3ds Max 9 - link 2 objects halfway through anim?

[Luisk]

Hi Noomsky!...that can be donde with a link constraint... Animation>Constraints>Link Constraint....
so what you have to do is select the object you want linked to the leg and go into the animation menu, constraints and select link constraint....
a dotted line will appear to select the element you want to link to...select the leg...
on the motion panel you'll see the link Params and in the first window the leg object...
to have the object still during the first frames click on link to world while having the slider at frame "0"
then move the time slider to the frame you want both obejct linked...on the link params clik on add link and select the leg....
after this you can unlink the objects by clicking on "link to world"...and link back with "add link" even to another object...

I hope this helps...if it was too confusing or didn't work let me know and I'll post a video tutorial

cya!

[Noomski]

Hi LuisK,

That's awesome :D

I tried it once and really got it wrong, so I got half way through sending you a really elaborate PM with pictures etc and while I was going through the steps creating screenshots to show you where I was getting it wrong I suddenly realised how to do it right.

Thanks man!




Edit:

Ok spoke too soon there - I can't for the life of me re-create it for the second leg :sad:

As soon as i get to:

to have the object still during the first frames click on link to world while having the slider at frame "0"

I hit the 'link to world' button and the panel flips on it's side and moves to the center of the scene. I just can't work out what I did differently on the other leg.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8959/14107916ap6.jpg


If the offer still stands I'd really appreciate a video tut. I've added a link below to my max file if you or anyone else would be able to take a look. The link constraint is working for the left leg in the file below but not the right leg.....:sad:

3ds Max file (http://www.crystaltwister.com/NEWCAR128_recover737.max)

[Luisk]

no problem..glad it worked!

[Luisk]

I posted a video tutorial.. clickhere (http://www.luisk.net/video/link_constraint.zip) to see it

hope this helps

[Noomski]

Hi LuisK,

Thanks for the vid, I can see what you mean now. I simply click 'add link' when I'm in a frame where I want the link to be in effect or I click 'link to world' when I want to detach the link from the moving object.

However the problem I'm facing is the same as what happens in your video. At 1:07 in your video when you click 'Link to world' box01 moves it's position. That's the problem.

You see the object I'm 'linking to world' needs to remain in it's original position in frame 0 since it's one of the panels of my car and the vertices match up to the rest of the bodywork. It'll be hard to move it so it lines up perfectly again.

Is there anyway to set the panel to link to world without it relocating itself to a different position in the scene?

Once again thanks for the vid - it helped me lots.

Mike



Edit,

Ok I've got it sussed now - not quite sure what I did but I think I understand for the future. Thanks LK the video did the trick - watched it a few more times and it just clicked, :thumbsup:
:bounce:

[Luisk]

to avoid that go to frame 0...select the object and link it with the link constraint...then click on delete link on the link params.....that way it has the constraint but its not linked to any object.....then click on link to world..now you can move the time slider having autokey on and select the frame you want the object linked to the leg

[Noomski]

Hi LuisK,

Is there any reason why the link seems to come partially unstuck depending on how I move the leg?

For example: If I pick up the root bone and move the entire robot somewhere else in the scene the panel sticks to the leg and doesn't move - great!

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7889/movebyrootrt7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7889/movebyrootrt7.1e2363ccf4.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=510&i=movebyrootrt7.jpg)

However if i move the IK chain for the leg then the panel follows flips over and follows the path of the leg moving at a different speed, so it ends up in wierd locations.

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/1184/62177111ys6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/1184/62177111ys6.89fe938017.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=510&i=62177111ys6.jpg)

Also if I turn off IK and simply rotate the leg at the knee joint then it's even worse - the panel flips upside down and moves to the other side of the leg and rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation of the leg.

Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh :)

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/2052/28133612so2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[PhilipMelancon]

You're facing a bug that often happens with the link constraint. What you need to do is instead of using the link constraint from the animation menu, add it directly through the motion panel (click on the ?). That should solve the weird behavior you're seeing.

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