Open usdview without specifying a file #3321

MishDivyAmzn · 2024-09-27T15:04:22Z

Running usdview without usdFile positional argument will now open an empty stage. If usdFile is passed, then there will be no behavior change.

Description of Change(s)

Made usdFile positional argement Optional
Updated the GetResolverContext method to return a default context when usdFile is not passed.
Updated the appController _openStage method to create an empty stage when usdFilePath is a falsy value.
Updated the _saveFlattendedAs, _saveOverridesAs and _saveViewerImage methods to use "new_scene" prefix for recommended file name when usdFile is a falsy value.

Note: Prior to this change, running usdview without usdFile argument would print error: the following arguments are required: usdFile.

Fixes Issue(s)

#3093

I have verified that all unit tests pass with the proposed changes

I have submitted a signed Contributor License Agreement

MishDivyAmzn · 2024-09-27T15:05:43Z

Requested a signed CLA from my employer. Will send the CLA to Pixar and update this PR as soon as I receive the CLA.

jesschimein · 2024-09-27T16:45:54Z

Filed as internal issue #USD-10199

❗ Please make sure that a signed CLA has been submitted!

jesschimein · 2024-09-27T16:45:56Z

/AzurePipelines run

azure-pipelines · 2024-09-27T16:46:06Z

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 1 pipeline(s).

spiffmon

Just one suggestion, though others may have feedback also - thanks!

spiffmon · 2024-09-27T17:27:02Z

pxr/usdImaging/usdviewq/appController.py

+    def _getRecommendedFilenamePrefix(self):
+        return (self._parserData.usdFile.rsplit('.', 1)[0]
+                if self._parserData.usdFile
+                else 'new_file')


Should this be something unique, like when we are creating temp files? It's probably unlikely, but if a bunch of "file-less" usdview's are launched and you do live-editing and want to save out the overrides from more than one, if you go with the recommendation you'll stomp your results. OTOH, you will see that the suggestion is the same for both, and have the ability to change it. Just a thought to consider.

... if you do go that route, given that there's multiple uses of this recommended name, and only one "empty/new stage" per usdview, Seems like we would want just one unique name per-process, right?

Good point! The unique names usually look a bit ugly to people, so I wasn't sure about it :). I can replace this function with the following if people think this would be better.

def _getRecommendedFilenamePrefix(self): return (self._parserData.usdFile.rsplit('.', 1)[0] if self._parserData.usdFile else f'new_file_{os.getpid()}_{datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S_%f")[:18]}')

The above function would make a unique name suggestion based on process ID and current datetime (millisecond precision), so almost unique everytime. But could be a bit jarring to look at. Open to suggestions :)

Here's an example of a potential suggestion from the above function:
new_file_12345_20240927_154510_12

We can potentially remove the datetime portion if we just need a unique name per process ID.

Thanks for the feedback, lmk if anything else stands out.

Let's go ahead with the current naming, since file saving does ask for a confirmation if you try to override an existing file

anwang2009 · 2024-10-28T22:31:45Z

Hi @MishDivyAmzn, thanks for the PR! Any updates on the CLA?

MishDivyAmzn · 2024-11-10T12:39:00Z

The CLA is still in process by the legal. It should be ready very soon. I'll update this as soon as I hear back.

MishDivyAmzn · 2024-11-21T21:28:39Z

Update: Pixar should have received the CLA now :)

anwang2009

@MishDivyAmzn thanks for your patience! We've added a few comments, when you get the chance to take a look.

anwang2009 · 2024-12-11T21:45:39Z

pxr/usdImaging/usdviewq/appController.py

+    def _getRecommendedFilenamePrefix(self):
+        return (self._parserData.usdFile.rsplit('.', 1)[0]
+                if self._parserData.usdFile
+                else 'new_file')


Let's go ahead with the current naming, since file saving does ask for a confirmation if you try to override an existing file

anwang2009 · 2024-12-11T21:49:06Z

pxr/usdImaging/usdviewq/appController.py

    def _saveOverridesAs(self):
-        recommendedFilename = self._parserData.usdFile.rsplit('.', 1)[0]
-        recommendedFilename += '_overrides.usd'
+        recommendedFilename = self._getRecommendedFilenamePrefix() + '_overrides.usd'


Below at os.path.samefile(saveName, self._parserData.usdFile):

With an empty stage, if we want to save overrides to an existing file, self._parserData.usdFile will be None and an error occurs.

anwang2009 · 2024-12-11T21:55:00Z

pxr/usdImaging/usdviewq/appController.py

+            stage = self._getStageForFile(usdFilePath, sessionFilePath,
+                                          populationMaskPaths, muteLayersRe)
+
+        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetSessionLayer())


It looks like saving overrides saves the root layer only. If someone opens an empty stage, makes some edits via the Interpreter, then does "Save Overrides As", nothing will get written out. We should only create a session layer and set it as the edit target when we have a real stage, and avoid creating the session layer for the empty stage.

MishDivy · 2025-01-09T05:34:30Z

Thank you for the feedback, I'll update this PR asap. :)

pmolodo · 2025-10-15T17:51:27Z

@MishDivy - any chance you could find some time to update this PR? We'd also like to be able to open UsdView with no args...

MishDivy · 2025-10-15T18:20:04Z

Apologies for the delay, this slipped out of my radar. Let me rebase this PR to latest, and fix any issues pointed out.

Signed-off-by: Divyansh Mishra <[email protected]>

MishDivy · 2025-10-16T14:55:44Z

Update Summary

I have updated this PR to address previous review comments:

When usdview is launched without a usdFile argument, it no longer creates a Session layer.
All overrides are now authored to the anonymous root layer instead.
Fixed the issue where attempting to save overrides with the same filename would raise an error.

Testing

I verified the changes by:

Launching usdview with no arguments (empty stage).
Authoring scene description using the Python interpreter.
Using Save Overrides As… and Save Flattened As… to confirm that data exports correctly from usdview.
Reopening the saved files to ensure they load successfully and edits persist as expected.

sdobbs-blz · 2025-10-17T00:15:58Z

pxr/usdImaging/usdviewq/appController.py

+    def _openStage(self, usdFilePath, sessionFilePath,
+                   populationMaskPaths, muteLayersRe):
+
+        if self._mallocTags != 'none':
+            Tf.MallocTag.Initialize()
+
+        if not usdFilePath:
+            stage = self._getEmptyStage()
+
+        else:
+            stage = self._getStageForFile(usdFilePath, sessionFilePath,
+                                          populationMaskPaths, muteLayersRe)
+            stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetSessionLayer())
+
+        if self._mallocTags == 'stage':
+            DumpMallocTags(stage, "stage-loading")
+
+        return stage
+


Looks like this PR is missing a lot of logic from the _openStage method, perhaps a bad merge? -

OpenUSD/pxr/usdImaging/usdviewq/appController.py

Line 1206 in 43b8c71

def _openStage(self, usdFilePath, sessionFilePath,

Thanks for the comment!

I renamed the old _openStage function to _getStageForFile and now the _openStage calls _getStageForFile or _getEmptyStage based on whether usdFile was passed as an argument. This way the callers of _openStage are unaffected.

Please let me know if there are any other concerns.

ahh sorry, missed that. thanks!

spiffmon reviewed Sep 27, 2024

View reviewed changes

anwang2009 reviewed Dec 11, 2024

View reviewed changes

Open usdview without specifying a file

72519e9

Signed-off-by: Divyansh Mishra <[email protected]>

MishDivyAmzn force-pushed the dev_usdview_no_file_path branch from 4b6c116 to 72519e9 Compare October 16, 2025 14:46

sdobbs-blz reviewed Oct 17, 2025

View reviewed changes

pixar-oss closed this in dfbc03f Nov 5, 2025

Open usdview without specifying a file #3321

Open usdview without specifying a file #3321

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MishDivyAmzn commented Sep 27, 2024 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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Description of Change(s)

Fixes Issue(s)

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MishDivyAmzn commented Sep 27, 2024

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MishDivyAmzn Sep 28, 2024 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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anwang2009 commented Oct 28, 2024

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MishDivy commented Jan 9, 2025

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MishDivy commented Oct 16, 2025

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Testing

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MishDivyAmzn commented Sep 27, 2024 •

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MishDivyAmzn Sep 28, 2024 •

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