menu sets, project folders, preferences.
Create a Project Folder:
When you first open Maya you need to set the Menu Sets to Animation. Now all the menus related to animation will appear along the top of the window, instead of the default, which is modeling.
Before we can begin any animation we need to set our project folders. This is important because it tells Maya where to find for our the files related to our animation (rigs, scenes, image sequences, movies, texture files, etc). If you use Maya's folder system properly, everything will load with ease and Maya will be able to find all your files.
To make a new project folder for go to File > Project Window.
A new window will appear showing all the options for your new project folder. Keep the default settings for the folders this will ensure Maya will run efficiently.
Click on the NEW button in the upper right corner to create a New Project Folder.
Current Project: name your project folder. Choose something that anyone could understand what it is for. Be clear and specific.
Click on the folder next to Location to determine where the Project Folder will be saved on your hard drive. I typically place my project folder inside Maya's default project folder (again so my files are easy to find and this is where Maya will start its search from anyways when you want to change between project folders).
When you’ve finished click on the Accept button. Maya will create a project folder system.
Every time you open Maya set you need to tell Maya which Project folder you will be working in. Develop this as a habit and do it every time you open Maya. Maya will remember the last project folder you were working in and set this as the default, you want to ensure Maya is using the correct folders. Setting the project ensures that Maya runs efficiently and you don’t need to waste any time searching for files Maya cannot locate. Set the Project before you start working or opening files. Then when you open your animation scene everything will load automatically such as your rig(s), models, textures, and reference.
File > Set Project. A new window will open. Select the appropriate Project folder.
Click on the Set button.
Preferences Window :
How to can set and control your Preferences. Maya will remember and maintain all your preferences settings every time you launch Maya.
Windows > Settings/Preferences > Preferences
Go to Settings > Animation.
Autokey
You can choose to have autokey on or off. If you have it on, you will need to set the first key manually and then it will automatically set keys afterwards. However, be forewarned that you need to change where you are in the timeslider before you move anything because it will override your keys. I don't always recommend new animators work with autokey on because it can be easily to loose track of keys and to accidentally set keys when you didn't mean to. Auto key will not set keys when nothing does not set hold keys (bookmark keys when nothing changes), you still have to set those manually.
If you decide to have autokey on then open the dropdown menu On Character Sets and select Key All Attributes. This will ensure that auto key will set a key on all the translate, rotate and scale attributes in the Channel Box and not just the ones you change.
This setting can prevent a lot of problems for new animators. By default of key modified attributes means autokey will only key the attribute(s) you have changed (such as Rotate X), but not Rotate Y and Z or any of the Translates. This means if you suddenly change Rotate Y or Z later on in the animation- this new rotation will be the default because the previous setting was never recorded (no key was set). Plus, if you make one change on frame 10 for Rotate Y and then don't change it again until Frame 200, Rotate Y will be rotating from frame 10 to frame 200 because no keys were set to hold its position.
Settings > Cached Playback
One Preference that is turned on by default is Cached Playback. Cached playback constantly running in the background (you will see it generating a blue bar along the timeline). It is intended to constantly update and store in your computers RAM every change to your animation and allow you to play your animation in real time in the viewport.
I personally find it annoying and interrupts my workflow. You can choose to leave it on or off- its a personal preference. If you turn cache playback off it means you may have to playblast your animation in order to be able to see how it plays in real time. Whether or not this is necessary depends upon how much RAM you computer has.
We are going to go over more preferences and settings in other posts.
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