AbcImport with -connect flag doesn't update constant shapes

[GoogleCodeExporter]

If a shape happens to be constant in the Alembic file and is imported into an 
existing scene, the existing shape will not be properly updated with that 
constant shape.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by miller.lucas on 8 Nov 2011 at 9:33

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Issue 265 has been merged into this issue.

Original comment by miller.lucas on 4 Dec 2011 at 6:32

[GoogleCodeExporter]

An important comment to issue 265 that should be made here:

The constant shape from the exported Alembic file needs to replace the 
corresponding shape in the scene.  I was thinking that the old shape should be 
deleted and replaced with the constant shape, but this may have unfortunate 
side effects for certain workflows (constraints?).  Maybe we would only do this 
if the topology were different.

Original comment by miller.lucas on 4 Dec 2011 at 6:33

[GoogleCodeExporter]

If you delete the old shape you'd also loose any custom attributes from the 
original shape.  Why not just transfer the vertex position?

Original comment by davidwo...@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2011 at 6:54

[GoogleCodeExporter]

That's what we'll do if the topology is the same.  For other cases we may have 
to delete the shape.  (or warn and skip)

Original comment by miller.lucas on 5 Dec 2011 at 1:38

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Original comment by miller.lucas on 9 Dec 2011 at 5:21

• Added labels: Component-Maya_Import

[GoogleCodeExporter]

MFnMesh::createInPlace may help, but a function like this doesn't appear to 
exist for all the shape types.

Original comment by miller.lucas on 1 Jun 2012 at 5:46

[GoogleCodeExporter]

[deleted comment]

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Why not connecting directly the constant shape from the alembic node, as it's 
done with animated shapes ?

Original comment by sebastie...@gmail.com on 10 Jul 2014 at 9:21

[GoogleCodeExporter]

That is likely what needs to happen, as other solutions have had serious 
drawbacks.
I do wonder if there is any performance implications for having a bunch of 
connections to constant shapes, or suddenly having a bunch of Alembic nodes in 
your scene for archives that were once all static.

Original comment by miller.lucas on 10 Jul 2014 at 4:36

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Theorically the inmesh outmesh type connections are quite light, but coming 
from the alembic node I don't know if it would impact on how maya refreshes the 
shapes. I think it's a matter of dirty/clean info of the DAGs ? If the 
connection stays clean, it would not refresh I think.

Original comment by sebastie...@gmail.com on 10 Jul 2014 at 4:50