User Guide > Rigging > Character Setup > Character Setup Nodes > Constraint nodes >

pairBlend

The pairBlend node is automatically generated when both keyframe animation and a constraint are applied to an object. Once the animation and constraint are linked to the pairBlend node, you can modify the weight of the Animation-Constraint blend to generate various effects. See Blend Weights in the Channel Box.

In the dependency graph (DG), the pairBlend node functions as a link between constraints, keyframe animation, and the object to which both are applied. The pairBlend node connections resemble the following: all target objects connect to the constraint node, the constraint node and keyframe animation connect to the pairBlend node, and the pairBlend node connects to the object.

When multiple constraints are applied to the same object, a separate pairBlend node is created for each constraint and the keyframe animation channels of the constrained object connect to the same pairBlend node as their related constraints.

Related topics

Animation-Constraint blending.
Set Driven Key-Constraint blending.
Animate and constrain an object.
Note
Input 1 always represents the keyframe animation on the constrained object and Input 2 always represents the constraint node.

pairBlend Attributes

Translate X Mode

Select one of the following options:

Blend Inputs: The blended X translation of Input 1 and Input 2 controls the driven object’s X translation.
Input 1 only: The X translation of Input 1 controls the X translation of the driven object.
Input 2 only: The X translation of Input 2 controls the X translation of the driven object.

Translate Y Mode

Select one of the following options:

Blend Inputs: The blended Y translation of Input 1 and Input 2 controls the driven object’s Y translation.
Input 1 only: The Y translation of Input 1 controls the Y translation of the driven object.
Input 2 only: The Y translation of Input 2 controls the Y translation of the driven object.

Translate Z Mode

Select one of the following options:

Blend Inputs: The blended Z translation of Input 1 and Input 2 controls the driven object’s Z translation.
Input 1 only: The Z translation of Input 1 controls the Z translation of the driven object.
Input 2 only: The Z translation of Input 2 controls the Z translation of the driven object.

Rotate Mode

Rotation is calculated by blending the rotation of the specified inputs along all axes.

Blend Inputs: The blended X, Y, and Z rotation of Input 1 and Input 2 controls the driven object’s rotation along all axes.
Input 1 only: The X, Y, and Z rotation of Input 1 controls the driven object’s rotation along all axes.
Input 2 only: The X, Y, and Z rotation of Input 2 controls the driven object’s rotation along all axes.

Rot Interpolation

For more information, see Animated rotation in Maya in the Animation Basics chapter in the Animation guide.

Euler Angles: Use Euler Angles when the pairBlend weight value is between 0 (driven by keyframes) and 1 (driven by the constraint). Euler Angles is the default rotation interpolation.

Note
Euler angles may cause flipping when used to interpolate between keyframes and constraints. If this occurs, we recommend that you switch to quaternion rotation.
Quaternions: Quaternions smoothly interpolate the keyframe-constraint blend without producing anomalies (such as flipping). Use Quaternion when the pairBlend weight value is 1 or 0.

Current Driver

Sets what is currently driving the selected object.

Select from the following options:

Input 1: The constrained object is driven by its keyframe animation.
Input 2: The constrained object is driven by the constraint.

Weight: Displays a blend value that determines the amount of influence that the constraint and keyframe animation have on the constrained object. This field is read-only. See Blend Constraintn.
In Translate: The In Translate fields display the X, Y, and Z translation values for Input 1 and Input 2. n represents the input number.
In Rotate: The In Rotate fields display the X, Y, and Z rotation values for Input 1 and Input 2. n represents the input number.
Caching: Unlike other cache data in Maya (for example, caches in Dynamics, Maya^® nCloth^™, Maya^® Classic Cloth^™, and Maya^® Fluid Effects^™), the cache data for pairBlend is also an animation curve. See Caching.
Node State: See Node State.

Blend Weights in the Channel Box

Note

When the driven object is selected, all its target and blend weight values can be viewed in the Channel Box under SHAPES > objectn_typeConstraintn or INPUTS > pairBlendn.

Blend Constraintn: The keyframe animation-constraint blend value determines the amount of influence that the constraint and keyframe animation have on the constrained object. If the value is 0, the keyframe animation has total control over the constrained object’s transformations. If the value is 1, the constraint has total control over the constrained object’s transformations.

If there are more than one of the same type of constraint applied to the object, n stands for the constraint number. This value appears in the pairBlend node’s attributes as Weight.