-wong]

Hi all,

we are working on a project of animation in linux, while our customer's os is windows. Here the problem is we can't open their scene files because of the invalid path of referenced files, such "Z:/...", is there any way to replace the file path automatically by mel when SceneOpened, any suggestions are appreciated!

[joojaa]

use relative paths. If you use the references form within your project dirs maya knows how to keep track of this as long as you zip up your entire project.

[kurt-wong]

to Joojaa,
thank you for your reply, as a matter of fact I even can't open the file correctly in batch mode because of the invalid absolute paths, how can I convert the absolute paths to relative ones. my solution is finding a windows computer, map the net drive to make the same path as in the files, then open the file and save to ma format, replace all the absolute paths with relative ones, then open the ma file and save back to mb format. all that done with mel but still take a long time. I'm looking forward to a easy way to do with it.

[joojaa]

Why on earth would anybody want to use mb files anyway? (trust me if you screw up a mb file the datas gone, if you screw up ma file most of it is preplecable) If size is problem zip the ma file.

Okay a dense referene MIGHT be sane as a mb. But not the body file.

QUOTE
as a matter of fact I even can't open the file correctly in batch mode because of the invalid absolute paths,

Yes off course because eit cant find the refernces, but you can open files without loading references, this way you can change the path names before you load them up. Offcourse you can fix them at the source:

Offcourse you can just change them relative to begin with. This REQUIRES you to use project folders tough! No way around it im afraid. (and a project cant reside in the root of a dirve on windows. so z:\project isnt possible but z:\projects\project is a valid protect dir).

No maya at hand right now so i cant wirte code for you but ist just 4 to 5 lines really.

[kurt-wong]

Joojaa,

QUOTE(Joojaa @ 01/02/08, 03:40 AM) [snapback]279000[/snapback]
Okay a dense referene MIGHT be sane as a mb. But not the body file.

I agree with you!

QUOTE(Joojaa @ 01/02/08, 03:40 AM) [snapback]279000[/snapback]
... but you can open files without loading references, this way you can ...

yes you can open files without loading references only when the references are VALID. this way you can get the paths of references.
but what if the reference files are invalid...?

[jamespiechota]

The 'dirmap' command may help as a temporary solution - but, as has been discussed, you'll probably eventually need to write some sort of script to permanently remap all the reference paths.