Content Browser

To open the Content Browser

The Content Browser is your one-stop center for finding examples, scenes, and other content used to build your scenes. You can navigate for files in your project, local and network directories, or the Examples folders, then drag and drop them into a view.

Element in Content Browser

Lets you do this

1: Path bar

Select or enter an absolute path to find files - see Find and import files from the Content Browser.

2: Browsing panel

Click the four tabs at the top of the browsing panel to find content, then expand the folder structure and select a folder to display its contents in the Content panel - see Find and import files from the Content Browser.

See Customize the Content Browser for information about adding to the Favorites tab and creating your own folders there.

3: Content panel

Display the files in the selected folder - see Find and import files from the Content Browser for information.

Click the icons above this panel (4) to manage its contents.

4: Icons

Manage the files in the Content panel with these icons:

displays files in the Content panel in a list view with their file name and information. This icon toggles to which displays files as thumbnails. Drag the Size slider above the Content panel to resize the thumbnails.

Go up one directory level.

Create a new folder in the current location.

Add selected file(s) to the Favorites list - see Customize the Content Browser.

Sort files in the Content panel using these standard options.

Toggle the visibility of each panel in the Content Browser. The menu stays open while you toggle the options: click the icon again to close it.

5: Search field

Search the files that are currently displayed in the Content panel - Find and import files from the Content Browser.

6: Size slider

Drag the slider to resize the file thumbnails in the Content panel when Thumbnail view is on.

7: Metadata

Select a file to display its Metadata information.

8: Preview image

Select a file to preview its contents, which is especially useful if List view is on instead of Thumbnail, or if the thumbnails are very small.

File formats currently supported for the preview include: .ma, .mel, .png, .tif, .jpg, .bmp, .icon, .iff, .dds, and .psd.

Content Browser: Examples Tab

The Maya example library content is available on the Examples tab (See #2 in the Content Browser graphic, above). If you choose any of the following commands, the Content Browser opens to the corresponding example content folder on the Examples tab:

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