Connect joints

 
 
 
Note

You can connect joints to the skeleton of a character with a bound skin without having to detach its skin. However, for the newly connected joint to influence the skin, you need to add it to the skin as an influence (Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Add influence).

To connect joint chains by combining joints

  1. Click the parent of the joint chain you want to connect to another joint chain.
  2. In another joint chain or skeleton, + click on the joint that will replace the previously selected joint and become its joint chain’s parent.
    Note

    The joint that you select can not be a root joint.

  3. In the Animation menu set (press F2), select Skeleton > Connect Joint > .

    The Connect Joint Options window appears.

  4. Turn on Connect Joint.

    Connect Joint connects joint chains by combining the two selected joints; where the first joint selected is combined with and replaced by the second joint.

  5. Do one of the following:
    • Click Connect to merge the selected joints.

    The Connect Joint Options window closes.

    • Click Apply to merge the selected joints.

    The Connect Joint Options window remains open.

    • Click Close to disregard the options window’s settings.

    The Connect Joint Options window closes.

    If you connected a joint to the skeleton of a bound character, the character’s bind pose automatically adjusts.

To connect joint chains by connecting selected joints with a bone

  1. Click the parent of the joint chain you want to connect to another joint chain.
  2. In another joint chain, + click on the joint that will be the previously selected joint chain’s parent.
    Note

    The joint that you select can not be a root joint.

  3. In the Animation menu set (press F2), select Skeleton > Connect Joint > .

    The Connect Joint Options window appears.

  4. Turn on Parent Joint.

    Parent Joint connects joint chains by creating a new bone between two selected joints; where the first selected joint is the child joint and the second joint is its parent.

  5. Do one of the following:
    • Click Connect to connect the selected joints with a bone.

    The Connect Joint Options window closes.

    • Click Apply to connect the selected joints with a bone.

    The Connect Joint Options window remains open.

    • Click Close to disregard the options window’s settings.

    The Connect Joint Options window closes.

    If you connected a joint to the skeleton of a bound character, the character’s bind pose automatically adjusts.

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