Display Layers are not included in reference scene file when exporting selected objects as reference.

[Ithritable]

I would like to know if it is possible to have display layers also be carried over into reference files when exporting selected objects as reference. Because I don't understand why creating display layers within a reference file itself can be carried over when reference is being imported into a new scene, but a reference file does not have pre-existing display layers from a scene it was created from.

[daunish]

You asked:
"is possible to have display layers also be carried over into reference files when exporting selected objects"

Yes, that's Maya's default behavior. When you export a selected object as a "ma" or "mb" file (never use mb), Maya will also export any associated sets.

The display layer as you see them in Maya is a unique set, aptly called "displayLayer". You can see them in our outliner if you turn off "DAG object only". If you export an object not connected to a displayLayer node, then one does not get exported with your object. You can confirm if an object is exporting with a display layer, by opening your "ma" file in a text editor and then searching for the display layer name or node type. These nodes do not get exported in some other export format (such as obj).

If you are not getting display layers when exporting a selected object that is connected to a display layer, then something is going wrong in your Maya. If that is the case let me know.

Also as a note:
"I don't understand why creating display layers within a reference file itself can be carried over when reference is being imported into a new scene"

This sounds like you are referencing assets into a scene, then creating display layers, then importing that newly created scene into another scene. This is pretty crazy stuff and I'd caution against it. Keep references as references and try not to nest them into other scenes.

Hope this helps, let me know.

[Ithritable]

I definitely don't want to nest reference. It's just that, when I export selected objects as reference, whether it be as ma or mb, I can't tell if the new scene is a reference file or not. It contains no actual references, just looks the same as any regular scene; only containing the exported objects and nothing else.
What's even more confusing is that the old scene ends up having references of the selected objects I just exported from that scene, as if it's doing the exact opposite.

On the other hand, after learning a little bit more about how references. I think it's easier to create reference from within a new scenes.

But you had me @ mb file export. Funny enough, most of my scenes are mb files, so that's probably the reason why it might not be working.

[daunish]

Interesting, it doesn't seem like your core issue is with display layers. 

A test:

Create a new Maya scene, make some spheres or whatever. This scene can now my referenced in a new scene.

Instead, select the objects in the scene and export selected as a ma file.

Open a new Maya scene, open the reference editor and add the scene with the objects you just exported.

Is this coming in as a proper reference? As in, do the objects in the scene contain namespaces?

"What's even more confusing is that the old scene ends up having references of the selected objects I just exported from that scene, as if it's doing the exact opposite."

That is insanity, and if that's the case, then delete your prefs. If that doesn't work, reinstall Maya, something seriously broken is going on here.

Maya mb files are typically smaller in size, but that is their only benefit. They are a cancer to any pipeline and not used at any studio I've ever worked at. I don't let my team use them. They are unreadable by a text editor and prone to corrupting when Maya crashes on save. Just avoid them.

Let me know about the ref issue.

[Ithritable]

That's funny, all this time I was under the impression that mb files were suppose to be better than ma files. Guess I was wrong.  Now that you mention it, Maya is a bit messed up with the version I'm using. Like the GPU is somehow no longer compatible with the arnold render, color transform for the viewport display is never right everytime I open a new scene, despite preference changes, and just recently I was trying to find the light editor and it's nowhere to be found. Not in the toolbar, not in the windows menu, or anywhere. Seriously, I've checked everywhere. The only way I'm able to access it is by typing it in the Search of the Help menu. I don't know if it's suppose to be some sort of plug-in, but I'm starting to consider installing Maya 2023 at this point.

But I digress...

Well anyways, I did what you instructed and yes, all the references have namespaces, however, the display layers still didn't carry over from the old scene. Oh, and the same thing happened where the selected objects in the old scene also ended up becoming the reference inside the old scene, exactly like last time. By the way, was I suppose to save the scene before exporting the selected objects?

[daunish]

OH! got it! Darn, I never clicked this setting before because it seemed totally useless to me. Sorry, that took so long.

Check the attached image and make sure the circled setting is off:
"Keep only a Reference"

Should solve all your reference issues.

As for the other weird issues you're having, I got no clue. 2022 was a really problematic version for me for other reasons so I just skipped it, maybe you should do the same.

Let me know, good luck!

[Ithritable]

Duh! Why didn't I do that in the first place? Not the "Keep only a Reference" option; that was always off.
But I should've realized that --exported the selection-- and --exporting selection as reference-- is basically just the same thing. Well, except for the part where references of the selected objects end up being made in the same scene they were just exported from. Although, I'm pretty sure there's some sort of option to stop that from happening.

Well, anyways, thanks for the help. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna install 2023.