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Renamer 2.0#

Installation#

Compatibility#

Maya 2019 2020 2022 2023 2024
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

How to install#

  1. Extract the RS_Assets folder from the RS_Assets.zip

  2. Extract RS_Renamer.pyc from RS_Renamer_MAYAVERSION.zip (depending on your Maya Version)

  3. Copy RS_Renamer.pyc or RS_Renamer.py (Studio Version) and the RS_Assets folder to:

    Attention

    If an RS_Assets folder already exists in the location below, please copy the RS_Renamer folder (from inside the extracted RS_Assets folder) and paste it into the RS_Assets folder in the location below.

    \Users\USERNAME\Documents\maya\MAYAVERSION\prefs\scripts

    $HOME/maya/MAYAVERSION/prefs/scripts

    $HOME/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/MAYAVERSION/prefs/scripts

  4. Launch / Restart Maya

  5. In Maya, open a Python Tab in the Script Editor and execute :

    Attention

    Please make sure that there are no Space characters in front of each code line.

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    import RS_Renamer
reload(RS_Renamer)
RS_Renamer.MainClass_Renamer.show_ren_dialog()

    1
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    from importlib import reload
import RS_Renamer
reload(RS_Renamer)
RS_Renamer.MainClass_Renamer.show_ren_dialog()

    Maintain settings during a Maya instance

    The code above will load a new instance of the tool every time it is executed. To maintain the settings during a Maya session, even if the tool is closed, use the code below:

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    import RS_Renamer
RS_Renamer.MainClass_Renamer.show_ren_dialog()

Environment Variables#

  1. To set and use a custom folder location, please open the Maya.env file.

    The Maya.env file is located here

    \Users\USERNAME\Documents\maya\MAYAVERSION

    $HOME/maya/MAYAVERSION

    $HOME/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/MAYAVERSION

  2. Add the following lines to the Maya.env file:

    MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH = path\to\your\custom\script\folder
PYTHONPATH = path\to\your\custom\script\folder
RS_TOOLS_PATH = path\to\your\custom\script\folder

    Attention

    1. Replace path\to\your\custom\script\folder with the actual path to your scripts.
    2. Make sure there is no forward slash (/) or backward slash (\) at the end of the path.

Interface Basics#

Tool Menu#

Screenshot   Renamer tools

Screenshot   Renamer preferences

Screenshot   About / Links / Shortcuts

Tool Settings#

Indicator

A blue line at the bottom of a button indicates that optional tool settings are available.

Screenshot

How to open?

Open the settings with a RMB 2 click.

Position & What settings are open?

  1. The settings widget will appear at the bottom of the tool.

  2. The background of an icon button turns dark gray to indicate it's settings are currently open.

Screenshot

How to close?

To close the settings page RMB 2 click the active button again.

Tooltips#

  1. Hover over a button until a tooltip shows up.
  2. Tooltips include information about available Modifier Alt Ctrl Shift and RMB 2 settings options.

Screenshot

Please make sure that tooltips are enabled!

In Maya's main menu go to:

Windows > Settings / Preferences > Preferences > Interface > Help

and check DisplayToolClips under PopupHelp

Expand / Collapse tabs#

It is possible to expand or collapse all tabs on an active page.

Expand

Ctrl   click on Screenshot

Collapse

Alt   click on Screenshot

Note

A settings page will automatically close when expand or collapse all tabs is used.

Keyboard Shortcuts#

It is possible to control aspects of the tools interface with keyboard shortcuts.

Access pages

1   -   Renamer Page

2   -   About Page

3   -   Toggle Tool Menu Visibility

Requirements

The tool needs to have focus, for the shortcuts to work.

Expand / collapse tabs

 Ctrl   +   1   to expand all tabs on the Renamer Page

  Alt   +   1   to collapse all tabs on the Renamer Page

Attention

This only works on the currently active page.

Minimize to main menu

 Alt   +   3 to minimize the tool

Screenshot

About Page#

Access the About page by clicking on Screenshot

The page contains information about the tool, several web links and an option to set up hotkey shortcuts.

Interface - About Page#

Screenshot

Create Hotkey Shortcuts#

Click on the Create Hotkey Shortcuts button to make multiple functions available within Maya's hotkey editor.

Screenshot

Info

Access the Hotkey Editor under Windows > Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor

Preferences#

Set preferences for the default naming convention.

How to use

  1. Click on Screenshot in the tool menu to open the preferences window.

    • Naming

      Screenshot

    Set your preferences for

    • Prefix

      Screenshot

    • Suffix

      Note

      The first three rows are used for group, geometry and curve suffix preset shortcuts throughout the tool.

      Screenshot

    • Material Tags

      Screenshot

      1. Enter a new Material name in the second row and press   Enter   to add it to the list.
      2. To delete materials from the list, please select one or multiple list items and click   Del  .

Renamer#

Interface#

Screenshot

Name#

Rename one or multiple objects within your scene.

How to use

  1. Select object

  2. Enter a new name for your object

    Tip

    To get the name of the current object selection   Alt   click on the N button.

  3. RMB 2 click the N button to open the settings widget.

  4. Specify the Renamer's numeration behaviour within the settings page.
  5. LMB 1 click the N button to start the naming process. The script automatically sorts the objects within their parent group.

How to use: Additional functions

    • Ctrl   click the N button

    Select by name:

    Wildcards

    The Name textfield supports wildcards in connection with the Select by name function

  2. Sort Outliner selection:

    • Shift   click the N button

Settings

Screenshot

  • Padding
    • Abc adds 3 letters at the end and counts them up. (Example: name_aaa, name_baa, name_caa etc - when the first letter arrives at z the second one goes up: name_aba, name_bba and so on)
    • Numeric defines the digit amount. It adds leading zeros before nonzero digits to match the given value.
  • Start (Sets where the counter starts.)
  • Step (Defines the counter increase.)

Prefix#

Adds a prefix to the object name.

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects
  2. Select a preset prefix option from the RMB 2 settings menu.
  3. or choose input and enter a custom name.

  4. Click on the P button to start the naming process.

    Shortcuts

      Alt   click on the P button: L_

      Ctrl   click on the P button: R_

      Shift   click on the P button: C_

Settings

Screenshot

Suffix#

Adds a suffix to the object name.

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects
  2. Select a preset suffix option from the RMB 2 settings menu.
  3. or choose input and enter a custom name.

  4. Click on the S button to start the naming process.

    Shortcuts

      Alt   click on the S button: _geo (Or whatever is set as a Geometry suffix within the preferences)

      Ctrl   click on the S button: _grp (Or whatever is set as a Group suffix within the preferences)

Settings

Screenshot

Search & Replace#

Search for and replace words or characters.

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects
  2. Enter a name in the search text field
  3. Enter a name in the replace text field

  4. Click on the R button to start the naming process.

    Shortcuts

      Alt   click on the R button: Automatically swaps L_ and R_ prefixes

Extras#

Format#

How to use

  1. LMB 1 click on Screenshot: Uppercase converts all characters to uppercase.

    Example

    abc > ABC

  2.   Alt   click on Screenshot: Lowercase converts all characters to lowercase.

    Example

    ABC > abc

  3.   Ctrl   click on Screenshot: Capitalize converts only the first character to uppercase.

    Example

    abc > Abc

Remove#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects.
  2. LMB 1 click on Screenshot: Removes one character from the start
  3.   Alt   click on Screenshot: Removes one character from the end

Screenshot

Automate#

How to use

  1. LMB 1 click on Screenshot: Name Grp Children renames all group children, based on their group name.

    Screenshot

  2.   Alt   click on Screenshot: Add Suffixes automatically adds suffixes to common types within the scene, unless the suffix is already in place.

    Note

    Affects geometry (_geo), group (_grp) and curve (_crv) objects. (Suffixes depend on what is set within the preferences)

    Screenshot

  3.   Ctrl   click on Screenshot: Fix Duplicate Names adds suffix numbers to all object names that are identical within the scene.

    Screenshot

  4.   Shift   click on Screenshot: Fix Shape Names fixes shape names of selected objects.

    Screenshot

Material Tags#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects
  2. RMB 2 click Screenshot to open the settings
  3. Choose a material from the list
  4. LMB 1 click on Screenshot to add the material tag. If the object already has a material tag, it will be automatically replaced.

  5. To remove a material tag   Alt   click Screenshot

    Attention

    4 & 5 only work with listed materials. If the object has a material tag that is not on the list, it adds an additional tag.

    Screenshot

Note

The preceding underscores and the material list can be adjusted in the Renamer Preferences (Screenshot) under Material Tags.

Minimalist Mode#

Info

Opens a single line interface that has a minimal workspace footprint and opens right under the mouse cursor position.

Setup#

How to set up

  1. Go to the Renamer About Page (Screenshot)
  2. Click on Create Hotkey Shortcuts
  3. Open Maya's Hotkey Editor (Windows > Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor)
  4. In the Hotkey Editor, under Edit Hotkeys for choose the Custom Scripts category
  5. Under Custom Scripts, expand RS Renamer
  6. Set Keyboard Hotkeys for Minimalist Mode and Swap L R

Screenshot

Name#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects
  2. Use the Keyboard Hotkey set in the Editor (See How to set up above) to open the Minimalist interface

    1. Name: Enter a name for the object(s). When multiple objects are selected the script will automatically add numeric padding according to the Renamer Preferences (Screenshot)

      Screenshot

Prefix#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects

  2. Prefix: Enter a prefix and end the line with a < (Less-than sign) character. The < character indicates that the preceding text is a prefix.

    Example

    L_<

    Screenshot

Suffix#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects

  2. Suffix: Start the line with with a > (Greater-than sign) character and add a suffix. The > character indicates that the following text is a suffix.

    Example

    >_geo

    Screenshot

Search / Replace#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects

  2. Search / Replace: Enter a search string, a : (colon) and a replace string. With the : inbetween the character strings, the tool will search for what is in front of the colon and will replace it with what comes after the colon.

    Example

    search:replace

    Screenshot

Swap "L_" and "R_"#

How to use

  1. Select one or multiple objects

  2. Swap L and R: Use the Keyboard Hotkey set in the Editor (See How to set up above) to swap the position prefix from L_ to R_ and vice versa.

    Screenshot

Footnotes#

  1. LMB - Left Mouse Button ↩↩↩↩↩

  2. RMB - Right Mouse Button ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩