Hi all,
How do i create lib. files, so i can make groups to add to other animations?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi Jachphelt,
This is how I tend to do mine;
-Get the different files containing the components you want, eg car models
-From each of those files, group each componet together with all its parts and give them good names
-Open up a new file and start appending these goups from each of these files
-On the new file, organise them, eg with each car taking a layer, if all 20 layers are full, add a scene and fill up more layers etc
Hope this helps,
i’ll classify a bit, i want to go into the file menu and click link, but when i open up the file i want, i want a folder with the ‘group’ name that i can click on.
Androo: does yrs do this? if it does, could you classify a bit, cos the second thing you said whooshed over my head.
thanks
I am guessing you are having some difficulty with the File Linking System. It is confusing at times coz it is slightly advanced in usage.
What I posted above is just to oganise your library and that is why it involved “Apending [File>Append]” (it is easier than Linking because it simply ‘copies and pastes’ stuff from one file into your open file)
Not sure if this is what you need but, -start with this small exercise (they help alot);
>Open up a a new file, you should have that cube, add [shift a] another mesh like Suzane and move it close.
>In the Object(box) Tab, under the Properties Panel, click the ‘+’ sign next to “Add to Group” and type a name like Car1.
>Make sure both of them are part of that Car1 group by cliking each and clicking 'Add to Group’and choosing Car1. Say that is your 1st car for the library.
>Save the file say ‘Car1File.blend’ on the desktop and close it. You could make as many of such groups or files as you want.
>Open a new file that is going to act as your Library file and delete the cube, and choose the same layer Car1 was saved on.
>Click File>Append>browse to the desktop and choose the file you saved (Car1.blend)
>There should be a number of folders with each containg different components of the file.
But right now you are interested in a group called ‘Car1’ so click the folder ‘Group’
>Once inside you will see a lone file ‘Car1.’ Click it and press enter and it’ll be there.
>Thats how you add up stuff to your library.
Linking is done in exactly the same way[choosing File>Link], though it has few more twists to it, but if it is what you specifically want, let me know.
THANKYOU SOOO MUCH
That is exactly what i needed!!
THANKS!!!
You’re Welcome;)
just another thing, ive grouped a character with the armature and everything, but its also got eyes and jaws and stuff on different meshes. When i group it into another file, i add a proxy, and if i add an armature, but then add another mesh, the armature does not work on that mesh, when it normally does. How do i get it to work?
Are you trying to link in a mesh twice?
You are talking about the File Linking System for animation.
Here, in say a new file, you only LINK[File>Link] in your COMPLETE and FULLY POSABLE character that you set up and grouped(with the working eyeballs, jaw, armature etc,)
So when you Make Proxy, in the new file, it is only done for the ARMATURE of the character so that the mesh is out of the way [just make sure you parent the mesh to the Armture and press to clear rotation location and scale (Alt O)].
The whole idea is for animators to only interact with the rigging system and nothing gets messed up. To edit the mesh, you have to go back to the original character blend file.
Repeat all that for each character you’d want to add.
For another copy of the same character, I think it’s just easier to duplicate the original character, and link it in as another character group.