Multiple references of the same object

[nico_the_last]

Hi, I'd like to know if there is a way to import, say, 20 times the same file as a reference in my scene, without having to manually insert a new prefix each time in the option box of the "Create Reference" command...?
This is because I'd like to setup a shelf button that would create a reference of an object and as I plan to create a lot of references of the same object, I'd like if there such a way to manage this annoying name clashing with the references creation...
Thanks.

[future_animator_88]

Did someone reply to this thread- unfortunately i didn't find a way of doing it yet- I would like to do that too since I'm animating bunch of snakes in one scene- probably we have to wait until someone finds a solution for this

[patrick-woo]

Hi The following code will create 20 references of the same file into your Maya scene.

Run this in a Python tab in Maya's Script Editor. 

# --
from pymel.core import *
 
 
# provide a full path to your reference file 
sourceFile = r'E:\myTestReference.ma' 
for x in range(20):
    refNode = createReference(sourceFile, namespace='')
    # refNode is a FileReference node
    print 'created refNode:', repr(refNode)
    # Result: FileReference(u'E:/myTestReference.ma', refnode=u'myTestReferneceRN')
# --