How to use a Linked Character?

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Okay, so I’m trying to use a linked character in a scene but there is a issue. I have a FK/IK switch for the various limbs of the character but I can’t use them. They are greyed out and when I hover over them it says this:

“Disabled. Can’t edit this property from an override data-block.”

I need the character to be linked in so I can make adjustments as I go to the character and rig without having to constantly import it into the scene. But I need to have everything work right.

So, how do you Link a character correctly in Blender?

2

Hi, try appending the character instead of linking.

3

You’ll need to make a library override on whatever object the FK/IK switch is on, so most likely your rig.

Right click the linked rig in the outliner

Blender 3.0:

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image563×657 75.9 KB

Blender 3.3:

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image542×541 60.7 KB

If at all possible I’d suggest using 3.3 for your linked file. They have made lots of improvements to library overrides and NLA. My source files are on 3.0 and are linked in 3.3, everything works fine. Of course some addons may not work in later versions, but so far I haven’t had that issue.

4

That’s what I did, and I’m using 3.3 and it’s still greyed out.

5

And then any changes I make to it won’t appear in the file. Forcing me to constantly import it every time. I want to avoid that.

6

I found the solution. When making custom properties of any kind, you must check the box named “Library Overridable” inside the custom property menu, so that you can use them on Linked characters.