Maya 2019 files created on Mac do not open on Windows

[JabbaTheNut]

I created a simple file in Maya 2019 on a Mac.  When I tried to open the file in Maya 2019 on Windows, the file would not open.  While searching for a solution, I stumbled onto this Autodesk article:

Maya 2019 files created on Mac do not open on Windows

The article indicates that the cause of this problem is:

Unsupported folder naming conventions (punctuation) in the Project Folder system. For example:

Cornering/Pivoting

The "/" is not a supported naming character. In this example, Maya converts the file name to "Cornering:Pivoting" when opening or importing the file.

It then suggests that the solution to the problem is as follows:

Rename the folders to comply with supported naming conventions and characters: numbers, letters, periods, and underscores.

My response was "How do I do that?"  The article does not address how to handle path convention differences between Mac and Windows, which is apparently the real problem.  Also, there is no indication that the problem is going to be fixed by Autodesk.  I don't know when the Mac/Windows path issue first became a problem, but I don't recall having an issue until Maya 2019.

Please note...

I do not have any references to outside files and I use the Set Project option in Maya.

My questions to the forum are:

1) What do you think Autodesk means?

2) Is the implication that using Maya in a mixed Windows and Mac environment is not supported?  If so, I never noticed that before now.

3) How would you suggest to resolve the problem?

[sean.heasley]

Hi @JabbaTheNut 

I believe the easiest way to fix this would be to have the scene file on a simple file path. For example, if you bring it over from your Mac to Windows, leave the file on your desktop and name it something simple like My_Scene.

That way the file path is only Desktop\My_Scene and you shouldnt have to worry about any errors. You could also just export everything as an fbx from your Mac and then import that fbx into your Windows machine if you'd rather do that.

The root of the issue just may be the difference for how Mac file paths use / while windows file paths use \  

[JabbaTheNut]

OK.  As it turns out, this was not related to Mac vs. PC paths.  It is specifically related to my Surface Pro 4.  I was able to open the subject file on my Mac and on a PC workstation with a very good graphics card.  However, when I try to open the file on my Surface Pro 4, it just hangs and stays frozen.  I have to use task manager to quit the Maya process.

To rule out the Mac as an issue, I created a new file on my beefy PC.  When I tried to open that file on the Surface Pro 4, it hung as well.  While I don't know specifically what is causing the hanging problem on my Surface Pro 4, I know for certain that it has nothing to do with my Mac.  I suspect it is related to the graphics card on the Surface Pro 4.

Please note that this behavior is relatively new.  I know everything worked in Maya 2017.  I don't recall a problem in Maya 2018, but I didn't use my Surface Pro 4 much with 2018.  Maya 2019 definitely doesn't work.

Is anyone else experiencing this problem?  For now, I will mark this issue as resolved.

[JabbaTheNut]

I stumbled onto something...

In my previous tests, I was recreating my original file that was causing the problem.  That file included basic geometry and a single bend deformer.  The behavior was as follows:

1. Create file on beefy PC or Mac.

2. Launch the file on both Mac and beefy PC.  This worked fine.

3. Launch on Surface Pro 4.  This fails.

My initial thought was that the problem must reside with the graphic card.  However, I decided to try one more thing.  I removed the bend deformer and tried to launch the file again on the Surface Pro 4.  It worked!

Surprised by this, I created two new files with different geometry (one with a bend deformer and one without).  I then launched these files on the Mac, beefy PC and Surface Pro 4.  Both files launched fine on the Mac and beefy PC.  The file with the bend deformer failed on the Surface Pro 4.  The file without the bend deformer launched fine.

At this point, it is clearly the bend deformer that is causing the launch failure on the Surface Pro 4.  Why would this be?

[sean.heasley]

Hi @JabbaTheNut 

That is really unusual.

What happens if you make a file with basic geo and bend deformer on the surface pro and then open it on your Mac or Windows?

Also, if you export them as an fbx from your Mac or Windows and then import that into your surface pro does it still not work?

[mspeer]

Hi!

For me it looks like a GPU problem or something similar (Bend Deformer can be GPU accelerated).

You could also try:

1. Disable GPU Override

https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2019/ENU/?guid=GUID-1B2D8791-55F7-4FF8-8DFC-56AC86630FFC

2. "Import..." instead of "Open Scene...".

3. Set Evaluation mode to "DG" before opening the scene.

4. Use Legacy Viewport.

[JabbaTheNut · Accepted solution]

@sean.heasley and @mspeer ,

Thank you for your help.  I tried all that you two suggested (i.e., uncheck GPU Override, use DG mode, import instead of open, etc.).  Nothing worked.  I then did the following:

On Beefy PC

1. Remove bend deformer

2. Export geometry as .obj

3. Create new file and import .obj geometry

4. Create bend deformer as before

5. Save file as .mb

On Surface Pro 4

1. Open the newly created file

The file opened on the Surface Pro 4 with no problem!  The successful file is basically the same as the unsuccessful file.  The main difference was the source of the geometry.  In the unsuccessful file, the geometry was modeled from scratch (tweaks, adjustments, etc. BUT no history other than the bend deformer).  In the successful file the geometry was imported from an exported .obj file.

In the end, I now believe the issue was related to the mesh in the unsuccessful file.  Something about exporting the geometry to .obj and re-importing it corrected the problem.  It is really weird.

Anyway, the three of us have spent enough time on the issue.  I will chalk it up as a user related anomaly and move on.