1. Login Screen (Initial Launch / Deactivated)

• Displays current toolkit version.
• Shows your Machine ID (with an option to reveal the full ID).
• Activate License: Button to activate your license if you have a key.
• Request Authorization: Button to request a full license activation code via email.
• Request Trial License: Button to request a 30-day trial license via email.

2. Main Interface (After Activation)

Slide-Out Menu (Left Side)

• Current Project Display: Shows the path to the currently set Maya project.
  • Tooltip displays the full project path.
• Change Maya Project Button: Opens a context menu to:
  • Select from a list of Maya's recent projects.
  • Browse for a new project directory.
• Welcome message with username and license type.
• Navigation Buttons:
  • Main Tools
  • Nazz LookDev Tools
  • Cargo Pro Tools
  • (Developer Only tools may appear for authorized users)
• Management Buttons:
  • Check for Updates
  • Check License Status
  • Documentation (opens online docs)
  • About (shows tool information)
  • Deactivate License (logs out and returns to login screen)

Content Area (Right Side)

• Displays different pages based on the slide-out menu selection.
• Main Tools Page:
  • Current Project Label: Prominently displays the current Maya project's folder name (e.g., "Current Project: MyProjectName").
    • This label blinks with alternating background colors when a project is set, serving as a clear reminder.
    • The tooltip shows the full project path.
    • If no project is set, it indicates "No Maya Project Set."
  • Buttons to launch individual tools like Shot Browser, Alembic Publisher, etc.
• Nazz LookDev Tools / Cargo Pro Tools Pages:
  • Buttons to launch specialized tools within these categories.

Initial Setup & Activation

1. Upon first launch, you will see the login screen.
2. Your unique Machine ID is displayed. You may need this for license requests.
3. If you have an activation key, click "Activate License". The portal will verify it.
4. If you need a license:
   • Click "Request Authorization" to open a pre-filled email to request a full license.
   • Click "Request Trial License", enter your email, and a 30-day trial will be requested.
5. Once activated, the main interface with tool access will appear.

Launching Tools

1. Use the slide-out menu on the left to navigate between tool categories (Main Tools, LookDev Tools, etc.).
2. On the "Main Tools" page (or other tool pages), click the button for the desired tool to launch it.

Managing Maya Project

1. The Tool Portal helps you keep track of your current Maya project.
2. The project folder name is prominently displayed and blinks on the "Main Tools" page for easy visibility. The full path is shown in the slide-out menu and in tooltips.
3. To change the project:
   • Click the "Change Maya Project" button in the slide-out menu.
   • Select a project from the list of recent Maya projects, or
   • Choose "Browse..." to select any folder as your Maya project.
4. The display will update immediately. This ensures that tools launched from the portal operate within the context of the correct project.

1. Header Information

• Displays tool version
• Shows user information
• License type and expiration date

2. Export Options

3. Publish Settings

Time Range Settings

• Step: Frame increment for export (default: 1)
• Pre-roll: Number of frames to add before animation (default: 5)
• Post-roll: Number of frames to add after animation (default: 5)

Export Options

• Write UVs: Include UV data (default: On)
• World Space: Export in world space coordinates (default: On)
• Write Visibility: Include visibility animation (default: On)
• Whole Frame Geo: Sample geometry on whole frames (default: On)
• Renderable Only: Export only renderable geometry (default: On)
• Write Face Sets: Include face set data (default: Off)

Scene Preparation

• Save your scene before exporting
• Ensure scene name includes shot number (e.g., "sh01")
• Check camera name contains "cam" or "camera"

Export Process

• Use "Check Publishable Objects" to verify export selection
• Consider using pre/post-roll for smooth transitions
• Choose appropriate export method based on pipeline needs

1. Shader Operations

Record Shaders

Purpose: Captures and stores shader assignments for selected objects

Usage:

1. Select geometry objects in Maya
2. Click "Record Shaders from Selection Geometries"
3. The tool will store both object-level and face-level shader assignments

Advanced Options:

• Ignore Duplicate Names Check: Option to bypass duplicate name checking (not recommended)
• Ignore Default Shader Check: Option to bypass default shader checking (not recommended)

Reset Shaders

Purpose: Resets materials to a simple black shader

Usage:

1. Select objects to reset
2. Click "Reset Shaders"

Clear Material Data

• "Clear All Materials Data": Clears stored assignments from all materials in the scene
• "Clear Selected Materials Data": Available in Debug section for advanced users

2. Material Export

Export Material Networks

Purpose: Exports material networks with their connections and textures

Options:

• Export Path: Custom Path, Scene Path, or Published (creates _published folder)
• Copy Textures: Option to copy and relink texture files (experimental)
• Format: Maya ASCII (.ma) or Maya Binary (.mb)

Important: Namespaces must be removed before exporting

3. Namespace Management

Shader Namespaces

Purpose: Manage and select shaders within specific namespaces

Features:

• Filter namespaces
• Multi-select support
• Quick shader selection within namespaces
• Double-click to select all shaders in a namespace

Object Namespaces

Purpose: Manage and select objects within specific namespaces

Features:

• Filter namespaces
• Multi-select support
• Quick object selection within namespaces
• Selection Type Options: All Objects, Only Meshes (default), Only Transforms, or Meshes + Transforms

Assign Shaders with Namespace

Purpose: Apply shaders to objects based on namespace selection

Usage:

1. Select shader namespaces
2. Select object namespaces
3. Click "Assign Shaders to Objects (By Namespace)"

4. Selection Tools

Select All Geometry

Purpose: Quick selection of all geometry in the scene

Usage: Click "Select All Geometry"

5. Debug Options

Purpose: Advanced functionality for troubleshooting

Features:

• Enable/Disable Debugging
• Debug Level: Low (1), Medium (2), High (3)
• Assign Stored Shaders: Direct shader assignment tool
• Clear Selected Materials Data: Targeted data cleaning

1. Shader Recording

• Use "Select All Geometry" for complete scene recording
• Avoid selecting objects with default materials
• Clear existing shader data before recording if needed

2. Material Export

• Remove all namespaces before exporting materials
• Use the "Published" path option for organized exports
• Use Maya ASCII format for better compatibility

3. Namespace Operations

• Keep "Only Meshes" selection type whenever possible
• Use namespace filtering for complex scenes
• Apply shaders to limited selections for predictable results

4. General Workflow

• Save your scene before major operations
• Clear material data when no longer needed
• Use progress bars to monitor long operations

1. Department Selector

Dropdown menu to select from available departments:

• 00_Model
• 01_Anim
• 02_Setup
• 03_Lookdev
• 04_Track
• 05_EFX
• 09_Lighting

Each department uses appropriate naming conventions. The browser remembers your last selected department.

2. Sequence Selector (for "sh" type departments)

For departments like Animation, Lighting, Track, and EFX, a "Sequence" dropdown appears:

• Allows browsing and creating shots within specific sequences (e.g., SQ010, SQ020).
• The browser remembers the last selected sequence for each department.

3. Control Bar

Contains several actions and display options:

• Refresh Button: Reloads the shot list for the current department/sequence.
• Create New Scene Button: Opens a dialog to create a new shot or asset scene with smart naming.
• Save New Version Button: Saves the currently open Maya scene as a new, incremented version.
• Play All GIFs Checkbox: Toggles playback of all visible animated thumbnail.gif files.
• Thumbnail Size Slider: Adjusts the display size of shot thumbnails in the grid.

4. Shot Grid

Visual grid of shots/assets. Each item displays:

• Shot/asset name (e.g., sh0010_anim or mdl0100_characterA).
• Latest version number (e.g., "v001").
• Visual thumbnail (thumbnail.jpg or animated thumbnail.gif). GIFs play on hover (if "Play All GIFs" is off) or all at once (if "Play All GIFs" is on).

Double-click to open the version selection dialog for a shot/asset.

Right-click on a thumbnail to access a context menu with options:

• Open Shot: Opens the version selection dialog.
• Browse Shot Folder: Opens the shot's folder in your system's file explorer.
• Create GIF Thumbnail: Launches the GIF Converter tool, pre-configured to save a thumbnail.gif in the shot's _cache folder.
• Import JPG Thumbnail: Allows you to select a custom JPG image to use as the thumbnail. This is useful for personalizing the visual preview of a shot or asset.
• Export Scene File (Copy): Copies the latest version of the Maya scene file (.ma or .mb) to a location of your choice. A quick way to make a backup or share the scene file.
• Archive Scene (to .zip): Packages the latest version of the Maya scene and all its dependencies (textures, references, etc.) into a single, portable .zip file. Perfect for sharing a complete shot or for archival.

5. Version Selection Dialog

• Lists all available Maya scene file versions (.ma) for a selected shot/asset.
• Shows file name and last modified date/time.
• Sorted by modification time (newest first).
• Double-click or press "Open" to load the selected version into Maya.

6. Status Bar

• Displays current operations, confirmations, and error messages.

Browsing and Opening Files

1. Launch Shot Browser through the Tool Portal.
2. Select the appropriate department from the "Department" dropdown.
3. If applicable (e.g., for Animation, Lighting), select a "Sequence" from the dropdown that appears. If no sequences exist for a new project, you can create them using the "Create New Scene" workflow.
4. Browse the visual grid of shots/assets. Hover over items with thumbnail.gif to see animations (if "Play All GIFs" is off).
5. Adjust thumbnail size using the slider for better viewing.
6. Optionally, check "Play All GIFs" to see all animated thumbnails play simultaneously.
7. Double-click on a shot/asset to view available versions in the Version Selection Dialog.
8. In the dialog, select a version and click "Open" (or double-click the version) to load it in Maya. The tool will prompt to save unsaved changes in your current scene.
9. Alternatively, right-click a thumbnail for quick actions like "Open Shot", "Browse Shot Folder", or "Create GIF Thumbnail".

Creating a New Scene

1. Select the desired Department.
2. Click the "Create New Scene" button.
3. If in an "sh" type department (e.g., Animation, Lighting):
   • You'll be prompted to enter a "Sequence Name" (e.g., SQ010). You can enter a new name or an existing one. The system suggests a new name based on existing sequences or a default if none exist. The last used sequence may be pre-filled.
   • A folder for this sequence will be created under the department folder if it doesn't exist.
4. You'll be prompted to enter a "Shot/Asset Number" (e.g., 0010). The system suggests the next available number based on existing items in the selected department/sequence.
5. If in an asset-based department (e.g., Model, Setup, Lookdev), you'll be prompted for an "Object Name" (e.g., characterA, prop_table).
6. The tool will then:
   • Create the necessary folder structure (e.g., scenes/09_Lighting/SQ010/sh0010_light/ or scenes/00_Model/mdl0100_characterA/).
   • Create a new Maya scene file with a smart name (e.g., sh0010_light_v001.ma or mdl0100_characterA_v001.ma).
   • Save this new, empty scene and open it in Maya.
7. The Shot Browser will refresh to show the newly created item.

Saving a New Version

1. Have a Maya scene open that follows the tool's naming convention (e.g., shotName_v001.ma).
2. Click the "Save New Version" button.
3. The tool will prompt to save any unsaved changes in the current file.
4. It will then determine the next available version number (e.g., if _v001.ma is open, it will propose _v002.ma. If _v002.ma already exists, it will propose _v003.ma, and so on).
5. A confirmation dialog will show the new version name.
6. Upon confirmation, Maya will save the current scene under the new version name.
7. The Shot Browser will refresh to reflect the new version.

Thumbnails (Static and Animated)

The tool looks for thumbnails in the following locations within each shot/asset folder (e.g., sh0010_anim/):

• Root: thumbnail.jpg or thumbnail.gif
• _cache folder: _cache/thumbnail.jpg or _cache/thumbnail.gif
• _cache_separate folder: _cache_separate/thumbnail.jpg or _cache_separate/thumbnail.gif

If no thumbnail is found, a default file icon will be displayed. thumbnail.gif files will animate on hover (or all at once if "Play All GIFs" is enabled). Use the right-click "Create GIF Thumbnail" option to easily generate these using the GIF Converter tool.

Maya Project Integration

• Automatically detects the current Maya project workspace.
• Navigates to the "scenes" folder within the project.
• Requires a standard Maya project structure.

Directory Structure & Naming Conventions

The tool expects and creates specific directory structures and naming:

• Departments: Top-level folders under scenes/ (e.g., 01_Anim/, 09_Lighting/).
• Sequences (for "sh" types): Subfolders within "sh" type departments (e.g., scenes/01_Anim/SQ010/). Created via "Create New Scene".
• Shot/Asset Folders:
  • For "sh" types (Animation, Lighting, Track, EFX): prefixNUMBER_deptshortname (e.g., sh0010_anim, sh0020_light). Located inside sequence folders.
  • For asset types (Model, Setup, Lookdev): prefixNUMBER_objectname (e.g., mdl0100_characterA, rig0020_heroProp). Located directly inside department folders.
• Scene Files: Named same as their parent shot/asset folder, plus version (e.g., sh0010_anim_v001.ma, mdl0100_characterA_v001.ma).

Version Detection

• Automatically detects version numbers from Maya scene file names (.ma).
• Looks for pattern: _vXXX.ma (e.g., _v001.ma, _v002.ma).
• Displays the highest version number on the shot/asset thumbnail.
• "Save New Version" intelligently finds the next available integer for versioning.

Preferences File

• The Shot Browser saves user preferences to a JSON file: [User_Maya_App_Dir]/mmayatoolkits_shotbrowser_pref.json.
• Preferences stored include:
  • Last selected department.
  • Last selected sequence for each "sh" type department.
  • (Potentially other UI settings in the future).

1. User Information & Mode Selection

• User Display: Shows the current logged-in user from license information
• Capture Mode: Radio buttons to select between "Image Capture" and "Video Sequence" modes
• Intuitive Interface: Mode selection is prominently positioned for easy workflow switching

2. Preview Section

• Capture Viewport: Take a snapshot of the current viewport (Image mode)
• Capture Playblast: Create a video playblast of the animation timeline (Video mode)
• Browse Video: Select an existing video file for submission (Video mode)
• Frame Rate: Select from common frame rates (24, 25, 30, 60 fps) for video capture
• Preview Window: Displays captured content with playback controls for videos
• Video Resize Options: Choose Original, 1/2 Size, or 1/4 Size for submission optimization
• Web Hosting Integration: Option to copy original videos to web server for public access

3. Image Settings

• JPEG Quality: Adjustable slider (default: 80%)
• Max Resolution: Preset resolutions (1920x1080, 1280x720, 2560x1440, 3840x2160)
• Lock Controls: Option to lock settings at default values for consistency

4. Submission Details

• Platform Selection: Choose between Discord and Trello for submission
• Discord Configuration:
  • Webhook management for Discord channels
  • User management for team member notifications
  • Support for multiple Discord servers and channels
• Trello Configuration:
  • Board integration with automatic list creation
  • Team member selection with proper mentions
  • Card creation with rich descriptions and attachments
• Smart Detection:
  • Shot name automatically detected from scene name (supports sh###, mdl_*, lkd_*, rig_* patterns)
  • Department auto-detection based on scene name keywords
  • Enhanced support for various project naming conventions
• Description: Rich text field for describing work and feedback requirements

Getting Started

1. Launch the Revision Flow tool from the Tool Portal
2. Your username will be automatically displayed at the top
3. Choose your capture mode using the radio buttons: "Image Capture" or "Video Sequence"
4. Select your submission platform: Discord or Trello

Image Capture Workflow

1. Select the "Image Capture" radio button
2. Set up your Maya viewport to show the desired camera angle
3. Adjust image settings if needed (quality and resolution)
4. Click "Capture Viewport" to take a snapshot
5. The tool will automatically detect shot name and department from your scene
6. Fill in the description and select team members to notify
7. Click "Submit for Review"

Video Capture Workflow

1. Select the "Video Sequence" radio button
2. Set your animation timeline to the desired frame range
3. Select the appropriate frame rate (24, 25, 30, or 60 fps)
4. Choose video resize option if needed to meet platform file size limits
5. Optionally enable web hosting for original video backup
6. Click "Capture Playblast" to create a video
7. Preview the video using the playback controls
8. Complete the submission details and click "Submit for Review"

Using External Video

1. Select the "Video Sequence" radio button
2. Click "Browse Video" to select an existing video file
3. The video will be processed and displayed in the preview window
4. Choose resize options if the file exceeds platform limits
5. Complete the submission details and submit

Platform Configuration

1. Discord Setup: Click "Manage Discord Webhooks" to configure channels and "Manage Discord Users" for team notifications
2. Trello Setup: Click "Configure Trello Settings" to set up API credentials and board access
3. Web Hosting: Click "Configure Web Server Settings" to set up automatic video backup and public URL generation

Discord Configuration

Trello Configuration

Web Hosting Configuration (XAMPP/FTP)

File Handling & Storage

• Temporary files are created in the Maya project directory
• Files are automatically cleaned up when the tool is closed
• Images use JPEG format with adjustable quality settings
• Videos are encoded using H.264/MP4 format for platform compatibility
• Original videos are backed up to project-specific directories with timestamp organization
• File size validation prevents uploads that exceed platform limits (Discord: 8MB, Trello: 10MB)

Video Processing & Optimization

• Advanced video processing with resize options (Original, 1/2, 1/4 size). This creates a smaller version of the video specifically for the submission payload to meet platform file size limits (e.g., Discord's 8MB limit).
• The original, full-quality playblast is what gets copied to your web server (XAMPP or FTP) if you have that option enabled.
• Intelligent file size management with real-time feedback.
• Web-optimized encoding for fast streaming and compatibility.
• VLC integration for high-quality video preview within the tool.
• Support for standard frame rates with automatic timeline detection.

Platform Integration

• Multi-platform architecture supporting Discord and Trello
• Platform-specific optimizations and file handling
• Trello Automation:
  • Automatically generates a thumbnail from the video's first frame and sets it as the Trello card cover.
  • Creates and applies a red "waiting review" label to new cards for clear status tracking.
  • Creates and applies a dark purple label corresponding to the submission's department for better organization.
• Rich metadata embedding with project and user information

Configuration & Data Management

• Username automatically sourced from license information
• Separate configuration files for different platforms and services
• Secure credential storage with connection validation
• Project-aware file organization and naming conventions

1. Header Information

• Displays tool version
• Shows user information (username, license type, expiration date)
• Button to check current license status

2. Export Options

3. Publish Settings

General Settings

• Type: Checkbox to switch between "Asset Mode" (uses scene name) and "Shot Mode" (uses shXX pattern).
• Export UVs: Include UV data (default: On)
• Export Color Sets: Include color set data (default: On)
• Export Visibility: Include visibility animation (default: On)
• Render Engine: Select between Redshift and V-Ray for material conversion.

Animation Settings

• Frame Range: Choose between "Current Scene" range or specify a "Custom" range.
• Start Frame: Defines the starting frame for animation export.
• End Frame: Defines the ending frame for animation export.

4. Additional Options

• Use custom filename: Checkbox to enable manual naming of the output USD file.
• Custom name: Text field to input the desired filename (enabled when checkbox is ticked).
• Open published folder when done: Automatically opens the output folder in Windows Explorer after export (default: On).

Exporting Selected Objects (Experimental)

1. Select the objects you wish to export in the Maya scene.
2. Configure the desired Publish Settings (Type, Render Engine, Frame Range, etc.).
3. Optionally, enable "Use custom filename" and provide a name.
4. Click the "Publish Selected Objects" button.
5. The tool will export the selection to a single USD file in the `_usd` subfolder.

USD Export Command

• Utilizes Maya's native `file -typ "USD Export"` MEL command.
• Constructs a detailed options string based on UI settings (UVs, Color Sets, Animation Range, Shading Mode, etc.).
• Specifies `defaultUSDFormat` as `usdc` (binary compressed).
• Sets `shadingMode` to `useRegistry` and specifies render-specific material conversion (`[redshift_usd_material]` or `[VRay]`).

Redshift Plugin Loading

• Attempts to automatically load necessary Redshift USD translator plugins located relative to the script.
• Imports required Redshift modules.
• Shows a warning if plugin loading fails.

Dependencies

• Requires the `mayaUsdPlugin.mll` to be loaded in Maya.
• Requires `Pillow` (PIL) Python library (though its usage isn't apparent in the provided export functions).
• Requires Pixar's USD library (`pxr`) for plugin registration.
• Relies on a `portal_tool` module for versioning and license management.

Scene Preparation

• Save your Maya scene before exporting, especially if not using Asset Mode, to ensure correct automatic naming.
• Ensure scene name includes the shot number (e.g., "sh01") if using Shot Mode.
• Organize your scene clearly, especially if using the experimental "Selected Objects" export.

Export Process

• Choose the correct "Type" (Asset/Shot) based on your workflow.
• Select the appropriate "Render Engine" to ensure correct material translation.
• Verify the "Frame Range" settings match your animation requirements.
• Use the "Custom filename" option when specific naming is required, but ensure the name is unique to avoid overwriting.

Merge Place2dTexture Nodes

This tool helps clean up and consolidate redundant place2dTexture nodes, which are used for controlling UV coordinates on textures. It is common to have many unnecessary place2dTexture nodes in a complex scene, and this tool provides a simple way to merge them.

Two Merging Workflows

You can either select the texture file nodes to merge their connected UV placement nodes, or select the place2dTexture nodes directly.

Master Node Logic

The first node you select is treated as the "master." All other textures are reconnected to this single master node, unifying their UV controls.

Flexible Cleanup

After merging, the now-unused place2dTexture nodes can be automatically deleted to keep the scene clean, or they can be selected for manual inspection and cleanup.

File Texture Manager

Originally developed by Crow Yeh, this is a powerful, comprehensive tool for managing all file texture nodes in a scene. It is designed to handle complex pathing and file organization challenges across different operating systems.

Scene Analysis & Reporting

Scans the entire scene for file textures and generates a report on their status, including whether the source files exist on disk.

File & Path Management

Copy or move all texture files to a central project location (like `sourceimages`) and automatically update the paths in Maya.

Advanced Path Editing

Perform powerful string manipulation on texture paths, such as find/replace, adding prefixes/suffixes, or changing the root directory to relink textures between different drives or workstations.

Batch Operations

Batch-set attributes like "Filter Type" across multiple texture nodes or even convert texture files to different formats for optimization.

RS MatFlow - Smart Texture Loader

RS MatFlow is a highly efficient utility for automating the creation of complex Redshift materials from PBR texture sets. It intelligently builds a complete, production-ready shader network with just a few clicks.

Smart Texture Set Loading

Load a full PBR texture set at once. The tool parses filenames using keywords (e.g., "color", "basecolor", "albedo") to automatically assign each map to the correct material channel.

Batch Material Creation

Point the tool to a directory of texture sets and it will automatically create a unique, fully-connected Redshift material for each one, perfect for handling many assets at once.

Advanced Shader Construction

Correctly handles color spaces (e.g., setting non-color maps to Raw), interprets glossiness vs. roughness maps, and builds bump or displacement networks from height maps.

Full Shader Control

Provides UI options to control every aspect of the shader build, including UDIM support, alpha mode (Opacity vs. Sprite), and automatic assignment to selected objects.

Material Swapper Integration

Includes a button to launch a companion "Material Swapper" tool, making it easy to reassign materials on your geometry after creation.