Creating limb control attributes

00:03

Select the main arm and leg control

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the ones that look like blue arrows.

00:10

We're going to start with a divider to

00:12

separate the new attributes from the main ones.

00:16

Actually, let's add this to a few more controls. While we're here,

00:20

let's also select the FK controls

00:23

and also the main I controls for the arms and legs.

00:27

You can add attributes to multiple nodes at once.

00:31

OK? So we just want to call this IK underscore FK

00:35

and let's add that.

00:37

So you see that's now on all these controls.

00:41

Now select just the main arrow icons

00:45

and this time we need to create a float attribute.

00:49

This simply allows you to input a number much like the main attributes,

00:54

call this IKFK switch

00:59

and give it a minimum of zero

01:01

and a maximum of one.

01:03

This will lock the attribute. So we can't go above or below these values.

01:09

The difference with a float attribute is it

01:11

will allow you to move in decimal numbers.

01:15

Whereas the integer up here

01:18

will give you a similar attribute but restrict you to just full numbers.

01:24

There we go, we now have a slider which we can use to blend between our IK and FK limbs.

01:31

Now select the main IK controls for the arms and legs.

01:36

Ok. Close this for now.

01:39

So let's look at why I added those attributes to the FK controls too.

01:44

At the moment,

01:45

the animator needs to select these each time they want to blend between IK and FK.

01:50

Now I realize this is not a big thing,

01:52

but over time,

01:53

this could get repetitive and frustrating

01:56

if the control isn't immediately visible,

01:59

instead,

01:60

it would be useful if the IKFK switch attributes

02:03

could be accessed from anywhere on the arm.

02:06

Well, we can do this using a proxy attribute.

02:11

The problem is you can't currently do that from the attribute editor

02:15

as far as I'm aware. Anyway,

02:17

the good news is that it's very easy to add them,

02:20

but it will involve some scripting again.

02:23

Don't worry. All we need is this line here.

02:27

We select the controls, we want to add the proxy attribute to first.

02:32

So the FK controls and the main IK control.

02:36

So it's going to add the attribute here.

02:39

And this is why we added that divider earlier.

02:42

We need to find the main attribute we want to control.

02:46

So select the main arm control

02:48

and scrub it so we can see what is output in the script editor.

02:53

This is what we need the full name and attribute

02:58

so we can copy this

03:00

and paste it next to the minus proxy flag

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here next to the Ln flag,

03:06

which is the long name of the attribute,

03:09

give the proxy attribute, a name.

03:12

So we can just use the same here.

03:15

Let's select those controls again,

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highlight this and press enter to run it

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and you can see the attribute has been added here.

03:31

So let's say I'm animating in FK

03:33

and I want to switch,

03:35

I can use the attribute already on this control.

03:39

So if I set that to zero,

03:43

you see the main attribute is now 02.

03:46

If we move the shoulder, now

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I want to switch again,

03:50

we can do it here without selecting anything else

03:53

there. It's updated for us.

03:57

So this is a very useful tool to use in your rigs.

04:00

And unlike direct connections, it keeps the main attribute free to use too.

04:05

Whereas with connections, the main attribute becomes locked.

04:09

Let's add this to the other arm now.

04:12

So select the controls

04:17

and update the name here. So we use the right side

04:22

and add that.

04:24

Now the likes

04:26

we need to update the main name this time. So we use the right leg control,

04:34

select the controls

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and add those.

04:40

And now the left leg

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update the name,

04:46

select the controls

04:49

and add those.