instance shortcut?

[Anonymous]

Is there a default keyboard shortcut or a way to enusre that each time I duplicate an object it will be an instance and not a copy?

A couple of versions back the "instance"option was moved to the "duplicate special" menu.  In my experience, the only way to ensure that my duplicates are in fact instances is if I use the menu item each time I create an instance.  If I use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift +D the resulting objects are copies and not instances.

Our workflow relies on referencing outside files, then creating hundreds of instances of these references to populate the environment.  If anyone has any ideas on how to ensure that duplicates are ALWAYS instances I'd really appreciate it.  Otherwise the scene file size becomes way to bloated.

Thanks in advance!

[halfstone · Accepted solution]

I don't think there's a default one, but you can certainly make one easily enough.  Set up your "Duplicate Special" tool the way you want it, then perform the operation on any object. Open the script editor, and you'll see the MEL command that was executed when you pressed the button. 

You can drag this command up to the shelf, or you can associate it with a hot key in the hotkey editor.  

[tony.su]

Open tools options, switch to instance, save settings. And then you can use Ctrl + Shift +D to instance what you want.

[Anonymous]

Perfect, thanks!

[Anonymous]

This is the method I was using before, but Maya doesn't seem to store my options.  Using Ctrl + Shift + D was creating duplicates.

I created a shelf button for now.  Thanks!

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@tony.su wrote:

Open tools options, switch to instance, save settings. And then you can use Ctrl + Shift +D to instance what you want.

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