2016.5mod: New and legacy layers coexistent

[h.schoenberger]

As you might know, Maya 2016.5 is not able to even batch render old scenes that contain the legacy layer system.
If you do not change the preference setting and restart Maya. But then you cannot render the new system any more.
Which means that you have to change your render pipeline with multiple maya preference files and change the submission to know which scenes need which prefs. Pipeline TDs love to work on changes that would not be required.
 
As it seems now, this exclusive access to one system was a decision by Autodesk.
Perhaps users could get confused if you create new layers and your scene still contains old layers...
Or they use the wrong UI for the layer system of the scene. Or one UI will crash if used on the wrong system. Who knows..
 
 
Anyway, I have created a mod for Maya.
You can either use a part to update your render farm that batch rendering works no matter the layer system.
Or you can update your Maya UI that you can work on old and new scenes without restarting Maya. Maya will switch the system on internally on scene load (but it will not switch the UI, you have to use the right one)
 
www.BinaryAlchemy.de/download/Maya2016.5_NewAndLegacyLayers.zip
 
 
Let me know what you think and inform me about any issues.

[h.schoenberger · Accepted solution]

Just to be clear:

2016.5 is 2016 ext 2  and not sp5

[joel4HN3E]

Works great! Thanks very much.

[Arthur.L]

i have tried this mod in several different ways but i don't understand how to install it.  the install part does not make sense to me, i find the instructions difficult to follow because the read me in written in short form. 

could you please re-write the read me install part to be more clear, step by step; folder by folder.

thank you.

[h.schoenberger]

Hi

The folder names and filenames match exactly the names in your Maya installation.

Installation instruction "Copy the file mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel into your Maya application folder":
You will find that file in the zip in
Maya2016.5\scripts\others\mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel
and the same file exist in your Maya app folder at the same location:
Maya2016.5\scripts\others\mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel

I could write this file by file or folder by folder, but this would not change anything.
Take a look in your Maya installation folder and you will see the same folder names.
You have to replace files, so all files that are in the installer zip have to be in your Maya app folder.
If you do not find a file, please use the explorer/find function to search for files.

[tonylehy]

Hey Dude, thanks for your contribution, I cant tell you how much this helps i've been a user since maya 5, I've given up on my old scenes, I've wanted to re-render them in HD for so long but hate having to rebuild the scenes.

[Arthur.L]

thank you!!!

[pabloemmanueldeleo.tutor]

The other solution is create renderSetupLayer empy in Render Setup a save you scene.