Here are some Maya settings I prefer over the default ones. Maybe there is something useful for someone else. It's all MEL code, so it can be copied in the script editor.
//
// Switch file browsing to OS native browser
// Reason: _Slow_, missing features, bugs
// (delete shortcut to folder will delete folder, ...)
// Menu: Window > Settings/Preferences > Settings > Files/Projects
optionVar -iv FileDialogStyle 1;
// To show file extensions in filter settings
optionVar -iv FileDialogHideExtension false;
// Increase undo queue size
// Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences > Settings > Undo
undoInfo -length 150;
// Disable mouse scroll wheel in viewport (will still work in menus, etc)
// Reason: Undo gets broken if you scroll the mouse, while the mouse-wheel is pressed.
// Menu: Windows > Settings/Preferences > Preferences > Interface > Devices > Mouse scroll wheel
mouse -enableScrollWheel false;
// hotBox transparency to 0%
// Reason: It is easier / faster to read
// Menu: Right quarter in hotbox: Hotbox controls > Set transparency
hotBox -tr 0;
// Grey background color, like the default in older Maya versions
// Menu: Windows > Settings/Preferences > Color Settings
// Default shortcut: alt+b
displayRGBColor "background" 0.631 0.631 0.631;
// displayRGBColor -q "background";// Get current background color:
// Hide UI elements
// Reason: Increase viewport space.
// Menu: Display > UI Elements > ...
// Or right click on a double dotted line on the edge of a visible UI element (status bar, timeline, ...)
// Or hotBox, left-click in empty space in the right quarter.
ToggleModelEditorBars;// Every option can be reached with two clicks
toggleUIComponentVisibility "Tool Box";// Using default shortcutsQWERZY... instead. And top quarter of hotbox for camera setups
//toggleUIComponentVisibility "Range Slider";// I rarely change it
toggleUIComponentVisibility "Help Line";// Not usefull after using Maya for years
//toggleUIComponentVisibility "Status Line";
toggleUIComponentVisibility "Shelf";
// Disable the interactive Polygon / NURBS creation.
// Reason: To save clicks / time. I get to the desired shape faster using modeling tools.
// Menu: Create / NURBS Primitives / Interactive Creation
/*// only works after menu has been opened
optionVar -intValue createNurbsPrimitiveAsTool 0;// nurbs
menuItem -e -cb 0 toggleCreateNurbsPrimitivesAsToolItem; // nurbs
optionVar -intValue createPolyPrimitiveAsTool 0;// poly
menuItem -e -cb 0 toggleCreatePolyPrimitivesAsToolItem;// poly
*/
// Playback range of 100 frames.
// Reason: More frames for deformation test animations. Still easy to identify each frame
playbackOptions -min 1 -max 100;
// This is also a "New Scene" option, so to fix it there:
optionVar -fv playbackMinDefault 1;
optionVar -fv playbackMaxDefault 100;
optionVar -fv playbackMinRangeDefault 1;
optionVar -fv playbackMaxRangeDefault 100;
// Hotbox show one type only (animation, ...)
// Reason: I use the hotbox for most operations, so I want it to be small to be able to click faster.
hotBox -ao; setMenuMode animationMenuSet;// updateHotboxOptionVarSettings();
// Remove viewcube
// Reason: Save space, it does not help me.
viewManip -visible off; optionVar -iv viewCubeShowCube 0;
// More precise channel box attribute sliding
channelBoxSettings hyperbolic true;
// More precise channel box display
global string $gChannelBoxName;
channelBox -e -precision 4 $gChannelBoxName;
// Heads-up display
// Display > Heads Up Display > Poly Count
setPolyCountVisibility 1;
// Display > Heads Up Display > Frame Rate
setFrameRateVisibility 1;
// Linear animation curves (for test animations / skinning)
keyTangent -global -itt linear; keyTangent -global -ott linear;
// Reduce camera animation time
// Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences > Settings > Camera > Animate Camera Transitions > Total Time
optionVar -fv "totalAnimateRollTime" 0.1;
// command line: hold focus
// Preferences > Interface > Interface > Command Line [] Hold focus
optionVar -iv commandLineHoldFocus true; commandLine -e -holdFocus true $gCommandLine;
// Save preferences
SavePreferences;
saveToolSettings;
// -----------------------------------------
// MANUAL SETTINGS / TEST
// -----------------------------------------
// Disable "Automatic Orient Joints" in Move tool
// The following command does not work, because it will not get stored to the default move tool context.
// string $myMoveContext = `manipMoveContext`;
// manipMoveContext -e -orientJointEnabled 0 $myMoveContext;
// Hypershade: Hide left and top areas, so only work area is left. Also change material display from icon to list, so materials/textures do not get loaded when opening hypershade
// Note: Hypershade settings do not seem to get stored (except position and window size, maybe write in usersetup file)?...
// In Paint skin weights tool disable "Display > XRay Joints" because when leaving tool xray joint stays active and I rarely use it in the first place
// Show > Isolate Select > Auto Load New Objects
// string $eachPanel;
// for ($eachPanel in `get all panels`){
// isoSelectAutoAddNewObjs $eachPanel true; }
//
// -----------------------------------------
// 2014
// -----------------------------------------
// ignore version
optionVar -intValue fileIgnoreVersion true;
// incremental save
// edge flow 1.0 everywhere
//
//
Some Maya related
Windows settings I like to change::
- Computer > Properties > Advanced System settings > Advanced > Performance > Visual Effects > Adjust for best performance
- Mouse: Increase speed, disable "precision" (mouse accelleration)
- Taskbar: Small icons, do not combine icons/tabs
 |
| Result will look like this on Windows 7 |
