XGen Deep Backup

Overview

The Deep Backup Tool enables users to revert to an earlier Xgen scene along with all related files as they were during the backup. You might wonder why this tool is necessary when you could simply save your Maya scene and reopen an earlier version. Here are a few reasons why this tool is beneficial:

• Managing Xgen in Maya

  Xgen in Maya operates in a 'live' mode, continuously referencing the most recent .ptex files. If you've received feedback to modify elements like hair clumping and update Ptex maps (density, curl, clumps, region, etc.), and your director later prefers the version from 10 days ago, simply reopening that Maya scene won't sync with older settings. This is because Xgen links to the latest maps/settings by default. To preserve previous work states, always maintain a separate copy of the entire Xgen folder.

• To prevent this, we should perform incremental backups regularly.

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To correctly use the deep backup tool:

1. ​Make sure to have a Maya saved first

2. Enter a deep back up folder name and select either .ma or .mb

3. Click on Deep Backup. The Deep Backup Tool will create a backup folder each time you click ‘Deep Backup'. The default folder can be found in your MayaProject/data/xgt_backup folder.

4. You can also set the backup path to a different directory by clicking on the > key.

In each backup folder, it contains:

1. The entire xgen collections folder

2. The 3dPaintTextures folder

3. The .ma/.mb) file

4. The .xgen file

When you do a deep backup, these items are copied and moved over to the backup folder, and they will be put into a ‘dated’ folder, to avoid overwrites.

5. To roll back a version, simply click on one of the file on the list, and click “Roll Back”. Here I currently have a scene with modifier renamed

1. It will ask if you want to replace the ‘current’ collection folder with the backup.

Now, something to take note of when you want to ‘Roll Back’ to a previous backup folder.

• Each roll backs will make yet, another copy of your 'current' xgen and 3dPaintTextures folder, and store it in backupPath\xgt_temp\original. If there is any issue, you can go to this folder and make manual copy/paste if necessary. If everything works fine after a roll back, you can simply remove these extra folders.

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