Maya - controller orientation

gavku

Just curious how people give joint orientation to a controller when rigging in maya? I can get the controllers to have the right orientation, however, when I freeze transforms they obviously reset. I've also been trying a way which involves assigning groups to the controllers with the Group node holding all the information of the transforms and orientation of the Cube and the Cube itself has none. But that also is bugging out when I try to parent the controllers to each other. I would build the joints..create a controller..create group..parent constrain joint to group ( maintain offset off ) ...delete parent constraint...parent constrain controller to joint ( maintain offset on )....the problem is, when i now start to parent to groups to each other I cant select the controllers in the scene to move the rig ( I have to select the groups in the outliner ).....

Illusions

Typically you have the controller give its orientation to the joint...so I'm kind of confused as to what you're asking. Especially the part with the cube, is the cube a controller? The other problem is don't use parent constrain. It has problems. Constrain point, orient, or aim (or all/some) but don't use parent constrain.

How were you taught/where are you learning from that it was suggested you do it this way?

gavku

Where I said cube I meant controller ( I'm using cubes as controllers ). Essentially you want your controllers to have the same orientation as you joints....not world space. I use Parent Constraints at work all the time. The main thing is wanting to have controllers that are lined up correctly with the joints, and have no values on them. and when you freeze transforms it resets the orientation. I'll have a crack just using orient constraints.

Illusions

Wouldn't you want your joints to have the same orientation as your controllers, since thats how controllers work...?

gavku

I'll usually build some joints, check that they have he correct orientation..ie: x pointing down the joint to its child, then add controllers. And I've found that it makes animating a crapload easier if the controller has the same axis as the joint its connected to...like above.

And yeah, obviously I want the joint to be oriented BY the controller, but to also share the same orientation as default...

Illusions

You could, create the controller, constrain it by point and orient to the joint you want (without maintain offset on), then after thats done, in the outliner, select the constraints (!) under the geometry node, delete them, then freeze transforms on your geometry controller.