cacheFile

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Synopsis

cacheFile([appendFrame=boolean], [attachFile=boolean], [cacheFileNode=string], [cacheInfo=string], [cacheableNode=string], [channelIndex=boolean], [channelName=string], [convertPc2=boolean], [createCacheNode=boolean], [dataSize=boolean], [deleteCachedFrame=boolean], [descriptionFileName=boolean], [directory=string], [doubleToFloat=boolean], [endTime=time], [fileName=string], [format=string], [geometry=boolean], [inAttr=string], [inTangent=string], [interpEndTime=time], [interpStartTime=time], [noBackup=boolean], [outAttr=string], [outTangent=string], [pc2File=string], [pointCount=boolean], [points=string], [prefix=boolean], [refresh=boolean], [replaceCachedFrame=boolean], [sampleMultiplier=int], [simulationRate=time], [singleCache=boolean], [startTime=time])

Note: Strings representing object names and arguments must be separated by commas. This is not depicted in the synopsis.

cacheFile is undoable, queryable, and editable.

When the ia/inAttr flag is used, connects a cacheFile node that associates the data file on disk with the attribute.

Frames can be replaced/appended to an existing cache with the rcf/replaceCachedFrame and apf/appendFrame flag. Replaced frames are never deleted. They are stored in the same directory as the original cache files with the name provided by the f/fileName flag. If no file name is provided, the cacheFile name is prefixed with "backup" followed by a unique number.

Single file caches are backed up in their entirety. To revert to an older version, simply attach to this cache. One file per frame caches only backup the description file and the frames that were replaced. To recover these types of caches, the user must rename these files to the original name.

Flags

Long name (short name)	[argument types]	Properties
fileName(f)	string
Specifies the base file name for the cache files. If more than one object is being cached and the format is OneFilePerFrame, each cache file will be prefixed with this base file name. In query mode, returns the files associated with the specified cacheFile node. When used with rpf/replaceCachedFrame or apf/appendFrame specifies the name of the backup files. If not specified, replaced frames will be stored with a default name. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
directory(dir)	string
Specifies the directory where the cache files will be located. If the directory flag is not specified, the cache files will be placed in the project data directory. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
prefix(p)	boolean
Indicates that the specified fileName should be used as a prefix for the cacheName.
descriptionFileName(dfn)	boolean
This is a query-only flag that returns the name of the description file for an existing cacheFile node. Or if no cacheFile node is specified, it returns the description file name that would be created based on the other flags specified. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
startTime(st)	time
Specifies the start frame of the cache range.
endTime(et)	time
Specifies the end frame of the cache range.
simulationRate(smr)	time
Specifies the simulation rate when caches are being created. During cache creation, the time will be advanced by the simulation rate, until the end time of the cache is reached or surpassed. The value is given in frames. The default value is 1 frame. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
sampleMultiplier(spm)	int
Specifies the sample rate when caches are being created as a multiple of simulation Rate. If the value is 1, then a sample will be cached everytime the time is advanced. If the value is 2, then every other sample will be cached, and so on. The default is 1. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
points(pts)	string
Specifies the name of a geometry whose points will be cached.
cacheableNode(cnd)	string
Specifies the name of a cacheable node whose contents will be cached. A cacheable node is a node that is specially designed to work with the caching mechanism. An example of a cacheable node is a nCloth node.
dataSize(dsz)	boolean
This is a query-only flag that returns the size of the data being cached per frame. This flag is to be used in conjunction with the cacheableNode, points, and outAttr flags. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
cacheFileNode(cfn)	string
Specifies the name of the cache file node(s) we are appending/replacing to if more than one cache is attached to the specified geometries.
singleCache(sch)	boolean
When used in conjunction with the pts or cacheableNode flag, specifies whether multiple geometries should be put into a single cache or to create one cache per geometry (default).
inAttr(ia)	string
Specifies the name of the attribute that the cache file will drive. This file is optional when creating cache files. If this flag is not used during create mode, the cache files will be created on disk, but will not be driving anything in the scene. This flag is required when the attachFile flag is used.
outAttr(oa)	string
Specifies the name of the attribute that will be cached to disk.
attachFile(af)	boolean
Used to indicate that rather than creating a cache file, that an existing cache file on disk should be attached to an attribute in the scene. The inAttr flag is used to specify the attribute.
createCacheNode(ccn)	boolean
Used to indicate that rather than creating a cache file, that a cacheFile node should be created related to an existing cache file on disk.
channelName(cnm)	string
When attachFile is used, used to indicate the channel in the file that should be attached to inAttr. If not specified, the first channel in the file is used. In query mode, allows user to query the channels associated with a description file. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
channelIndex(chi)	boolean
A query-only flag which returns the channel index for the selected geometry for the cacheFile node specified using the cacheFileNode flag. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
refresh(r)	boolean
When used during cache creation, forces a screen refresh during caching. This causes the cache creation to be slower but allows you to see how the simulation is progressing during the cache.
convertPc2(pc2)	boolean
Convert a PC2 file to the Maya cache format (true), or convert Maya cache to pc2 format (false)
pc2File(pcf)	string
Specifies the full path to the pc2 file. Must be used in conjunction with the pc2 flag.
format(fm)	string
Specifies the format of the cache. Valid values are "OneFile" and "OneFilePerFrame"
appendFrame(apf)	boolean
Appends data to the cache for the times specified by the startTime and endTime flags. If no time is provided, appends the current time. Must be used in conjunction with the pts/points or cnd/cacheableNode flag. Any overwritten frames will not be deleted, but renamed as specified by the f/fileName flag.
replaceCachedFrame(rcf)	boolean
Replaces cached data for the times specified by the startTime/endTime flags. If no time is provided, replaces cache file for the current time. Must be used in conjunction with the pts/points or cnd/cacheableNode flag. Replaced frames will not be deleted, but renamed as specified by the f/fileName flag.
deleteCachedFrame(dcf)	boolean
Deletes cached data for the times specified by the startTime/endTime flags. If no time is provided, deletes the current frame. Must be used in conjunction with the pts/points or cnd/cacheableNode flag. Deleted frames will not be removed from disk, but renamed as specified by the f/fileName flag.
interpStartTime(ist)	time
Specifies the frame from which to begin linear interpolation, ending at startTime. Must be used with the rpf/replaceCachedFrame or apf/appendFrame flags. Interpolation is achieved by removing frames between interpStartTime and startTime from the cache. These removed frames will will be renamed as specified by the f/fileName flag.
interpEndTime(iet)	time
Specifies the frame until which there will be linear interpolation, beginning at endTime. Must be used with the rpf/replaceCachedFrame or apf/appendFrame flag. Interpolation is achieved by removing frames between endTime and interpEndTime from the cache. Removed frames will be renamed as specified by the f/fileName flag.
inTangent(it)	string
Specifies the in-tangent type when interpolating frames before the replaced frame(s). Must be used with the ist/interpStartTime and iet/interpEndTime flags. Valid values are "linear", "smooth" and "step".
outTangent(ot)	string
Specifies the out-tangent type when interpolating frames after the replaced frame(s). Must be used with the ist/interpStartTime and iet/interpEndTime flags. Valid values are "linear", "smooth" and "step".
noBackup(nb)	boolean
Specifies that backup files should not be for any files that my be over-written during append, replace or delete cache frames. Must be used with the apf/appendFrame, rpf/replaceCachedFrame or dcf/deleteCachedFrame flags.
geometry(gm)	boolean
A query flag which returns the geometry controlled by the specified cache node In query mode, this flag needs a value.
cacheInfo(ci)	string
In create mode, used to specify a mel script returning a string array. When creating the cache, this mel script will be executed and the returned strings will be written to the .xml description file of the cache. In query mode, returns descriptive info stored in the cacheFile such as the user name, Maya scene name and maya version number. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
pointCount(pc)	boolean
A query flag which returns the number of points stored in the cache file. In query mode, this flag needs a value.
doubleToFloat(dtf)	boolean
During cache creation, double data is stored in the file as floats. This helps cut down file size.

Flag can appear in Create mode of command	Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command	Flag can have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.

Return value

Keywords

Python examples

import maya.cmds as cmds

# Create a disk cache containing the points of a plane from
# frames 1 - 100. Typically the shape would be deforming.
#
cmds.polyPlane()
cacheFiles = cmds.cacheFile(f='shapeCache', st=1, et=100, points='pPlaneShape1')
# Add a historySwitch node to the history of the shape, and attach the
# newly created cache into the historySwitch node.
#
switch = maya.mel.eval('createHistorySwitch("pPlaneShape1",false)')
cacheNode = cmds.cacheFile(f=cacheFiles[0], cnm='pPlaneShape1', ia='%s.inp[0]' % switch ,attachFile=True)
cmds.setAttr( '%s.playFromCache' % switch, 1 )
# query the files associated with a cacheFile node
#
cmds.cacheFile( cacheNode, query=True, f=True )