Importing and Exporting the Animation Mixer
You can import and export the whole animation mixer for a model, making it easy to share a complete mixer setup between models, including actions, shapes, and audio.
When you export a mixer, all the mixer’s tracks, sources and clips, transitions, weighting, clip effects etc. are packaged into an .xsimixer file.
When you import a mixer, you select a model and select the .xsimixer file you want to use to replace the model’s existing mixer.
These are some considerations to know before you export or import mixers:
• Importing a mixer must be done on a model with the same hierarchical structure as the one from which you exported the mixer.
• The connections between models are done using the name of the objects within the model, so the names of the objects to which the clips are referring must exist or else the clip will not be connected.
If the objects within the model don’t match, a connection mapping dialog box appears in which you can map the object names.
To export a mixer
1. Select a model (including the scene root).
2. Save the mixer as a preset by choosing Tools > Import/Export > Export Mixer from the Animate toolbar.
3. In the dialog box that appears, enter a name for the mixer preset. The file extension is .xsimixer.
To import a mixer
1. Select a model with the same hierarchical structure and naming conventions as the one from which the mixer preset was saved.
2. Do one of the following:
- Choose Tools > Import/Export > Import Mixer (replace) from the Animate toolbar and select an .xsimixer file from the Export Mixer dialog box. This replaces the selected model’s current mixer with the mixer preset you’re importing.
or
- Open a browser and drag-and-drop an .xsimixer file directly onto a model or its mixer.
Reconnecting the Mixer after Importing
After you import a mixer for a model, you may find that you need to add objects to the model. If you do this, the new objects are not driven by the mixer. However, you can connect it by selecting the model and choosing Actions > Apply > Reconnect Animation Mixer.
SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.7.0