Need a little advice/help

[Michael Hancock]

I did this exact same thing about a year ago. Here’s how I did it:

1. Make a new “dummy” object as a “pivot point placeholder”, like a small sphere or a plane.
2. Position it where you want your pivot point for your laptop lid to be. Probably where it touches the base, in center. Assign the dummy object to an empty set.
3. Now assign the lid of your laptop to the same set your dummy object is.

Invigorator uses the first object assigned to a set as the pivot point. By making this dummy object the first object and putting it where you want it, the other ojects will now see that as the pivot point. Simply make the dummy object invisible and rotate away!

Michael.

[Harry Biped]

Thanks for the reply. Problems is that it is not working for me. Maybe I’m not doing something right. Are you saying to create a new track with a primative in it and position the center of the primative at the point that I want the pivot? Then add the top portion of the model that is the screen to that same track and it will work? That is what I have done so far to no success. Am I not doing something right? Any further tips? Again thanks for the help with this.

[Jon Okerstrom]

Harry,

Michael’s tip works for Invigorator. You’re using ProAnimator, right? Two very different animation feature sets.

Jon

[Harry Biped]

Ya, that’s right. I’m using ProAnimator. Any suggestions for me with ProAnimator? It’s driving me nuts not being able to figure it out.

[Jon Okerstrom]

Harry,

My first thought is to create a pose group for all elements of the lid and animate the motion of the lid on one track.
Leave all of the elements in the base static on the second track.

Instead of flying both groups past the camera, create a camera track and fly it by the computer. It’ll make things a lot simpler.

I don’t have a receipe yet for making the lid group move on its “hinge.” If I get time, I’ll see what I can come up with. For now, hope this helps.

Jon

[Michael Hancock]

Oops! I didn’t realize you were using Proanimator. Well, I guess if you ever have to use Invigorator Classic or Pro you’ll know how to do it. 🙂 My apologies.

Michael.

[Harry Biped]

Thanks to both MHancock and Jon for help with this. ProAnimator is such a great program for the cost that sometimes when I run across little issues like this I am surprised that there is not a solution to the problem. I guess that I will have to just find an alternate way of dealing with the animation. Again, thanks for ya’lls help with this. At least I know that I am not overlooking something simple. If anyone else out there has a solution, please let me know.

Thanks.