How to export¶
Export a Gaussian splat object back to a file for viewers, archives, or other pipelines.
Export from the File menu¶
- Select the splat transform or shape (Export Selection), or use Export All when the scene has only one splat.
- Choose File → Export Selection or File → Export All.
- Set Files of type to Gaussian Splats Export.
- Open Options and choose format, SH degree, and compression settings.
- Enter a name and export.
You can also select a linked V-Ray or Arnold render object (*_vrayHold / *_vrayGS, or Arnold’s hold / GS) - export still finds the correct source splat.
Export All vs Export Selection¶
| Mode | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Export Selection | Selection includes a splat (or its linked render helper). |
| Export All | Scene has exactly one splat. If there are several, use Export Selection. |
Export options¶
| Option | When | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| PLY / NPZ / SPLAT / KSPLAT / SOG / SPZ | Always | Output format |
| Compress | PLY and NPZ | Smaller PLY (packed) or deflated NPZ |
| KSPLAT Mode | KSPLAT | 0 highest quality · 1 balanced · 2 smallest |
| SH Degree | Formats that can store lighting bands | Max lighting detail to write. Default 3. |
Defaults: format PLY, Compress off, KSPLAT Mode 0, SH Degree 3.
SPLAT is always base color
The SPLAT format cannot store higher lighting bands. SH Degree is ignored for SPLAT.
How SH Degree works¶
| You choose | Source has | File you get |
|---|---|---|
| 3 (default) | 3 / 2 / 1 / 0 | 3 / 2 / 1 / 0 (uses what exists) |
| 2 | 3 | 2 (drops higher bands correctly) |
| 2 | 1 | 1 (steps down) |
| 0 | any | Base color only |
This is separate from the Attribute Editor SH Degree slider, which only affects viewport / Arnold preview - not the export unless you also set the export option. Lowering export degree drops higher lighting bands cleanly (it does not leave a broken strip of coefficients).
Transform baking¶
Export writes positions using the object’s current placement in Maya:
- New imports keep file coordinates as-is. Your move / rotate / scale edits are baked into the exported file.
- Older scenes that still use the legacy import framing (historical 100× scale + Z 180°) are handled correctly on export so that framing is not written into the file twice.
- Non-uniform and negative scales are supported (each splat’s shape is updated to match). Strong shear is ignored with a warning.
- Captures that arrived through glTF use the node’s transform as-is.
Choosing a format¶
| Goal | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Archive / highest quality | PLY (Compress off) |
| Smaller SuperSplat-friendly PLY | PLY + Compress |
| SuperSplat / PlayCanvas | SOG |
| Three.js GaussianSplats3D | KSPLAT (Mode 1) |
| Compact Niantic / Adobe | SPZ |
| Quick web preview | SPLAT |
| NumPy / research | NPZ |
Optional: export from Script Editor¶
import maya.cmds as cmds
# Full quality PLY
cmds.GaussianSplatExport(filePath="C:/out/room.ply", format="ply", compressed=False, shDegree=3)
# Degree-1 lighting only
cmds.GaussianSplatExport(filePath="C:/out/room_sh1.ply", format="ply", shDegree=1)
# Balanced KSPLAT
cmds.GaussianSplatExport(filePath="C:/out/room.ksplat", format="ksplat", ksplatMode=1)
# SOG / SPZ
cmds.GaussianSplatExport(filePath="C:/out/room.sog", format="sog", shDegree=3)
cmds.GaussianSplatExport(filePath="C:/out/room.spz", format="spz", shDegree=3)