Using Manipulators with Reaction Controllers

The Position Reaction and Rotation Reaction controllers let you perform certain functions via manipulators in the viewports.

Manipulators for Reaction Controllers

Reaction controllers for position and rotation tracks have graphic manipulators to help you adjust their settings.

Other Reaction controllers, such as point3, scale, and float, do not have manipulators.

Manipulators are visible and usable while the Select and Manipulate button is turned on. This button is on the default main toolbar. When you move the mouse over a manipulator, the manipulator turns red to show that dragging or clicking it will have an effect.

TipUse the Reaction controller manipulators in a wireframe viewport. (See Shading Viewport Label Menu.) Also, for the Position Reaction controller, you might have to change viewports to see a particular manipulator clearly.

Position Reaction controller

The Position Reaction controller has a set of manipulators to control (or simply display) different reaction values.

Reaction cycle manipulator: Click this to cycle among the various reactions in the Reactions list. The display of the manipulators and indicators changes to show their settings for the active reaction.

This manipulator is a small yellow circle that appears in the lower-left corner of the active viewport, near the icon for coordinate axes.

Influence manipulator: Drag in a viewport to change the manipulator's size, which changes the reaction's range of influence.

This manipulator is a yellow sphere that turns red when you can drag it. At the center of the Influence manipulator is the Reaction Value manipulator.

Reaction Value manipulator: Drag in a viewport to change the reaction value, which for a position track is an XYZ location.

This manipulator is a light blue sphere that appears at the center of the Influence manipulator.

Object Pivot indicator: Shows the pivot point location of the master object.

This indicator is a dark blue sphere. You can't manipulate it.

Reaction State manipulator: Drag to adjust the reaction state. For position reactions, the reaction state is an XYZ location that the slave object approaches, depending on the animation of the master object and the Influence value.

This manipulator is a small green square.

Reaction State indicator: Shows the reaction state value. This indicator is independent of the square green Reaction State manipulator, which you can drag in viewports. As you drag the green square, the indicator follows it.

This indicator is a small dark-blue dot.

Rotation Reactors

The Rotation Reaction controller has a single manipulator, which controls the reaction's Influence parameter.

Influence manipulator: Drag in a viewport to change the manipulator angle, which changes the reaction's range of influence.

Procedures

To use manipulators for a position or rotation Reaction controller:

(Point3, scale, and float Reaction controllers don't have manipulators.)

Select the object that has the Reaction controller assigned to it.
On the main toolbar, click (Select And Manipulate).
The manipulators appear in viewports.
In the active viewport, drag or click manipulators to adjust the reaction parameters.
When you move the mouse over a manipulator, the manipulator turns red to show that dragging or clicking it will have an effect.

TipUse the reaction manipulators in a wireframe viewport. (See Shading Viewport Label Menu.) Also, for the Position Reaction controller, you might have to change viewports to see a particular manipulator clearly.

The specific manipulators and their use are described below.