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Missing Referenced File

Error code: MISSING_REFERENCED_FILE

"It looks like your USD file referenced one or more external files that weren't included in the upload. These could include additional USD files or other associated files such as images used as textures. All included files must have relative references and be located somewhere inside of the parent directory."

What This Means​

Your USD file contains references to external files — such as sub-layer USD files or texture images — that were not present in the upload. Miris cannot resolve these references, so the asset cannot be processed.

Common Causes​

  • Textures (e.g., .png, .jpg, .exr) referenced by the USD material are stored in a separate folder that was not included in the upload
  • Sub-layer or payload USD files are referenced by an absolute path (e.g., C:\Users\... or /home/...) rather than a relative path — absolute paths stop working as soon as the file leaves your machine
  • A UDIM texture sequence (e.g., texture_1001.png, texture_1002.png) was only partially uploaded — all tiles in the sequence must be included, not just the first one
  • Files were referenced by path but accidentally left out of the folder before uploading

How to Fix It​

  1. Open your root USD file and identify all external references — look for references, payload, sublayers, and texture file paths in material bindings
  2. Confirm every referenced file is present inside the upload folder (at any depth)
  3. Make sure all references use relative paths — absolute paths (e.g., C:\Users\... or /home/...) will not resolve after upload
  4. Re-upload the complete folder
Relative paths by DCC tool

Absolute paths are a very common export gotcha. Here's where to find the setting in each tool:

  • Maya: In the USD Export dialog, set File Textures to Relative
  • Houdini: In the USD ROP, enable Make Paths Relative to Output File
  • Blender: In the USD Export panel, check Relative Paths — note that some older Blender versions write absolute paths regardless of this setting; if you see absolute paths after export, upgrade Blender or manually correct them in a text editor

Still seeing this error after following the steps above? Contact support with your asset name and a description of what you've tried.