Attach Actor

Used to attach one actor to a second actor, so that it will move or rotate with the second actor when it (the second actor) is manipulated. Moving an actor causes any attached actors to move with it.

When working with this tool, you can identify the actors graphically, or you can double-click their names in the list box that appears when Display Actor List is on.

Tool Setting	Effect
Display Actor List	If on, a list box containing the names of existing actors is displayed. See “Working with actors”.

To attach an actor to another actor

Select the Attach Actor tool.

Identify the actor to be attached.

Identify the actor to attach it to.

Accept the attachment.
The actor identified in step 2 is attached to the actor identified in step 3 and will move when it is manipulated.

Key-in: ANIMATOR ACTOR ATTACH

Identifying any actor (to attach) within a hierarchy (step 2) actually identifies the entire hierarchy. Thus, to attach a sub-tree to a different actor, you first must detach the sub-tree using theDetach Actor tool.

For example, consider the (“Starting”) actor hierarchy below.

If you wanted to move the actors leg (and foot) from body2 to body1, identifying leg would actually identify the entire body2 tree. To perform the operation, therefore, you must first detach “leg” from body2, and then attach it to body1.

Starting hierarchy:
body1
body2
	leg
		foot

Ending hierarchy:
body1
	leg
		foot
body2