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Synopsis

pointConstraint( [target...] [object] , [layer=string], [maintainOffset=boolean], [name=string], [offset=[float, float, float]], [remove=boolean], [skip=string], [targetList=boolean], [weight=float], [weightAliasList=boolean])

Note: Strings representing object names and arguments must be separated by commas. This is not depicted in the synopsis.

pointConstraint is undoable, queryable, and editable.

Constrain an object's position to the position of the target object or to the average position of a number of targets.

A pointConstraint takes as input one or more "target" DAG transform nodes at which to position the single "constraint object" DAG transform node. The pointConstraint positions the constrained object at the weighted average of the world space position target objects.

Return value

string[]Name of the created constraint node

In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.

Related

aimConstraint, geometryConstraint, normalConstraint, orientConstraint, parentConstraint, poleVectorConstraint, scaleConstraint, tangentConstraint

Flags

layer, maintainOffset, name, offset, remove, skip, targetList, weight, weightAliasList
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
name(n) string createqueryedit
Sets the name of the constraint node to the specified name. Default name is constrainedObjectName_constraintType
weight(w) float createqueryedit
Sets the weight value for the specified target(s). If not given at creation time, the default value of 1.0 is used.
remove(rm) boolean edit
removes the listed target(s) from the constraint.
targetList(tl) boolean query
Return the list of target objects.
weightAliasList(wal) boolean query
Returns the names of the attributes that control the weight of the target objects. Aliases are returned in the same order as the targets are returned by the targetList flag
layer(l) string createedit
Specify the name of the animation layer where the constraint should be added.
offset(o) [float, float, float] createqueryedit
Sets or queries the value of the offset. Default is 0,0,0.
maintainOffset(mo) boolean create
The offset necessary to preserve the constrained object's initial position will be calculated and used as the offset.
skip(sk) string createeditmultiuse
Specify the axis to be skipped. Valid values are "x", "y", "z" and "none". During creation, "none" is the default. This flag is multi-use.

Flag can appear in Create mode of command Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command Flag can have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.

Python examples

import maya.cmds as cmds

# Position cube1 at the location of cone1.
cmds.pointConstraint( 'cone1', 'cube1' )

# Uses the average of the position of cone1 and surf2.
cmds.pointConstraint( 'cone1', 'surf2', 'cube2', w=.1 )

# Sets the weight for cone1's effect on cube2 to 10.
cmds.pointConstraint( 'cone1', 'cube2', e=True, w=10.0 )

# Removes surf2 from cube2's pointConstraint
cmds.pointConstraint( 'surf2', 'cube2', e=True, rm=True )

# Adds surf3 to cube2's pointConstraint with the default weight
cmds.pointConstraint( 'surf3', 'cube2' )

# Constrain the y & z translation of sph2 to sph1
cmds.pointConstraint( 'sph1', 'sph2', skip="x" )