Connector Tag

The task of the connector is - as the name suggests - to connect objects within the simulation system. This can in part also be the Cloth Belt and Rope Belt tag but this would connect simulated objects with non-simulated objects.

The connector tag, on the other hand, connects simulated objects to each other, e.g., Cloth tag-wearing objects to other Cloth / Rope tag-wearing objects. In the following scene the horizontal rope is attached to an end point and the rest of the system moves in accordance with opposing forces.

In this scene there are 4 splines: the rope hanging crosswise, and the 3 vertical ropes from which the cubes hang. The 3 vertical splines each have a Connector tag assigned to them. This creates Connector Constraints on the marked spots and make sure that the vertical splines are connected with the horizontal rope and one cube (alternatively all 4 splines can be combined into one whereby the Same Object option would have to be enabled in the Connector tag so the spline segments can connect).

The Connector object has the following special properties:

• Connector Constraints are created based on controllable distances, i.e., the distance from one point to another defines whether a constraint should be created there.
• Constraints can also be created at points within the same object. Here you can affect the folds or create stiffness.
• Connector constraints can tear at a certain elongation.
• Collision detection between connected points is disabled (so that for a close connection Target Length can be set to 0 and positioning can be done from point to point).

Operation

After assigning the Connector tag, the corresponding constraints must first be created. To do so, click on the Create button in the Tag tab. If Search Radius is large enough, Constraints will be created between the points and displayed as yellow lines in the Viewport: by default always when the tag is selected.