Unrecognized File Type but its a .MA and Maya won't read any files for me at all even after reinstall. Help Please!!!

[babranchal1]

Hello everyone. I am having some issues with trying to open my animation file in Maya. I keep getting a "unrecognized file type" error message on any file I try and open within Maya. I have tried all of my incremental saves to get something to open. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Maya. 

This is the MEL Script error messages I get: 

file -f -new;
// untitled
commandPort -securityWarning -name commandportDefault;
onSetCurrentLayout "General";
// Warning: Arnold renderer not loaded.
// The MtoA plug-in needed for this scene is not loaded.
// Make sure Autoload is on in the Plug-in Manager.
// See this article for more detail.
// https://www.autodesk.com/maya-arnold-not-available-error
file -f -options "v=0;" -ignoreVersion -loadReferenceDepth "all" -typ "mayaAscii" -o "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking01.ma";{addRecentFile("S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking01.ma", "mayaAscii");};
// Warning: file: S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking01.ma line 8: Reference file not found. : S:/Animation 2/Animation 1//Rigs/malcolm_v200-uqnkfg/malcolm_v200.ma
evalDeferred "shaderBallRendererMenuUpdate";
import arnold
import mtoa
import mtoa.cmds.registerArnoldRenderer;mtoa.cmds.registerArnoldRenderer.registerArnoldRenderer()
updateRenderOverride;
import mtoa.viewport;mtoa.viewport.add_controls()
updateRenderOverride;
// Warning: line 1255: The default image may not be modified. Use the -i/image flag instead.
// File read in 18.5 seconds.
updateRendererUI;
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/setProject.mel line 355: New project location S:/Animation 2/Animation 1 is not a valid directory, project not created.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/performFileAction.mel line 64: No translator found.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/setProject.mel line 355: New project location S:/Animation 2/Animation 1 is not a valid directory, project not created.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/performFileAction.mel line 64: No translator found.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/setProject.mel line 355: New project location S:/Animation 2/Animation 1 is not a valid directory, project not created.
file -f -options "v=0;" -ignoreVersion -loadReferenceDepth "all" -typ "mayaAscii" -o "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining02.ma";{addRecentFile("S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining02.ma", "mayaAscii");};
// Warning: file: S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining02.ma line 8: Reference file path remapped from 'S:/Animation 2/Animation 1//Rigs/malcolm_v200-uqnkfg/malcolm_v200.ma' to 'S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/Rigs/malcolm_v200-uqnkfg/malcolm_v200.ma'.
// Error: ... "malcolm_v200RN.placeHolderList[630]" ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining02.ma" line 1293.1376957: Unterminated string.
// Error: setAttr -s 14 ".kox[4:13]" 1 1 1 1 0.99720664012730198 0.99935714760743632
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining02.ma" line 8298.8: Syntax error
// Read 2 files in 58.2 seconds.
// Error: Error reading file.
// Error: Error reading file.
// Viewport 2.0 floating point render target is turned on for color management.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/performFileAction.mel line 64: No translator found.
file -f -options "v=0;" -ignoreVersion -loadReferenceDepth "all" -typ "mayaAscii" -o "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining01.ma";{addRecentFile("S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining01.ma", "mayaAscii");};
// Error: ...fileInfo "AnimSchoolPickerData" "AA7XrHja7D0JXEzf91OKNhFJ1hYhjNRUpBRNe2RJ0lBSTRvtq1aVkr6FlIpIRFkihEIqRIvIkiSpRCFp16bF/755M22iZt
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining01.ma" line 20.392301: Syntax error
// File read in 0.031 seconds.
// Error: Error reading file.
// Error: Error reading file.
// Viewport 2.0 floating point render target is turned on for color management.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/performFileAction.mel line 64: No translator found.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/setProject.mel line 397: The directory "S:/Animation 2/Branchal_Beth_Animation2_Sprint2024/scenes/" is not valid.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/performFileAction.mel line 64: No translator found.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/others/performFileAction.mel line 64: No translator found.
file -f -options "v=0;" -ignoreVersion -loadReferenceDepth "all" -typ "mayaAscii" -o "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking08Done.ma";addRecentFile("S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking08Done.ma", "mayaAscii");
// Error: ...ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking08Done.ma" line 1.655365: Syntax error
// Error: setAttr ".ed" -type "dataReferenceEdits"
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationBlocking08Done.ma" line 3714.8: Syntax error
// Error: MayaASCII file was missing a 'requires' statement, and may not have loaded as expected.
// Warning: Errors have occurred while reading this scene that may result in data loss.
//
// Please check the Script Editor for details.
// File read in 0.058 seconds.
// Viewport 2.0 floating point render target is turned on for color management.
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2024/scripts/startup/initMainWindow.mel line 21: window: Object 'projectWindow' not found.
file -f -options "v=0;" -ignoreVersion -loadReferenceDepth "all" -typ "mayaAscii" -o "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma";{addRecentFile("S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma", "mayaAscii");};
// Error: ...ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma" line 1.741505: Syntax error
// Error: setAttr ".ed" -type "dataReferenceEdits"
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma" line 3748.8: Syntax error
// Error: MayaASCII file was missing a 'requires' statement, and may not have loaded as expected.
// Warning: Errors have occurred while reading this scene that may result in data loss.
//
// Please check the Script Editor for details.
// File read in 124.8 seconds.
// Viewport 2.0 floating point render target is turned on for color management.
playbackOptions -min 0 -max 1266 ;
file -r -type "mayaAscii" -ignoreVersion -gl -mergeNamespacesOnClash false -namespace "malcolm_v200" -options "v=0;" "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/Rigs/malcolm_v200-uqnkfg/malcolm_v200.ma";
// File read in 675.1 seconds.
// S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/Rigs/malcolm_v200-uqnkfg/malcolm_v200.ma
file -f -options "v=0;" -ignoreVersion -loadReferenceDepth "all" -typ "mayaAscii" -o "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma";{addRecentFile("S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma", "mayaAscii");};
// Error: ...ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma" line 1.741505: Syntax error
// Error: setAttr ".ed" -type "dataReferenceEdits"
// Error: "S:/Animation 2/Animation 1/scenes/ObstacleCourseAnimationSplining03.ma" line 3748.8: Syntax error
// Error: MayaASCII file was missing a 'requires' statement, and may not have loaded as expected.
// Warning: Errors have occurred while reading this scene that may result in data loss.
//
// Please check the Script Editor for details.
// File read in 2.9 seconds.
// Viewport 2.0 floating point render target is turned on for color management.

The rig I use in this is the Malcom_V200 rig from AnimSchool.com 

[stephenkmann]

Looks like you have multiple issues going on.

The first I see is that it's trying to load the malcolm rig from the S drive. but can't find it.

this could be from the file not existing. or perhaps you haven't mapped the S drive to the correct directory

the second is that what is is loading. is looking for a "requires" statement, but doesn't have it. 

Did you edit the ascii in  a text editor?   you may have deleted the requires line by mistake.

First I'd try fixing your drive mapping. 

and then try and reload and see if you still get errors

hth

-=s