Point At overrides Lock on rotation

3dOutlaw

I was trying to get a plane "follow" a camera as it moved around, but without tilting.

So I turned the plane 90 degrees, and locked the X and Z rotation. So it's like a mirror standing on its edge, and this means it would only allow the plane to spin around on the Y rotation axis.

Problem is, it seems that "Point At" does not adhere to the "lock" rules, and the planes rotates all axis anyway?

I am just trying to get the plane to spin on the Y-Axis in the direction of the camera, but not "at" the camera. (i.e. don't tilt up/down)

Has anyone done this, or is there a way to actually lock down those rotational axis and use "point at"?

Jaderail

I'm not sure you can lock out all rotation like that with point at in use. I'll play a bit later and see what I find out for you.

Richard Haseltine

Setting limits does lock the parameter, but it doesn't then allow enough play to follow much movement in the camera.

Using a script, or the Property Hierarchy and the Parameters pane in Edit mode, to add an ERC link works better but still not completely - I get roughly a half-circle of follow before the plane stops. I'm not sure if that's a bug or not.

// Get selected items
var items = Scene.getSelectedNodeList();

// make sure there are only two items selected
if ( items.length == 2 ) {
 var cam = follower = undefined;
 // fin the cmaera, if theer is one
 if ( items[ 0 ].inherits( "DzCamera" ) ) {
  cam = items[ 0 ];
  follower = items[ 1 ];
 }
 else if (items[ 1 ].inherits( "DzCamera" ) ) {
  cam = items[ 1 ];
  follower = items[ 0 ];
 }
 // now, make sure we found a camera
 if ( cam ) {
  // get thwe YRotation controls for both items
  camYRot = cam.getYRotControl();
  folYRot = follower.getYRotControl();
  // Now we link the follower to the camera
  // Create an ERC link from the camera's YRotation
  var link = new DzERCLink( DzERCLink.ERCDeltaAdd , camYRot );
  // And add it to the follower
  folYRot.insertController( link );
 }
}

3dOutlaw

It appears one of Casuals scripts can do this, thanks for the feedback!