FBX import with merge

[Anonymous]

I think there may be a bug in Maya 2018 related to merging an imported FBX into an existing one and specifying a custom namespace.

Running the operation manually, using File->Import... works as expected.

However, if I copy the resulting file command from the script editor (see below) and run again, in a fresh target file, the operation does not work as expected. It's as though the target namespace is being ignored, but only when run from the script editor.

Here's the mel command that fails:

file -import -type "FBX" -ignoreVersion -ra true -mergeNamespacesOnClash true -namespace ":mocap" -options "v=0" -pr -importFrameRate true -importTimeRange "override" "C://TestFiles/mocapSource.fbx";

This is directly copied from the script editor after successfully merging an animated skeleton with bones in namespace "mocap" into a non-animated rig file which has the same hierarchy.

The problem is that when run from the script editor, the keyframes on matching bones are not copied as expected. Only if I first delete the namespace does it work. And yet, manually, it works great....weird.

Any ideas? Would really appreciate any help! Thank you!

-Len

[jordan.giboney]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for posting and including steps to reproduce this issue! I just tried testing it with Maya 2017 Update 5, but was not successful - the keys appeared to come in at the correct location on the timeline. Any chance you could send/post a screen capture of what you are experiencing? I would love to make sure that I am not missing a specific setting or step along the way 🙂

Thanks again for taking the time to report this! Once I can reproduce it, I would be happy to file this as a defect so our Development Team can take a look at it. 🙂

[jordan.giboney]

Hi @Anonymous

Just wanted to check in and see if you had a chance to review my last post 🙂 I'd love to dig into this a bit more. If I can make the same problem happen on my machine, I can do a screen capture, log a defect internally, and then send it off to our Development Team to investigate. 

Thanks again for posting about this! I look forward to hearing from you 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hey, thanks for checking in!

Internet was down yesterday so I couldn't get an example up.

I will put together a sample file that shows the problem (or perhaps proves that my original example is messed up).

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

I'm just checking in again to see if you need more help with this. When you get a chance, can you please post a file here so I can take a look at it?

If your issue is solved, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[Anonymous]

Hello.

Is there a private support address I can upload test files? I'm not comfortable posting our company files publicly.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Yes there is! You can actually send them to me in a private message and they will only be accessed by me while I am working with you!

Let me know when you get a chance to send the file to me!

[Anonymous]

Hmm. Unless I'm blind I see no attachment option when sending private messages, only at the bottom of this "reply" window (which is public).

So...I'll get them into a shareable google drive space and get back to you shortly. Thanks.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Thank you for providing the file and the repro steps!

I followed a long and noticed a few things that seemed off.

First, when I imported the mo cap rig I noticed its horizontal and doesn't line up with the model at all and when you playback the animation it jumps really far off screen. Not sure if this is the same on your machine but I might do a reset of my Maya to make sure.

Second, when I tried to import the mo cap via the script command, like you I didn't see any changes but I did get this error.

Did you see this at all on your machine?

[Anonymous]

Yes! I saw those same errors and I believe what just happened in your file happens on mine: There is another skeleton hierarchy in that file, with no namespace, but the same named bones.

The import (using mel command) attaches the incoming keyframes to that hierarchy rather than the one specified by the mocap: namespace.

Those errors, I believe, are due to the fact that the wrong hierarchy also has constraints.

But...if it was working as expected, the target "mocap:" hierarchy has no constraints and shouldn't generate those errors.

So, in short, it's more evidence that the mel command isn't seeing the target namespace correctly. 

At least that's my analysis so far.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

I'm curious though, is there another way you would attach the mo cap animation to the character model that works?

I'm trying to see how we can narrow down the issues so we can make sure that it is a problem with the mel script and not something with the mo cap and/or character model.

Please let me know if anything changes!

[Anonymous]

The only other route I've found is to remove the namespace entirely and rename (or remove) the existing duplicate skeleton in the target file.

The key question: If you get the same result as me, why does the mel function differently than when it's done through File->Import?

[sean.heasley]

So interestingly enough. I just noticed that after trying the mel code and then trying to manually import it via the Import tool, the same error occurs.

When you get a chance, can you try this and see if it occurs for you as well?

[Anonymous]

No, doesn't seem to do that.

If I use the mel line first, the mocap namespaced keyframes are attached to the non-namespaced skeleton (under "def|world"). That's wrong.

It does throw that error.

Then if I use the File->Import after, as long as I select the "mocap" namespace from the namespace window in the FBX import options, it works correctly, with no error thrown.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Ah you're right. I was missing the mocap namespace and thats why it wasn't working .

I think you're right and this may be an issue but before I log it with our dev team I wanted to try one more thing. When you get a chance, could you please save the files in ASCII format and send them to me again?

I'd like to try this in 2017 and see if the result is any different!

Let me know if anything changes!

[Anonymous]

I've added ASCII versions to the shared location if you want to try them.

Thanks!

[sean.heasley · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for attaching the ASCII files!

Unfortunately 2017 and 2018 Update 2 had no changes so I went ahead and logged this with our dev team to look into!

Please let me know if there's anything else you need assistance with!

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

It"s still not working in the latest maya 2018 update... Any tips how to load anim from fbx into specific namespace via mel/python ?

[ShreddinPB]

Just spent half my day trying to get this to work and found this thread.. a year later and no information?

An Update would be nice as this block a animation pipeline from automation batch processing thru our rig.