Publish

Publish prepares a work rig for delivery to animators. A profile defines the operations to apply; you test the resulting candidate before approving and delivering it.

Open the tool

from weSkel.src.ui import publish

publish.show_dockable(floating=True)  # Floating window; dock where you prefer.
# publish.show()                      # Alternative: standalone floating window.

Overview

weSkel | Publish · Aurora / atlas.

Guide	Function
1 · Settings	The left panel contains the Work Rig, project, profile and destinations.
2 · Tabs	Profile displays the preparation recipe. Preparation contains execution, testing and the delivery decision.

The refresh button at the top right reloads saved projects and profiles.

File state	Purpose
Work	Your work scene. Publish retains a copy for returning to work.
Candidate	The scene prepared by the profile, awaiting your decision.
Delivery	The approved candidate, copied to its final destination.

Rig and project

Work Rig / Project · Aurora.

Guide	Function
1 · Rig	Scan rigs refreshes the scene rig list. Publish version starts at v001, then suggests the number after previously delivered versions. It stays editable and is separate from Work version.
2 · Project	Choose the project and its Profile. Open project… opens an existing library; New project… creates a project. Set folder… sets all three destinations from one folder.
3 · Category	Asset type and Subtype filter profiles. The rig’s production, category and asset identify its publishing context.
4 · Destinations	Candidates root, Deliveries root and Archives root are the output folders. Rig delivery shows the exact asset file; Open opens its folder.
5 · Profiles	Profile storage locates publish_library.json: the project’s profiles, revisions, parameters and destinations.

For a new project, fill in Project ID, Display name, Rig production and Project folder, then choose Create project. Rig production must exactly match the rig’s prod metadata. Create its profile with New….

Preparation profile

A profile is a reusable recipe: operations, activation and parameters. Available operations cover scene cleanup, display, controllers, sets, naming and animation settings.

Profile · Body - Animation.

Guide	Function
1 · Operations	Operation names the prescript; Enabled shows Yes, No or Required. Value source identifies where its activation comes from. Double-click Enabled to toggle an optional operation.
2 · Parameters	Select an operation to inspect Parameters / Provenance. Inherited values retain their origin. An operation may have no parameters.

Change	Persistence
Double-click Enabled	Changes only the next preparation. Local marks a difference from the saved profile; no revision is created.
Edit… → Save profile	Saves changes as a new revision. Earlier revisions remain available in the profile list.
New… / Copy…	Creates a profile, or an independent or inherited copy of an existing profile.

Local changes reset when switching rig, project or profile, reloading data, or closing the tool. To keep them, use Edit… then Save profile. Required marks a mandatory operation; Enabled describes configuration, not an execution result.

Prepare and test

Action	Result
Prepare candidate	Captures the work, applies enabled operations in the current Maya session and saves the candidate. Settings are frozen for this attempt.
Cancel preparation	Requests cancellation of the running preparation. Wait for the operation to finish and inspect the displayed result.
Test candidate	Opens a separate copy for manual rig testing. Test poses and saves affect this copy.
Return to work	Reopens the retained work scene. Available after preparation or testing; test edits are not transferred to the candidate.

Test candidate does not run an automated test suite. Check the rig in Maya, then return to work before deciding. These scene changes reset Undo / Redo.

Preparation · atlas / v001.

Guide	Function
1 · Actions	Prepare the candidate, open its test copy or return to work.
2 · Candidate	The heading identifies the asset, version and attempt state.
3 · Results	Each operation shows its status and duration. Select a row to inspect its details.
4 · Details	Tabs provide logs, the selected result, diagnostics and review.

Read the results

Status	Meaning
Succeeded · green	The operation succeeded.
Not applicable · orange	The operation is enabled but has no relevant action on this candidate.
Disabled · dimmed	The operation is disabled in the recipe used.
Warning / Failed · yellow / red	Inspect the message and affected items before continuing.

Tab	Contents
Process logs	Overall summary, duration and preparation messages.
Step details	Result, messages, affected items and parameters for the selected operation.
Attempt diagnostics	Warnings and errors during preparation, opening, returning to work or delivery. May be empty.
Review	Decision, comments and delivery state.

Approve or reject

In Preparation → Review, decide what to do with the candidate after testing. V1 uses self-review: you approve your own candidates.

Review · atlas / v001.

Guide	Function
1 · Decision	Approve and deliver asks you to confirm manual testing and allows a comment, then approves, archives and delivers. Reject candidate requires a reason.
2 · Tracking	The tab retains the decision and comments. A delivery error preserves approval: use Retry delivery… once its cause is resolved.

Delivery uses the prepared candidate, never edits from the test copy. After rejection and returning to work, the attempt’s Maya copies are removed; logs, results and comments are kept. Fix the work and prepare a new attempt.

Files and history

A new project creates this structure in the selected folder:

Aurora/
  publish_library.json
  candidate/
  publish/
    archives/

Deliveries are grouped by type / subtype / asset. An asset keeps a stable filename, for example publish/character/body/atlas/atlas_rig.ma. A new delivery replaces the current version; archives retain history.

Each destination can be set independently. Changing a folder affects future attempts and does not move existing files. Archives follow Deliveries root until their folder is customized.