Props change size when parented

marble

I have the DSLR camera prop from the Z-Behind The Camera set. I position it in the hands of a figure and then parent it to a hand so that if the figure moves, the DSLR camera moves too. However, as soon as I parent the prop, it changes size and I have to make it fit again with the new size. But it is not just that prop - I tried other props and as soon as they are parented, the scale changes. Why does this happen and is there a way to stop it happening?

NorthOf45

I never realized that. I did some experimenting with a couple of primitives and found that when not using "Parent in Place", a prop inherits the parent's transforms (translate and scale, but not rotate) even if set beforehand. Otherwise (Parent in Place checked), the prop is inversely scaled to retain its size, and can be positioned as usual. It will thereafter follow the figure's scale if you change it. If you then unparent it, it will retain the new size.

marble

NorthOf45 said:

I never realized that. I did some experimenting with a couple of primitives and found that when not using "Parent in Place", a prop inherits the parent's transforms (translate and scale, but not rotate) even if set beforehand. Otherwise (Parent in Place checked), the prop is inversely scaled to retain its size, and can be positioned as usual. It will thereafter follow the figure's scale if you change it. If you then unparent it, it will retain the new size.

It could be somethig to do with the fact that I use the scale paramaeter a lot when morphing my own characters using the parameter sliders. Perhaps I should use other parameters such as Height. I'm not sure whether something like Zev0's "Growing Up" uses scaling to adjust body size - I will check when I have a little time.

Visuimag

Go into the Tool Settings tab, change Active Tool from the Universal to Joint Editor. In that menu, uncheck Inherit Figure Scale. 
 

That should fix it.

onix

This should not happen unless you transfer something from one figure to another.

parented figures should only change scale if you change the scale of the parent figure

if that's the case the problems may be that figure has looked scale parameter in which case unparenting or reparenting it will cause the size change

 

marble

Visuimag said:

Go into the Tool Settings tab, change Active Tool from the Universal to Joint Editor. In that menu, uncheck Inherit Figure Scale. 
 

That should fix it.

Good tip, thank you. 

marble

onix said:

This should not happen unless you transfer something from one figure to another.

parented figures should only change scale if you change the scale of the parent figure

if that's the case the problems may be that figure has looked scale parameter in which case unparenting or reparenting it will cause the size change

 

 I often fix (lock) the scale of my (people) figures but not the props that they hold. WHat happens is the scale changes when going from unparented to parented.