Source menu

Provides feedback about the type of source driving your character. This field automatically updates after you create a Control rig or establish a live streaming connection. You can also set your character's source type manually by selecting an option from the drop-down menu.

The following options are available:

---None---

No source is active and animation will play back on the skeleton joints. If your character has a Custom rig, Custom rig controllers can be manipulated and animation on the Custom rig will play back. This source type is automatically selected after you create a skeleton, define a skeleton or a Custom rig, and bake to a skeleton or a Custom rig.

NoteIf you have a Live connection established, selecting ---None--- will break the connection.

Other character

(Only available when there are other HumanIK characters in the scene. Other characters are listed by name.)

Sets the current character to be driven by animation retargeted from the selected character.

NoteThe current character's skeleton definition must be valid before you can set another character as its source.

Control Rig

Sets the current character to be driven by a Control rig. If the character has no Control rig, selecting this option creates a new rig. The character must have a valid skeleton definition before you can create a Control rig.

Note

• If the skeleton definition is valid and locked, selecting this source type opens the Controls tab in the Character Controls window.
• If the skeleton definition is valid and unlocked, selecting this source type automatically locks the definition before opening the Controls tab.
• If the skeleton definition is not valid and unlocked, selecting this source type will prompt the Lock Characterization dialog box to appear. Clicking Ok will bring the Definition tab into focus, where you can properly define your skeleton.

Stance

Sets the current character to Stance input, temporarily overriding any other input source. When Stance is selected, the current character is forced to its neutral skeleton definition pose. You can quickly toggle the character in and out of Stance input without affecting any other input source, and without unlocking the skeleton 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 source type to test how the prop reacts when motion is applied.

Remote character

(Only available when a character has been sent to a remote application. Remote characters are listed by name with a (remote) suffix.)

Sets the current character to be driven by animation that is streaming from a live character in a remote application such as MotionBuilder. This source type is automatically set after you establish a live connection.

See Stream animation to a skeleton and Stream animation to a Custom rig for more information on remote characters.