I keep running into a problem where I cannot link a character to a body part of another character. I can link the first character to any other object in the scene, and I can link any other object in the scene to a body part on the second character. The odd thing is that I have successfully linked character 1 to character 2 at several other points in the animation, and unlinked as needed. It just fails sometimes. When the problem occurs, I get this error: "Failed to link. The selected item cannot be linked to itself". Char 1 can Look At char 2 without a problem. I have also tried closing the project, then re-opening to try again. No luck.

Any suggestions? Thanks

When you did this....
~ What (part of character 1 ) did you use to link?
...and what part of character 2 did you link to?


This indicates.... a "Cycle Redundancy Error."
~Dependency Loop.
"Null Objects" placed in between can often remove this "Cycle Redundancy Error."

But...
If one object sits in another objects...."Object Space"
The problem will also occur.

Example:
If the hand is in the same (Object Space) as the Root of a character...
You will experience strange behavior, if attempting to link to certain objects.
(Similar to Gimbal Lock)

Need to know exactly what you used to link and what position the linked object is in.

I have iC5 & encountered this problem several times. So, it's not Version specific & IMO, User error.

I can't remember exactly what the solution is, without creating the problem. .However, I think the Object you're trying to Link, has already become Attached. You need to un-attach it.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      REALLUSION FORUM ANNUAL PINHEAD COMMUNITY PROJECTS.

       New Pinhead Website & Project to be announced in September 2015

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

colour,
Just out of curiosity....
When you link (1) character to another character... "What part of the character do you use to link?"

but0fc0ursee your point about the two characters sharing space sounded like a good possibility, because they certainly are. But I separated them so there was no overlap, and got the same error. When I'm linking, I'm just parenting char 1 to a hand of char 2. I'm pretty new to iClone, but it looks like you link the entire object (in this case character 1) to a body part of character 2. If there is a way to link body part to body part together I don't see it. Your comment about a null object though made me realize that in order to get around the problem I could just create a primitive and link char 1 to it, then it to the body part on char 2. Tried that and it works fine (even though all three objects share space), so thank you.

Colour, if the character shows no "link" or "parent" under Linkage, why would it still be attached to something?

Thanks

Linking body-part to body-part can be done a different way. It does require additional "dummy" objects and using them as reach targets.

You can attach or link objects (usually just small cubes is fine) to the bones of one character and use the reach target of the other character to reach for that object. The object will move with the bone of the first character, and the second character will move with the reaching to the object.

Often resulting in a "Cycle Redundancy Loop" error.

YES.... null objects (dummy's)....BREAKS the hierarchy.... therefore removing the error!

...many have no clue to what I'm saying.
Thank you for understanding.

Hey mikethe3dguy,

Note: (3D Rule)
It's NOT only the Root's object space that does this....
ANY (2) objects sharing the same "Object-Space".... WILL result in unexpected behavior.
...Boing... Errors! :crying:

Hey mikethe3dguy,

Note: (3D Rule)
It's NOT only the Root's object space that does this....
"Linking"....ANY (2) objects sharing the same "Object-Space".... WILL result in...Boing... Errors! :crying:

colour:
World Space
Local Space
...now Object-Space.... several others, too. 

Bone Root.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      REALLUSION FORUM ANNUAL PINHEAD COMMUNITY PROJECTS.

       New Pinhead Website & Project to be announced in September 2015

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------