keep layer within group still while moving rest of the group

[Mattyj]

hey there, id like to keep a sub layer within a group layer still, if I use the translate layer tool on the layer on the group layer. I believe Greenlaw gave me instructions earlier on how to do what I wanted to do but an still having trouble. In the images above it is the indeelift remote layer within the hand group I would like to keep still, while moving the hand layer using the translate layer tool. Cheers.

[Greenlaw]

Hi MattyJ,

...id like to keep a sub layer within a group layer still, if I use the translate layer tool on the layer on the group layer...

I'm not quite sure what you mean by keeping the sublayer still when you use the Translate Layer tool on the layer...that sounds contradictory. I'm guessing that's not what you mean, but I think I'll need to see the posted images to understand.

To display images from Dropbox in a post you need to use a Dropbox link, not a local path on your computer. To get the Dropbox link, right-click over the image file and choose Copy Dropbox Link.



Paste the link into your post and change dl=0 to raw=1. Finally, select the edited link and click the Insert Image button.



Hope this helps.

[Greenlaw]

Do you want to move a group layer while maintaining the global position of the contents? If so, you might want to check out some of the scripts here...

https://mohoscripts.com/category/layers

Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, maybe look at Reset Layer Origin, Reset Layer Transform, or maybe Place Layer In/Out Of Group?

[Mattyj]

hey cheers Greenlaw,

So I want to move a group layer while keeping a layer within that group still.

[synthsin75]

Bone
- Group
- - stationary layer

Just bind the stationary layer to a bone. Then you can move the group without affecting it.

[Greenlaw]

Sorry, the description is still kinda vague and I still can't see your images. But here's what I think you're asking....

1. By 'still' do you mean when you move the group, you want the contents remain in their current global position...like they're not part of the group?

If so, I need to know why you'd want to do this. Normally, if you don't want something to move with a Group, you would remove it from the group. But if you're trying to hold the position of the contents while changing the origin of group, you probably just want to use the Set Origin tool. But if you really want to move the group (not the origin) while preserving the global position of of its contents, maybe one of those scripts I mentioned earlier would help.

(I just saw Wes' response...or that.)

2. Or do you mean that when you move the group, the contents appear to move independently of the Group's position and you wish to prevent that?

I'm going to guess you mean this one since it's a more common situation. In this case, I wonder if your content layer is offset in Z-space? This can make the child layer appear to drift when you move the parent group layer because of parallax. To fix this, make sure the Z-position is set to 0 (to align with the group's position.)

BTW, you can visually check for this problem by using the Orbit tool and looking at your setup from another angle.

Hope this helps. If not, I think I need to see the images or a clearer description of the problem.

[slowtiger]

Bone
- Group
- - stationary layer
Just bind the stationary layer to a bone.

Wes, I'd like to know how to do this! I tried with that rig of mine:

- character bone layer - has bone for head
- - head switch layer
- - - head 1 bone layer - this should be bound to head bone
- - - - head image
- - - - mouth switch
- - - - - mouth1 image
- - - - - mouth2 image
- - - head 2 bone layer - this should be bound to head bone
- - - head image layer - this should be bound to head bone
etc.

I select head 1 bone layer, the "bind layer" tool shows up, but not the bone of the top bone layer, so I don't know where to bind it to. So I'm stuck at your simple "Just bind the stationary layer to a bone" ...

[SimplSam]

From what I interpret - Mattyj wishes to keep one or more layers in a group from moving. Kinda like immune from camera, but in this case immune from group.

At least one scenario from this is masking, where you don't want the mask to move with the other masked group contents. When I have needed this I have setup up an additional outer mask group:

group (masking)
.. group (moving contents)
.. mask layer


Wes, the layer bind didn't/doesn't seem to work (unless I did it wrong).

[Mattyj]

have edited op now, yes what simpl said is what I am trying to achieve

[Greenlaw]

Oh, okay...I remember the original request now. Wasn't that where I made the Nachos demo project?

I would create two remote layers, one in the hand group and one outside the hand group. The remote in the hand group will move with the hand, and the one outside will stay in place. Then you can simply animate the visibility between the two remotes to 'disengage' the remote from the hand.

Another way is to Layer Bind the remote to a bone and then animate the parenting of the remote bone between the hand bone and another 'static' bone or just unparent it so it can be free-floating.

Either method works. I think the first method (two remotes) might be easier to animate.

If there's no compelling reason to animate the bone layer, don't do it. From what I see, you should only need to animate the arm bone to move the arm/hand/remote.

[synthsin75]

Please ignore what I posted earlier. I didn't think it through.

Instead, you can accomplish the same thing using a reference. But due to how references update, you have to do it a bit backwards.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/r50e68b8 ... .moho/file

The trick is to animate the original layer, but because the reference is mimicking it with flipped x & y, it will move everything the opposite...leaving the original stationary.


Not what the OP needs, as that would be better suited for swapping visibility between a copy in the hand group and one outside of the hand group.

[Mattyj]

Thanks everyone for your responses, so I need the remote in the hand layer to stay still, and as it needs to be above the palm, in order for it to look like the hand is grasping it. Do I need to create a separate bone layer with bone just for the remote in the hand then layer bind that remote vector layer to the bone in the separate bone layer?

[Greenlaw]

Thanks everyone for your responses, so I need the remote in the hand layer to stay still, and as it needs to be above the palm, in order for it to look like the hand is grasping it. Do I need to create a separate bone layer with bone just for the remote in the hand then layer bind that remote vector layer to the bone in the separate bone layer?

If you're going with the bone parenting/unparenting approach, the remote's bone can be in the same bone layer. Set the bone strength to zero, and Layer Bind the remote artwork layers to it, then parent it to the hand bone and then unparent it when you want it to leave the hand.

If you don't want to take parent/unparent bone approach, you can still use this bone to animate the second instance of the remote and use visibility to switch between them. Just leave the remote's bone unparented and think of it as a second rig in that layer.

Or, if you decide to do the second instance/visibility switch approach without bones, set the layer origin to the center of the remote to make it easier to animate.

Any of these methods will work fine, although I think the latter two should be easier to animate. Just try any of them and see how it works for you.