Reference Editor
The Reference Editor allows you to select the loaded or unloaded state of all references in your scene with the check box icons or commands, and access other reference commands.
File menu
Create Reference
Import Objects from Reference
- Imports the selected reference's objects directly into the current scene.
Export Selection as a Reference
- Exports the selected objects as a reference and links that reference into the current scene. A file browser opens to save the file with the name and location you specify.
Clean Up Reference
- Removes unused file references in the scene file.
Edit Menu
Remove Reference
- Removes the selected reference.
Select File Contents
- Selects all items in the selected reference file.
Reference Menu
Load Reference/Unload Reference
- Loads or unloads the selected reference.
Load Related Reference/Unload Related Reference
- Loads or unloads references related to all selected objects.
Replace Reference
- Opens a file browser to replace the current reference with the one you select. The group node and/or locator remains the same.
Recent Files
- Lists recently-referenced reference files.
File Particulars
The following file information displays when a referenced file is selected in the editor. You can choose to show or hide this information by clicking on the disclosure triangle.
Unresolved Name
- Displays a relative or absolute path including name of the referenced file, without locations where Maya searches for the file.
Resolved Name
- Displays the filename and path where Maya found the file.
Rename Prefix
- Displays a prefix that can be applied to object names in the event of name clashes or namespaces.
Using relative paths and environment variables in the Reference Editor
You can edit reference paths in the Reference Editor, which allows you to specify a reference using relative paths and environment variables.
Enter an environment variable or relative path in the Unresolved Name text box of the Reference Editor, and click Reload to load the reference from that location.
If Maya can't find the referenced file in the specified location, it looks in several default locations to find the file.