File Referencing in Maya

verybad

Just Trying to get a referenced file to follow transforms in Maya so I can make my 8 gazillion poly scene work. Not something I've done before.

I don't want to modify the referenced files in any manner (in relation to this question in any case), I just want to have a workable scene that I can animate and render. I've been looking through the help file for about 2 hours and have decided I'm too stupid to figure it out without help.

EG, I want to link a cude in the final file to an HP building file and just render the HP building.

PLEASE HELP.

asjo07

I'm not sure if this is what you mean, but you could just setup a point constraint between the HP and LP object in the referenced file and then switch off the layer with the HP in the animation file?.. But I'm not sure if that crosses the "don't want to modify the referenced file"-part In which case I don't know how to do it, or if it can be done..

I'm not sure it's possible to create a link from the animation file to the referenced file, I mean the entire point of this method is that you should be able to work in one scene however still leaving the other intact..?! But I'm not that experienced with referenced files, I myself just started working with them recently, so if I'm wrong about any of this please do correct me!...

But yea the short of it, without knowing your reason for "NOT changing the referenced file", I would suggest doing exactly that!.. .. I'm sorry if my response was redundant and that I couldn't be of more help!

Warheart

If you're using 2011 then I think the Asset workflow is what you're looking for.

This may help point you in the right direction:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1dqVUrSJu0[/ame]

(skip to 5:00 to see an example usage that's similar to what you want)

verybad

Thanks, I was close (I was using the Assets, but the F1 (help) wasn't 100% clear, but this got me there. Again, heartfelt THANKS I REALLY needed this for my current project to work.