Installation Guide:

This guide will help you through the process of transferring and synchronizing light settings between Maya and Nuke. Follow each step to ensure a smooth integration and consistent results.

User Guide: Light Transfer between Maya and Nuke

This guide will help you through the process of transferring and synchronizing light settings between Maya and Nuke. Follow each step to ensure a smooth integration and consistent results.

1. Creating LightGroups in Maya

   Open your scene in Maya. Create a LightGroup for each light in the scene:

   • Select a light.
   • Go to the light attributes and create a LightGroup named after the light.
   • Repeat for each light.
 
2. Adding AOVs in Maya

   Add a "Beauty" AOV for each light:

   • Open the Render Settings.
   • Go to the AOVs section (Arbitrary Output Variables).
   • Add a "Beauty" AOV for each light, using the light’s name.
 
3. Starting the IPR and Exporting the Image

   Start an IPR (Interactive Photorealistic Render):

   • Ensure all AOVs are configured and visible.
   • Export the image in EXR format:
   • Select OpenEXR with the Half Float option.
 
4. Project Setup in Nuke

   Set up your project in Nuke:

   • Set the colorspace to ACES or your pipeline’s required colorspace.
   • Set the project format according to the EXR image resolution.
 
5. Reading the Image and Creating the "LightTransfer" Node

   Read the EXR image in Nuke.

   Create a "LightTransfer" node:

   • Connect the EXR image to this node.
 
6. Verifying Lights with LayerContactSheet

   Check if all lights are present:

   • Use the LayerContactSheet node to display the different layers.
   • Each light should appear in the format `beauty_lightName`.
 
7. Adjusting Lights

   Click "Rebuild" in the LightTransfer node:

   • Sliders for exposure and color will appear for each light.
   • Hide certain lights to fine-tune your adjustments.
 
8. Real-Time Retakes and Adjustments

   Make your retakes and adjustments:

   • Use the exposure and color sliders to adjust the lights in real-time.
 
9. Exporting Light Values

   Click "Export" in the LightTransfer node:

   • The light values will be exported to a .json file.
 
10. Updating Lights in Maya

    Return to Maya.

    Run the "LightTransfer_Update" script:

    • Provide the .json file generated in Nuke.
    • The light values in Renderman for Maya will be updated to match those in Nuke.

Your lights in Maya should now match exactly what was adjusted in Nuke, ensuring a consistent and accurate final render.

Nuke

1. Open Your .nuke Folder
2. Create a Folder Named LightTransfer and move the file LightTransfer.nk into this subfolder
3. Open the menu.py file located in the .nuke directory.

   Add the following code:

   # LightTransfer
   def add_light_transfer_node():
       user_home = os.path.expanduser("~")
       node_path = os.path.join(user_home, ".nuke", "LightTransfer", "LightTransfer.nk")
       nuke.loadToolset(node_path)
   
   nuke.menu('Nodes').addCommand('LightTransfer', add_light_transfer_node, 'Ctrl+Shift+L')

4. Restart Nuke

Maya

1. Open the desired shelf
2. Open the Script Editor
3. Load the script in maya

   You can find the LightTransfer_Update_v1.py in LightTransfer_v01\scripts\maya

4. Ctrl + A and save the script to the shelf