AssetLoader

A basic, object-oriented asset loader for Autodesk Maya (2024), with ShotGrid integration.

This tool is my first step into building production-facing pipeline utilities as a Pipeline TD. It focuses on loading assets via Maya ASCII (.ma) or Alembic (.abc) files, with support for referencing where needed. It’s intended as a proof-of-concept for future iterations of a more complete pipeline toolset.

🔧 Features

• Loads assets from a structured project directory.
• Supports both .ma and .abc file formats.
• Option to import assets or load them as references.
• Integrates with ShotGrid for asset information retrieval.
• Clean object-oriented structure for extensibility and clarity.

💡 Usage

The entry point is main.py. Run it within a Maya Python environment:

import main
main.run()

Before launching, make sure Maya is configured to run custom Python scripts and has access to ShotGrid (if enabled).

Note: maya.cmds and shotgun_api3 are required. Ensure they are accessible in your Python environment.

📁 Project Structure

AssetLoader/
│
├── core/               # Core functionality (loading, referencing, file management)
├── interface/          # UI components (WIP or placeholders)
├── utils/              # Utility functions (pathing, ShotGrid, etc.)
├── main.py             # Entry point
├── README.md           # This file
└── TODO.md             # Development roadmap

⚙️ Dependencies

• Autodesk Maya 2024
• Python 3 (Maya's embedded interpreter)
• ShotGrid API (shotgun_api3) if ShotGrid integration is used

🗒️ Notes

This loader is intentionally minimal. It’s built to demonstrate:

• Solid code structure over complete functionality
• My familiarity with Maya’s Python API and ShotGrid integration
• An early, honest iteration in building production tools from scratch

📬 Contact

If you're a fellow TD, recruiter, or pipeline developer interested in collaboration or feedback, feel free to reach out via GitHub or LinkedIn.