Alliance for OpenUSD · Schema

USDLayer

A USD layer — the fundamental unit of composition in OpenUSD, representing a file or in-memory container for scene description data including prim specs, property specs, and composition arcs.

3DInteroperabilityLinux FoundationMetaverseOpenUSDSpecificationStandardsUSDVisual Effects

Properties

Name Type Description
identifier string The unique identifier (path or URI) for this layer.
realPath string The resolved filesystem path for this layer.
fileFormat string The file format identifier for this layer.
defaultPrim string The default prim path to use when referencing this layer.
startTimeCode number The start time code for the layer's time-sampled data.
endTimeCode number The end time code for the layer's time-sampled data.
framesPerSecond number Frames per second for time code interpretation.
timeCodesPerSecond number Time codes per second (usually matches framesPerSecond).
metersPerUnit number Scene scale in meters per USD unit.
upAxis string The up axis convention for the scene.
documentation string Human-readable documentation for the layer.
subLayerPaths array Ordered list of sublayer paths composed by this layer.
View JSON Schema on GitHub

JSON Schema

aousd-usd-layer-schema.json Raw ↑ 
{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
  "$id": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/aousd/refs/heads/main/json-schema/aousd-usd-layer-schema.json",
  "title": "USDLayer",
  "description": "A USD layer — the fundamental unit of composition in OpenUSD, representing a file or in-memory container for scene description data including prim specs, property specs, and composition arcs.",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "identifier": {"type": "string", "description": "The unique identifier (path or URI) for this layer.", "example": "/assets/characters/hero/hero.usda"},
    "realPath": {"type": "string", "description": "The resolved filesystem path for this layer.", "example": "/studio/assets/characters/hero/hero.usda"},
    "fileFormat": {"type": "string", "description": "The file format identifier for this layer.", "enum": ["usda", "usdb", "usd", "usdz"], "example": "usda"},
    "defaultPrim": {"type": "string", "description": "The default prim path to use when referencing this layer.", "example": "Hero"},
    "startTimeCode": {"type": "number", "description": "The start time code for the layer's time-sampled data.", "example": 1.0},
    "endTimeCode": {"type": "number", "description": "The end time code for the layer's time-sampled data.", "example": 240.0},
    "framesPerSecond": {"type": "number", "description": "Frames per second for time code interpretation.", "example": 24.0},
    "timeCodesPerSecond": {"type": "number", "description": "Time codes per second (usually matches framesPerSecond).", "example": 24.0},
    "metersPerUnit": {"type": "number", "description": "Scene scale in meters per USD unit.", "example": 0.01},
    "upAxis": {"type": "string", "enum": ["Y", "Z"], "description": "The up axis convention for the scene.", "example": "Y"},
    "documentation": {"type": "string", "description": "Human-readable documentation for the layer.", "example": "Hero character asset for production."},
    "subLayerPaths": {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}, "description": "Ordered list of sublayer paths composed by this layer.", "example": ["/assets/characters/hero/hero_rig.usda", "/assets/characters/hero/hero_model.usda"]}
  },
  "required": ["identifier"]
}