Search and replace tool not working as expected

[m_armstrong5]

I created a hierarchy of joints that were all uniquely named. I duplicated the hierarchy which all looked fine (root joint being given a 1 suffix)

I then used the Search and Replace names tool to find the word that prefixes all the joints and replace it with another but when I did so, the names were completely out of sync.

I checked the original hierarchy several times and asked a colleague to do so and no issues with names were found (I gathered them in a list and pretty printed them out to double check also)

The only way the tool seemed to work is if I had the joint hierarchy on its own in a separate file which then meant renaming the joints would work. I ended up with 4 separate files that I then had to import back into my rig file. I am testing again on a different machine today to test this out, but is this an issue anyone else has had?

Update: I have tested this on a few machines now, created new joint hierarchies with valid names. After duplicating the joint hierarchy and using the search and replace tool, it doesnt do like for like naming. The skin_jnt_ROOT joint was renamed to rig_jnt_toe_right. The cog name was given to one of the hand joints. The whole hierarchy is named incorrectly.

Seems all the names are there, but not in the right order. 

I am now using a rename tool I wrote myself, but this is a fundamental tool that is having issues. Maya 2024 works fine.

Using Maya 2025.1 (Windows 10)

Thanks

[syracoj]

m_armstrong5,

could I trouble you for your scene file please? Could you zip it up and attach here?
Also, do you have lookdevx loaded? If you do, could you unload lookdevx and see if that makes any difference. 
I did a quick test on my side but haven't been able to reproduce the issue.

[m_armstrong5]

I am unable to supply the scene file due to NDA, but the scene file is irrelevant as this is repeatable on any machine and I have had other staff try this out and have the same result. Perhaps try and create a joint hierarchy yourself and then duplicate and rename it using the same tool. The hierarchy had approx 120 joints in it, all uniquely named and this was tested by two other staff, but it still did not rename the copied hierarchy correctly.

[m_armstrong5]

After checking, it appears that the indexing is out of sync by 1 and it seems that the count starts at 1, not 0. The last item in the original hierarchy is what is used for the name of the first joint in the copied hierarchy, but that still doesnt explain how some items are named skin_ and some are rig_

Very odd, but I am just using a different renaming tool now.

kind regards

[syracoj]

We tried a few tests on our side and we were unable to reproduce. Without a scene file there isn't much that we can do. With the image above could you expand the outliner so we can see the rest of the hierarchy? Is there any Outliner settings you are using we should know about (settings perhaps all artists would have had set for them)?

[m_armstrong5]

No special settings, just default Maya prefs. I am collating some data from other staff doing the same thing. I am asking them to build some hierarchies in a different way. Some of the joint chains were created separately, but then parented together, which should not be an issue as this is the way we have always done this. I tried the same process in Maya 2024 and it works fine, just seems to be out of sync with the indexing when trying it on Maya 2025.

Currently we are just not using it anymore and are using our bespoke in house tool to rename object, which doesn't produce the same issue on the same duplicated hierarchy. 

Below is an image from a simple file I created today using Mayas inbuilt tool. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Simple hierarchy duplicated and rename settings before rename edit. In the duplicated joints, I selected the sk_COG1 and then shift selected the sk_toe_right joint in the duplicated hierarchy to get the selection.

After renaming...

Some items are not renamed properly, some are out of sync. 

As a test, I deleted the duplicated hierarchy and then duplicated the original again. This time, I selected the sk_toe_right joint (last joint in duplicated hierarchy) first and then shift selected the sk_COG1 joint and ran the rename tool again, which appears to have renamed the duplicates correctly. 

So it appears there is some issue or discrepancy in the name/selection order. This is only a quick test though, more are underway.

[syracoj]

thanks for the additional info. At first the images didn't load but they finally loaded in. We'll take another look given this new information. Thank you.

[syracoj]

when you say:
"Below is an image from a simple file I created today using Mayas inbuilt tool. Nothing out of the ordinary."
what tool are you referring to? Just the joint tool?

I recreated the hierarchy using the joint tool and selected the cog then the toe as you described and used the rename tool without issue. I'm on mac so I'll have someone try on windows.

[syracoj]

also, could you try and unload zooToolsPro, SM_Tools, and UHBER_rig to see if that makes any difference?

[syracoj]

my colleague tried on her windows system and was unable to reproduce the issue either.

[m_armstrong5]

Hi Thanks for the replies, in answer to previous replies:

What tool? I only used the joint tool to create the hierarchy with and the Search and replace tool that ships with Maya, as mentioned in previous posts is the tool I am having issue with. (for clarity)

Also, the ZooTools and UHBBR shelves are not an issue as they have been used on all previous versions of Maya and never had an issue, so I doubt it is that, but I will remove them and try again, though I am confident that it is not that. (famous last words!! 😄)

I am due to do an update to 2025.2, so perhaps I may do a fresh install on a different machine and see what a vanilla install produces.

I have a colleague looking at our startup scripts as well, see if that turns up anything. Its mildly annoying, but not a project breaker, so I am sure that it will be resolved at some stage. In any case, our own tool does the job of renaming, so able to keep moving forwards.

[syracoj]

m_armstrong5,

we were still unable to reproduce this issue on our end. Did you try the update to 2025.2? Any difference in behavior there? What about the startup scripts?

[syracoj]

Coming back to this...
You made mention before that you couldn't share the scene file due to NDA. Even the simple skeletal scene above you can't share? Eventhough we were not able to reproduce internally we would still like to give it another go but we would like to have that simple skeletal scene and perhaps your Maya 2025 prefs if possible. If not we would understand but thought I would take another stab at it.