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KeyShot for Maya Plugin
Version: 1.3 (Released October 25th 2024)
These installation notes are specific to the latest version of the KeyShot for Maya plugin unless otherwise mentioned. For questions about other versions, please contact https://www.keyshot.com/support/.
Specifications
The KeyShot for Maya plugin requirements are as follows:
- Maya 2022 or newer
- Windows 10 and later
- MacOS 12 or later
Plugins for previous versions of KeyShot are available here.
Supported Features
The KeyShot for Maya plugin supports these features:
- Parts retain materials and layers
- Objects retain material names
- Support for hair (curves)
- LiveLinking (update model inside KeyShot)
- Support for part and camera animations (requires KeyShot Pro)
- Export of rigged and deformable animations (requires KeyShot Pro)
Installation
- After downloading, double-click the .exe (PC) or .pkg (Mac) installation file. Follow the prompts and click Finish/Close.
- Open or Re-launch Maya. A KeyShot tab will appear on the Maya shelf.
- Go to Main Menu, Windows, Settings/Preferences, Plug-in Manager. Scroll to the end to find KeyShot.mll and select AutoLoad so that the plugin will load whenever you start Maya.
KeyShot Plugin Menu
Once installed, a KeyShot plugin menu will appear within Maya’s shelf. The KeyShot plugin menu provides four main options: Send Scene, Send Changes, Export, and Settings.
Send Scene
Click Send Scene to transfer your 3D model and basic animations* from Maya to KeyShot.
Send Changes
Click Send Changes while your KeyShot scene is open to update changes made in Maya.
Export
Click Export to export your geometry as a .BIP file that you can share with other KeyShot users. KeyShot will not launch.
Settings
Settings provides additional export options for animation, curves (hair) and NURBS. It also contains a new setting that allows the user to collapse the hierarchy when transferring data to KeyShot. Once checked, groups and layers with only a single object will be collapsed.
*Basic animations include part/camera translations, rotations, and zoom.
How To Use The Plugin
- Open your scene or model in Maya.
- Go to the KeyShot tab on the Maya shelf. The plugin will launch KeyShot and transfer the 3D model from Maya to KeyShot.
- To update any changes made in Maya, click Send Changes while KeyShot is open. All KeyShot materials, textures, labels, basic animations*, transformations, cameras, and lighting in the scene will be preserved.
- To export your Maya scene as a .bip file, click Export. You can open this .bip file inside KeyShot.
*Basic animations include part/camera translations, rotations, and zoom.
Uninstall
Windows
Run unistall.exe in the C: > ProgramData > Autodesk > ApplicationPlugins > KeyShotPlugin folder.
Mac
Run the script uninstall.sh with admin privileges in the MacintoshHD > Users > Shared > Autodesk > ApplicationAddins > KeyShotPlugin > Contents > Scripts.