Adobe Flash CS4 Professional for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

Editing IK Elements

392

Original

Ready to reposition transformation point

Drag transformation point

Transformation point relocated

Head relocated

Figure 13.31 Use the free-transform tool to change

the location of the head or tail in an IK node by

dragging the symbol instance’s transformation point.

The IK bones are not visible while you use the free-

transform tool, but behind the scenes, Flash also

moves the head and/or tail points associated with

that transformation point. Select the armature to see

the bones in their new position.

Editing IK Elements

An armature isn’t set in stone once you’ve

created and posed it.  e thing to remember

about editing armatures is that you must

remove any poses that you’ve created before

you start making changes. Otherwise, you’ll

get some strange results. When a pose span

contains just one pose, you can edit the

armature in a variety of ways. You can change

the position of head and tail joints in IK nodes,

reposition IK nodes relative to one another,

remove bones and nodes, and add bones and

nodes. You can change, add, and remove bones

inside an IK shape; change bone length; and

edit the path of an IK shape. You can also

control which bones a ect which portions

of an IK shape’s path, by using the bind tool.

To reposition a bone’s head/tail within

an IK node:

1. To select a node whose head or tail you

want to adjust, using the selection or

subselection tool, click the node.

2. In the Tools panel, choose the free-

transform tool.

Flash activates the transform box of the

selected symbol instance and highlights

the transformation point as a white circle.

 e head and tail points are located at the

transformation point of an IK node.

3. Position the pointer over the transforma-

tion point.

A chain-link modi er appears next to the

pointer, indicating that you can reposition

the transformation point.

4. Drag the transformation point to a new

location within the IK node (Figure 13.31).

 e white circle representing the transfor-

mation point moves to the new location.

Flash also moves the head and/or tail points

associated with that transformation point.

Chapter 13

Editing IK Elements

Intro to Inverse Kinematics

393

Original armature

Reposition IK node

Revised armature

Figure 13.32 You can relocate a selected node

(or multiple selected nodes) by Option-dragging

or

#

-dragging (Mac) or Alt-dragging (Windows)

the selection. As you Option-drag (Mac) or Alt-drag

(Windows), the IK bones disappear; Flash redraws

the bones when you release the mouse button. If you

drag with the other modifi er key, the bones remain

visible in their original locations until you release the

mouse button.

Original armature

Reposition joint

Revised armature

Figure 13.33 Use the subselection tool to change the

length of a bone within a selected IK shape. Drag the

head or tail point to change the length of the bone.

To reposition IK nodes:

◆ Using the selection tool, Option-drag or

#

-drag (Mac) or Alt-drag or Ctrl-drag

(Windows) one node (or multiple

selected nodes).

Reposition the selected node (or nodes)

and release the mouse button

(Figure 13.32).

To change bone length in IK Shapes:

1. In the Tools panel, choose the

subselection tool.

2. Position the pointer over a head or

tail point.

3. Drag the head or tail to a new location

within the IK shape, and release the

mouse button.

Flash redraws the bones on either side

of the point you drag (Figure 13.33).

To edit an IK shape’s path:

1. To view the bones, select the armature in

an IK shape.

2. Using the subselection tool, click the edge

of the selected IK shape.

If the shape has a stroke, click the stroke;

otherwise, click at the edge of the shape.

Flash activates the shape’s Bézier path in

blue, displaying control points as hollow

blue squares.

3. To activate handles for a control point,

click that point.

Flash activates the point and its handles,

displaying them as three hollow red

squares connected by lines.  e central

square represents the control point on the

path; the outer squares work as Bézier-

style handles.

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