New keyframes overwrite all the old

[899372461]

I'm a student using a copy of Maya provided by my college. Two weeks ago, using my provided Maya 2024, I discovered a problem during my Animation class. I set made sure to select all the models in the animation, set the keyframe (using "S"), moved the time slider, adjusted my model, set the next keyframe, and repeated. After the 4th repeat, I moved the timeslider back to view the animation's progress, only to discover there was no animation at all. Every previous keyframe now matched the last keyframe I had set.

I have since downloaded and tried this on 5-8 different Maya character rigs since, have uninstalled and reinstalled to Maya 2025, all with the same or similar issues every time. There have been no error messages or warnings other than some (not all) of the models getting an "Unsupported Nodes" warning at initial loading. I am now behind by an assignment because of this issue, preventing me from doing any work for that class. Every search online only resulted in basic beginer "How to set a keyframe" results, which are not helpful at all.

Has anyone heard of or encountered this problem before? Does anyone have any idea what is causing this?

[kelly_hynes]

Hello,

What happens when you press 's' to set a key?

Ctrl-s is the shortcut for saving the scene:

Kelly

[syracoj]

If you were using s to set keys then the next thing to try is to delete your preferences.
Close Maya, then on windows it will be C:\Users\yourUsername\Documents\maya\ then delete or rename the numerical build version of maya (2025 folder for instance). Then restart Maya, new preferences should be generated and see if that helps. If not, report back to us.

On Mac the preferences should be /Users/yourUsername/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya

[899372461]

I deleted all the preferences. It was the first thing my teacher recommended. After that I tried uninstalled Maya 2024 and upgraded to Maya 2025, and it did nothing at all. -_-

[899372461]

I apologize, I posted incorrectly. I actually had been just pressing "S" to set keyframes, not Ctrl-S. In my frustration, my ADHD/Autistic brain defaulted to the Ctrl+S when I was writing the post, as I usually press it for saving. I'm still getting used to using Maya, so haven't gotten most of the standard keybinds locked into my habits yet. I'm sorry for the mix up.

[syracoj]

Can you zip and attach/upload your scene file here please?

[kelly_hynes]

ok.  To answer your question, this is the first time I've heard of this.  In a simple test with a sphere, can you set keys normally with 's'?  Can you set keys by rmb click on channels in the channel box and choosing 'key selected'?

Kelly

[899372461]

Which one? I've been getting this issue with multiple scenes and models over 2 versions of Maya.

[899372461]

That's another thing that's strange. Basic Geometry with no rigging doesn't seam to be affected much, if at all. But any fully rigged geometry/character just gets locked.

Here is a link to a 2-minute recording I made showing the error happening. After watching it, let me know if I just forgot to do something. I would really prefer it's just my ADHD brain glitching on me.

Maya Not Working Example 

[syracoj]

Can you zip up that scene in the video and upload here to us for analysis please?

[stephenkmann]

 Did you show your teacher what you are doing !?!?!  

 Because you are not keying your controls..

You are only keying the TOP group of your character!

When you hit "s" or use the menus in the channel box. you only set keyframes on the selected objects.

so. you want to select both those arm controls.. and press "s" 

Then slide the time slider. and move the arms,

keep the arms selected. and press 's' 

With Maya open, goto the "help menu" 

and under tutorials. select "intro to animation" 

and DO the tutorial

you can also press F1 and look at the "intro to maya" section.

There are also lots of animation tutorials on youtube. like this one

https://youtu.be/BbeiG1YmmDc

hth

-=s

[899372461]

I tried both setting the keyframes with the controllers just hidden, as well as with the controllers visible, and in both cases I made sure they were selected along with the geometry, and there was no change at all. It still had the same results.

😔

[stephenkmann]

in your video.. the controls ARE NOT SELECTED

I don't know why you are hiding and showing your controls. That has nothing to do with keyframing the controls.

You can tell when you have multiple objects selected in the channel box. as there will be "..." at the end, to signify multiple objects selected. ( like at 0;38 you can see it says "L_Shoulder_FKCtrl..." in the channel box. ) 

in your video. (0:44) )You have the shoulder controls selected, but then  you are clicking on the "Ryu_rig" in the outliner.. and making the "Ryu_rig" object your only selection. ( note the name in the channel box)

You can also see that you aren't keying the controls, as the channels are blank, and not "red" to signify that they have keys on them. 

Why don't you try, moving a control, and immediately hitting "s" to key it, then without deselecting the control, move the time slider. and then move that control again, and hit "s" again to set a keyframe.. 

-=s

[899372461]

I meant that I did another test after you mentioned that about my video. I tried exactly what you are suggesting just before I posted that reply( hoping it really was something that simple), and was letting you know the results of the test where I was following your advice. Keeping the controls visible and having them selected with the geometry for each keyframe made no difference.

Also, the controls are actually parented together with the geometry under "RYU_RIG", so having that selected actually selects both the rig AND the geometry.

On a side note, it isn't my own rig, it is one I found online.

[stephenkmann]

Hierarchy has nothing to do with what gets keyed..

only what is selected gets keyframed! 

 Selecting the TOP group of your rig. will only key the TOP group of the rig.. ( and nothing else)

unless you have "Hierarchy --> "below" " set in the setKeyFrame options. but I really wouldn't advise that at all on a rig.