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  • Offset-Refresh for Transform-Constraint

Why isn't it possible to refresh/edit/key the Offset-position of a transform-constraint during animation-mode?

In this example i have constraint bone "Himawari - MF IK" with Bone "Bett5" to 100% (to see in video). Then i set the constraint to 0 (to see in video) and move the himawari-bone to another position (not to see in video) and now i want to set it back to 100% (not to see in video). In this case the "old" offset position is reactivated and would move the "Bett5"-bone to keep the old distance to Himawari-bone. My goal would be to constrain with the new offset-position (without using/connecting another bone to the mesh). Why wouldn't it possible to adjust/key a new offset-position for the constraint in animation-mode? I don't know if i overthink the problem. Maybe someone has a solution for me assuming you understand my problem 🙂.
Thanks!

  • Misaki відповіли на це.
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    In Spine, the ability to refresh or edit the offset position of a transform constraint during animation mode is limited to prevent accidental modifications to the setup pose. The setup pose is intended to be a stable reference for all animations, and allowing changes to constraints in animation mode could lead to unintended consequences.

    However, there are workarounds to achieve the desired effect:

    1. Skin Constraints: You can use skin constraints to adjust the rig for different animations or character proportions. This allows you to activate certain constraints only while a particular skin is active. More information can be found in the Skin Constraints section of the Spine User Guide.

    2. Multiple Constraints: Create multiple transform constraints for each position you want to match. You can then activate or deactivate these constraints as needed during different animations. This method is useful for complex setups where different offsets are required.

    3. Layering Animations: Another approach is to layer animations, as demonstrated in the Spineboy example project. This allows you to combine different animations to achieve the desired effect without modifying the setup pose.

    4. Manual Adjustment: You can manually adjust the transform constraint by setting its mix to 0, moving the constrained bone to the desired position, and then setting the mix back to 100%. This method requires careful keying to ensure the correct offsets are applied.

    For more detailed guidance, you can refer to the following resources:

    These methods provide flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the setup pose.

    borleech I think you misunderstand the purpose of offset in the first place. If you set the mix value of each transform to 100 with all offset set to 0, the transform of the constrained bone will match the transform of the target bone. If you don't want them to match, and you want the constrained bones to have their own rotation, position, or scale, you can adjust the offset. If the offset value itself can be animated, the result will be different if the mix value of each transform is 100, but since the mix itself is animatable, this means you can adjust both the base value of the mix and how much of the mix is applied to it. In addition, if the mix is less than 100, the transform of the constrained bones themselves is also taken into account, so you can see how complicated the formula gets.

    To get what you want, you should have multiple transform constraints. Bones can be constrained by multiple constraints, and a bone that is already constrained by one transform constraint can be constrained by another transform constraint. This means that you can create another transform constraint with the exact same constrained bones and the target bone, but with different offset values, and then change which one you want to mix to during the animation.

      Misaki
      Thanks for the reply, Misaki.
      I'm aware of the offset-feature. Let's say i set the mix to 0, then i move the target bone to another position, next i would key the offset (stepped key as for the "order"-key), (click "adjust"-button) and finally i set the mix back to 100. Now i would say the "new" constrained bone is created with another offset (Everything in animate-mode). Is that thinking too lightly?
      Your proposal is a good solution for my problem. I think i will use it, but to setup this other constrained bone i need to know first the new position of the target bone. This means i have to change the position of the target bone in setup-mode to get the offset-values for the new constrained bone. After that i have to set back the bone position to the old target bone position. Am i right with that? Let me know!

      • Misaki відповіли на це.

        borleech

        Let's say i set the mix to 0, then i move the target bone to another position, next i would key the offset (stepped key as for the "order"-key), (click "adjust"-button) and finally i set the mix back to 100. Now i would say the "new" constrained bone is created with another offset (Everything in animate-mode). Is that thinking too lightly?

        I am afraid I am not sure about this assumption. Are you suggesting that it would be easy to add such a feature? Whether or not it is easy to add new features, I think the idea of being able to key offsets is confusing. I think the current approach of creating different transform constraints for different offset values is pretty easy to understand. Currently it is not possible to label or comment keys, so you will have to check in animate mode to see what each key does, but constraints can have names, so you can give them a clear name to see how the constrained bone should be rotated, positioned, or scaled.
        There used to be a concern that the tree view would become too long if there were many constraints, but now that it is possible to create folders in the constraints node, this concern has been eliminated.

        I think i will use it, but to setup this other constrained bone i need to know first the new position of the target bone. This means i have to change the position of the target bone in setup-mode to get the offset-values for the new constrained bone. After that i have to set back the bone position to the old target bone position.

        The offset value cannot be keyed, but it can be changed in animate mode, so there should be no need to adjust the position in setup mode. However, this is not possible in older Spine versions, so if you are using an older version, you may need to adjust the position in setup mode as you mentioned.

          Misaki Thanks for your patience and explanations. I only wanted to know why it can't work like this. So you are right, it is easier to do it with the Constraints and it worked nice for my case.

          • Misaki відповіли на це.
          • Misaki вподобали це.

            borleech I am glad to hear that it went well! Thanks for getting back to us. 🙂