Source >

Lets you select the type of source you want to drive the current character. The source type you select displays as the Active source check box in the Character Controls, letting you easily toggle the source input on and off.

Select from the following options:

Stance

Sets the selected character to stance pose input, temporarily overriding any other input source (such as animation on the joints, a Control rig, or retargeted animation from another character).

When Stance input is active, the current character is forced to its neutral character definition pose - the pose set during character setup when the character definition is locked in the Characterization Tool. You can quickly toggle the character in and out of Stance input without affecting any other input source, and without unlocking the character definition.

Setting the character to Stance input is particularly useful when animating multiple characters in the same scene, or for troubleshooting retargeting issues. When adding a prop object to be handled by your character, Stance input lets you set up the prop with your character in a neutral position, then switch the input source to test how the prop reacts when motion is applied.

Control Rig

Sets the current character to be driven by a Control rig. If the current character has no Control rig, selecting Source > Control Rig automatically creates a new rig for the character.

Other character

(Only available when there are other HIK characters in the scene. Other characters are listed by name.) Sets the current character to be driven by animation retargeted from the selected character.

Character >

HIK Definition

Opens the character node definition in the Attribute Editor.

Edit Properties

Selects the retargeting HIKProperties node and displays advanced retargeting attributes in the Attribute Editor. These settings are for advanced users who want to adjust specific HIK solver parameters.

Reset Properties

Resets any adjusted retargeting properties in the HIKPropertyState node to default values.

Clean Retargeting AnimLayers

When you retarget animation from one character to another, Maya automatically adds the retargeted animation to an animation layer. If you continually swap out different source characters, for example as you test various animations on a target character, the number of animation layers created can become difficult to manage.

When Clean Retargeting AnimLayers is on (default), Maya automatically removes the target character’s existing retargeted animation layer if you change to a new source character (creating a new retargeting animation layer).

When off, Maya preserves all animation layers even as you change retargeting source characters. If you switch from one source character to another, then back to the first source, the existing retargeted animation layer can be reused.

Control Rig >

Create

Creates a Control rig for the current character, with IK and FK effectors based on the defined skeletal structure.

Delete

Deletes the Control rig of the current character.

Stance Pose

Resets the Control rig to its default T-stance pose.

Align rig after time change

When on, the IK and FK effectors of the Control rig always appear synchronized, even if they interpolate differently between keyframes. Disable this option if you want to view separate interpolation paths for the IK and FK systems.

Rig Look

Lets you select what style of Control rig effectors to work with.

Advanced

Add to new animLayer or Add to animLayer: <layerName>

Adds all Control rig objects to a new animation layer, or to an existing animation layer selected in the Animation Layer Editor.

(This option updates dynamically depending on whether you have an existing animation layer selected in the Animation Layer Editor. )

Bake >

Bake To Skeleton

Bakes animation to the skeleton (joint objects) and disables the Control rig (if your character has one.) Select this option, for example, when you are finished adjusting the retargeted animation.

You can also select Bake To Skeleton > to open the Bake Simulation Options.

Bake To Control Rig

Bakes animation to the Control rig objects. The Control rig objects receive one keyframe for each frame of the current character's animation.

Select this option if you want to continue adjusting the retargeted animation, but you no longer need the source character in your scene.

You can also select Bake To Control Rig > to open the Bake Simulation Options.

Add to Selection >

IK

Adds all IK effectors to your selection.

FK

Adds all FK effectors to your selection.

Skeleton

Adds all joint objects to your selection.

Show/Hide >

Lets you toggle the display of each component of the selected character. Enable or disable the display of the following items:

• Skeleton (joint and bone objects)
• IK effectors
• FK effectors
• Auxiliary effectors
• Pivot
• Labels

Package >

Current Character

Packages the current character and its related nodes into one asset node. (See Asset overview for more information.)

Current Character Retargeters

Packages the retargeting nodes for the current character into one asset node.

All Characters

Packages all HIK characters in the scene into one asset node.

All Character Retargeters

Packages the retargeting nodes for all HIK characters in the scene into one asset node.