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Patchwork 3D 2024 X7

List of Objects Belonging to Parts

The objects belonging to the part, whether other parts or surfaces, appear listed as children under the part node. These objects will be moved when the part is animated.

If the Sync with selection box is checked, selecting an object in the list also selects it in the 3D viewport and vice-versa. This helps you locate objects easily in the viewport.

Assigning Objects to a Parent Part

Note

Objects to be assigned to parent parts must not be frozen.

Surfaces cannot be used as parent parts.

Icon

Assignment action

drag_selected_surfaces_1.png

This is the assignment shortcut. In the viewport, select the objects you want to assign as children. Drag and drop this icon onto the kinematic hierarchy node to be used as their parent.

image595.png

The Pick parent of selected objects tool assigns a parent to the selected objects. First, select the desired child objects. Click the button, then click on the representation of the parent in the viewport.

image596.png

The Unparent selected objects tool removes the parent-child links from the selected objects. Select the objects to be unparented in the Kinematic Hierarchy or in the viewport, then click the button.

You can also right-click on an object or a group of objects listed in the Kinematic Hierarchy in the sidebar. This will bring up a context menu offering several operations that can be performed on this object.

Assignment Modes

The kinematic function proposes two modes for associating objects with a parent. One keeps the objects' positions relative to the origin, or center, of the 3D scene; the other orients their positions relative to the parent's position.

Keeps Child's World Position

This mode conserves the position of the surface as a function of the scene origin.

No change in position will occur, but the child object will be listed under the parent node in the Kinematic Hierarchy.

  1. Select the child object.

  2. Select the keeps child's world position option in the Parenting an object zone.

  3. Click on the Pick parent button located in the Operations on selection zone.

Aligns to Parent-Relative Position

This mode conserves the position of the child objects relative to that of the parent part.

  1. Choose the aligns to parent-relative position option in the Parenting an object zone.

  2. Click on the Pick the Parent button.

Note

The child objects derived from the relationship appear highlighted and position themselves relative to the parent, and also relative to the reference in the 3D space.

If no change appears on the screen once the parent relationship has been established, zoom out to obtain a wider field of view and observe the transformations.

Repositioning Parts and Their Associated Objects

The mode image597.png, enabled by default, allows objects such as surfaces to be transformed when their parents are transformed. Deselect this mode in order to reposition objects that are already part of a parent-child relationship. This will prevent objects such as surfaces associated with a part from being moved when you reposition the representation of the null, axis, or vector.

You can reposition all objects by using the translation gizmos image4.png and rotation image5.png located in the Shaper toolbar.