Scene

The Save->Scene command is available in all modules except Tools. It allows you to save a scene to the current or specified Write database. The saved scene can then be loaded using the Get command. For more information, see the Saving a Scene or Element to a File section of the Working with SOFTIMAGE 3D User's Guide.

Note:

Special characters (such as @ # % ^ * and blank spaces) have a specific meaning in most operating systems. Since they may cause problems if you use them in database or file names, SOFTIMAGE 3D automatically replaces them with underscores (_). Here's a list of special characters that are replaced:

space ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) + [ ] { } | \ ; : = ? < > "

Saving Pictures

If you are saving a scene containing 2D textures, SOFTIMAGE 3D checks if these textures have pictures that are located outside of the database to where you are saving the scene. If that is the case (such as if you are saving the scene in a new database), a message box appears asking you if you want to copy these picture files so that they are also available in the destination database. If you answer yes, another message box may appear if the picture files you are copying would overwrite existing picture files.

When a scene is loaded, SOFTIMAGE 3D finds the picture files in the path found in the texture files. If they cannot be found there, it looks at well-defined locations as described in Picture Files of the Working with SOFTIMAGE 3D User's Guide.

Procedure

1. Choose the Save->Scene command.
   
   The Save Scene dialogue box is displayed.
   
2. Enter a prefix, if desired and a name for the scene, or select a scene name using the Scn Browser button.
3. Click Save to save all the elements to the scene or click Save Sel. to save selected objects only.

Parameters

Saving in Database

Shows the current write database name.

Prefix

Shows the current prefix name, if any, and allows you to enter a prefix name. A prefix is used optionally to help identify your scene.

Scene Name

Shows the current scene name (if any) and allows you to enter a new one. The scene name is applied as a prefix on all the elements of the scene to help identify them (unless they already have a prefix of their own). If you are resaving a scene using a different name, element prefixes are also changed if they corresponded to the previous name of the scene.

Options

Opens the Save Scene Options dialogue box.

It shows you how much space you have left on your machine. You can also choose:

• Do not save materials and textures separately unless animated.
• Do not remove old versions.

Db List

Displays a browser listing the available databases. You can then select another database to which you want to save your scene. This changes the current Write database. Databases for which you don't have write access appear dimmed.

Scn Browser

Displays a browser listing the scenes in the current database. You can select a scene name and then edit it.

Successive saving of a scene generates files with an incremented version number. However, if a newly created element has a name corresponding to something already saved in the database, a warning box is displayed. You can then either rename the element; ask that it is saved anyway with the same name (version number will increment); ask that all the further cases are saved as new versions without further warning; or cancel the save (to rename the scene, for example, to make sure all of its items have a unique name - scene name is used as a prefix for its elements). As new versions of files are created, old versions may be deleted if:

• Their version number is older than the number of versions you want to keep (see Set #versions).
• They are not used in any scene.
• They have not been explicitly locked.

Save Sel.

Saves the selected elements as a scene.

Save

Saves the scene.

Last updated 02-apr-1998