proper way to setup direction constraint

[rpmaguire]

Hello,
I have a simple animation constraint question...
I have animated some buckets on a path. But as they turn the bends they don't maintain there direction...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Q2a8 ... sp=sharing

I have tried placing nulls aligned with the middle of the yellow rollers, and constrained the direction of the buckets to the nulls...But the buckets seem to turn all randomly..

I still have allot to learn about constraints..
Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Ryan

[rpmaguire]

Here I have given the buckets an orientation constraint, and two direction constraints at the rollers..

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Q2a8 ... sp=sharing

I would like to have them all stay flush with the belt like the two on the bottom left of the picture.

[grendizer]

You need an upvector in this path constraint. Remove the direction constraints. Open your constraint object > kinematics > constraints > path cns > up vector > choose Y I presume ... play with these options.

[rpmaguire]

Hello Grendizer,
Thanks for your reply...

I have played around with the up vector constraints, But can't seem to get this.

Here is a capture 1 of buckets when constrained to the curve, and capture 2 when I activate tangency.

The red circle in capture 1 is how I need the buckets orientation to the curve... It would seem If I could get them to properly align when tangency is activated I would be good.

Capture 3, I freeze all transforms before applying path constraint. THey seem oriented properly, But not exactly constrained to curve?

I appreciate the help on this, I have gone through various tutorials, but can't seem to get this. I feel like there is an easy solution, Something im just missing.

Thanks,
-Ryan

[Pooby]

Tangency on..

Pre rotate and move them so they fit on the belt properly when constrained.

[grendizer]

Also be sure to keep your center Inside the geometry. The center should eb at the base of the bucket, right at the rotation axis.
You can also parent the buckets Under nulls. You constrain the nulls, then rotate the bucket...

[rpmaguire]

SOLVED!

Thanks for the replies!

I parented the buckets to the nulls, then constrained the null to the path...

I'm guessing the problem was with the buckets centers? when tangency was activated on the buckets without null parents the would turn all unpredictably...

I tried all freeze all transforms ,reset all transforms, move center to bounding box... nothing
I would really like to know what was going on..lol

Thanks,
-Ryan