Commands

The character menu contains various commands that are designed to make character animation easier. The commands have no dialog window. You can integrate the commands freely into the interface for rapid access using the Customize Commands Manager.

Create IK Chain

Allows you to quickly create an entire IK chain. An IK tag is created with its End field set automatically. A goal is also created and entered into the IK tag. In the Object Manager, simply select the joint objects which should form the start and end of the chain.

Hold down Ctrl/Cmd when choosing the command if you want to create several chains at the same time. For example, suppose you have a chain of joints for a leg, consisting of hip, knee, foot, ball and toe. If you select all of these joint objects except ball and choose the command with Ctrl/Cmd held down, three IK chains are created. The first IK tag is on the hip joint object and has its End set to foot. The second IK tag is assigned to foot and has ball entered as its End. And the third tag is on the toe joint object with its End set to toe.

Align

Gives you a fast way to align the axes in a hierarchy of joints. In the Object Manager, simply choose the top joint object in a hierarchy and choose this command. Hold down Ctrl/Cmd when choosing the command if you want to align the axes of the selected joint object but not the axes of the joint's children.

Copy Chain

Allows you to copy the coordinates of a joint hierarchy. You can then assign these copied coordinates to another joint hierarchy. The command works for any type of object hierarchy, not just joints.

If you hold down Ctrl/Cmd when choosing the command, the coordinates of the selected objects only are copied.

Mirror Chain

Works in a similar way to Map Chain, except that in this case, the copied coordinates are mirrored before being assigned. The coordinates are mirrored on the XZ plane by default.

If you hold down Ctrl/Cmd when choosing the command, the copied coordinates will be mirrored on the YZ plane. To use the XZ plane, hold down Shift.

Map Chain

Assigns the coordinates copied using Copy Chain to the selected hierarchy.

If you hold down Ctrl/Cmd when choosing the command, the coordinates are assigned to the selected objects only.

Set Preferred

Defines the current pose and the Preferred Rot for all joint objects selected in the Object Manager.

To Preferred

Allows you to set the FK pose for the IK chain’s joints back to the angles defined by Preferred Rot. Note that it's only the rotations that change; the positions and scales of the joints stay the same. Therefore, it's important to record keyframes at the start of the animation for position, scale and, ideally, for rotation.

In the Object Manager, choose a joint object that has an IK tag to restore the IK chain's FK pose to the preferred rotation.

Reset Pose

Also corresponds to a command of the same name in the weight tag. However, here you have the possibility to reset the starting pose for all Weight tags, provided no objects are selected in the Object Manager when you choose the command. Holding the Ctrl/Cmd key while executing this command will only affect objects selected in the Weight tag.

Set Pose

Works in exactly the same way as the button of the same name located in the Weight tag on the Tag tab. In the Object Manager, choose an object that has a Weight tag and choose this command to define the current pose as the starting pose. Holding the Ctrl/Cmd key while executing this command will only affect objects selected in the Weight tag.

Create Cluster

This command transforms the current mesh selection (points, polygons or edges) into a cluster. In the process, a vertex map will be created, based on the selection. A Cluster Deformer will be created simultaneously and made a Child object of the selected object. The vertex map that was created will automatically be linked to this object and a Null object will be created to serve as a target for the cluster.