Maya / 3DE Tool - Copy/Paste Object from Maya to 3DEqualizer4

[david-cattermole]

Feature

Users want to use mmSolver for solving features and then take their work back to 3DEqualizer for refinement or QC.

The reasons for doing this could be:

1. Speed - using 3DE4 rather than Maya is sometimes faster.
2. Quality - using 3DE4 to check object matches to plate is easy in 3DE4.
3. Special Tools - There are some tools in 3D4 (such as this) that are not convenient in Maya.

Therefore, we need something similar to the Copy/Paste Camera tool, but for 3D transforms and geometry.
This tool needs to support copying (static) geometry. The geometry needs to be exported from the origin in Maya and baked into the .3de file. Examples: a character head object track, or any other object track.

The concept of an (animated or static) 3D transform with static geometry is named an "Object".

Usage Steps (static LIDAR / scan geometry)

1. Select static geometry node(s) in Maya
   • If the node is referenced, the referenced file path is stored, not the mesh.
2. Run tool
3. Open 3DE
4. Select Camera Point Group
   • Because a Camera Point Group is selected, it is assumed the 3D transform is static.
5. Right-click > Paste Object...
   • Create geometry in the same world-space as Maya
   • If the geometry is referenced .obj in Maya, then load the referenced geometry and apply a transform to match in world-space.

Usage Steps (Animated transform with static geometry)

1. Select animated geometry(s) in Maya
   • (Optional) Select an animated locator as the pivot point for the geometry
   • If the node is referenced, the referenced file path is stored, not the mesh.
2. Run tool
3. Open 3DE
4. Select Object Point Group
5. Right-click > Paste Object...
   • Import the Geometry from Maya (with correct pivot point)
   • Set keyframes on the Object Point Group to match the world-space in Maya.

Software Versions

• mmSolver version: Latest.
• Maya version: All supported
• Operating System (OS): All supported