Manipulator Helper Objects

Create panel > Helpers

Manipulator helpers are objects you can create to manipulate other objects. They let you add customized controls to your scene that provide visual feedback in viewports. To control other objects, manipulators use the parameter wiring feature.

Manipulators can be especially useful when you create a scene that will be used by more than one animator.

There are three kinds of manipulator helpers:

Cone Angle Manipulator

Plane Angle Manipulator

Slider Manipulator

See also

Wire Parameters

Parameter Wiring Dialog

Procedures

To connect a manipulator so it controls another object:

1. Select the manipulator.

   Note: Select And Manipulate must be off before you can select the manipulator.

2. Choose Animation > Wire Parameters > Wire Parameters.

   You can also right-click the manipulator and choose Wire Parameters from the Transform (lower-right) quadrant of the quad menu.

   A pop-up menu appears over the manipulator.

3. In the pop-up menu, choose Object > Value or Object > Angle (depending on whether the manipulator is a slider or an angle manipulator).

4. Drag to the object you want to manipulate, and click it.

   A pop-up menu appears over the object.

5. In the pop-up menu, choose Object, then the name of the parameter you want to manipulate.

   The Parameter Wiring dialog appears.

6. In the Parameter Wiring dialog, make sure the direction goes from the manipulator to the object (or both directions), and then click Connect.

7. Close the Parameter Wiring dialog.

   Now when you turn on Select And Manipulate and use the manipulator, the object updates under the manipulator's control.