IK Solver -Pole Vector problem

[DanHaffner]

It sounds like you drew your joints in a straight line, which is fine, but when you put an IK on it, it has no bend to use to solve with. To counter this when the joints are straight, grab the shoulder joint and the elbow joint, hit "E" to pull out the rotation manipulator and rotate the joints on the Y-axis so the arm fold in on itself like you would expect it to. While the arm is bent and still selected, go to Skeleton -> Set Preferred Angle. This will tell the IK which way it is supposed to bend when it is solving. Zero out the joints, recreate the IK handle, then make your pole vector, and it should bend properly.

Let me know if this helped any.

[J0K3R 3D]

Hey Dan thanks for the help. The bones were not drawn in a straight line they have a slight bend to them at default. Its not even horizontal.

Still, I tried what you said ... unfortunately it didnt work :( Really at a loss here. Maybe im not explaining it well.

Im going to see if I can put a file with the problem up somewhere and link it here.

[DanHaffner]

Ah, sorry man. Yea, throw up a scene file.

[mlefevre]

EDIT* - Tried my own suggestion, but it can't be down to that.

[J0K3R 3D]

Ok set up a file at filedropper.com. Just click where is says "Download this File" it should work.

http://www.filedropper.com/brokenik

The ones on the back is the original joints im trying to fix. Already has the IK's set up with the pole vector, which of course, doesnt work as it should. If you grab the IK and translate it in the X-axis toward the shoulder, the shoulder rotates pointing the elbow down. As you can see the joints are oriented and the rotates zero'd out

There is also one in front of it before the IK set up in case you guys want to try for yourself. Probably a simple solution im not seeing :(

Thx again for the help. Greatly appreciate the time you've taken.

[mlefevre]

You need to set the preferred angle for the elbow joint, before applying the ik solver.

You can do this by rotating the elbow joint forward (i.e the direction the character is facing), holding the RMB on the elbow joint, and selecting "Set Preferred Angle" - then applying the ik solver and pole vector constraint.

I've attached a working copy for maya 2008+.

Good luck!

-matt

[J0K3R 3D]

lol, I knew it was going to be something simple like that. I could swear thats what I did when Dan asked me to. In either case thanks a bunch it works now! :) Though I might have done it with the shoulder selected.

Thanks a ton! I owe ya both one :D

[DanHaffner]

You need to set the preferred angle for the elbow joint, before applying the ik solver.

You can do this by rotating the elbow joint forward (i.e the direction the character is facing), holding the RMB on the elbow joint, and selecting "Set Preferred Angle" - then applying the ik solver and pole vector constraint.

I've attached a working copy for maya 2008+.

Good luck!

-matt

lol, I knew it was going to be something simple like that. I could swear thats what I did when Dan asked me to. In either case thanks a bunch it works now! :) Though I might have done it with the shoulder selected.

Thanks a ton! I owe ya both one :D

Maybe I just didn't explain it well enough. Either way, glad it got worked out for yea.

Cheers.

-Dan

[J0K3R 3D]

hehe naw you explained well enough. It was either because I selected the wrong joint (i remember playing with the shoulder as well) or I didn't rotate the elbow enough since it did have a slight bend to it. Cant really remember but either way you were right with the 'set preferred angle' thing. Thanks again.

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