exporting multiple time editor compositions each as a clip into one fbx file

[Anonymous]

I've been looking over the doc for the game exporter:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Maya/fil...

This implies that in order to export the clips, they still have to be arranged in such a way that they're all in a sequence, with no clips overlapping any other.

I have a fbx file with multiple animation clips/takes, which I can import into the Time editor by dragging it in. I want to be able to easily add new clips to this fbx file, but it seems like there's no other real way of doing it apart from importing it as a sequence of clips, and then manually re-adding each individual animation clip as well as the new one. It seems absurd that there's no better way. I have to be missing something, right?

Can't I import  the fbx file into the Time editor as multiple compositions, add the new clip as a new composition, and then export out each composition as a new take? I've tried looking this up online, but I can't find it anywhere. Is there no feature to export each composition as its own separate take and but have it all be in one fbx file?

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

If I understand correctly your issue is trying to add additional clips to the fbx file. Are these clips you have already animated or still have to animate?

You should be able to select the cross symbol to add a new clip to any rig you have selected even if you are just importing a new character with new animations.

Let me know if this solved your issue or feel free to post again with screenshots and/or a video of your issue!

[Anonymous]

These are clips I've already animated. I'm basically creating a new fbx file with all the different animation clips I've made combined.

What I'm confused about is the fact that when I drag fbx with multiple animations into the time editor, I have 3 options, right? 

I can either drag them in one whole group under one composition,

Or I can have each clip as a separate composition

Or I just import them as a sequence all in one cli

I'm really glad there are all these different ways I could import and edit animation clips, but I'm confused about re-exporting them back out as one fbx file with separate animation clips. 

It seems like the only way i can do that is through the Game Exporter, but all the clips essentially have to be in a sequence, and you have to manually enter the start and end for each one. Right now I don't have a lot of animations, but this isn't a great solution for when I have a lot more animations on the model. Every time I add one little animation, it looks like I have to go through the whole process of importing as sequence, manually adding each clip in the exporter and manually set the start and end. The way clips work is all through one timeline. 

Is there any way at all where I could import the complete animations into maya each as its own separate composition, and export each composition as a separate animation take into a fbx file? That way, all I need to do is create a new composition with the new animation, and just export that out with the other compositions.

I'm used to being able to open a fbx file in motionbuilder and easily being able to merge new animations in, but I don't have access to motionbuilder right now. 

I'm not sure I understand what you're referring to with the 'cross symbol'. are you talking about  the add symbol inside the game exporter?

Images edited by request

Discussion_Admin

[sean.heasley · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

Ok now I understand a bit more. Unfortunately your best bet is still using the game exporter and manually setting the start and end frame to each animation before exporting them all the one fbx file. 

You could also just try the standard fbx export although I doubt that will accomplish what you're trying to do.

Here's a video as well on game exporter for reference

[Anonymous]

I actually found a pretty good workflow using the game exporter in Maya. Thanks for your help! I just wanted confirmation that what I thought I couldn't do really wasn't possible, so I didn't spend too much time looking in the wrong direction.