Foot Lock Addon Documentation

Installation

To install the "Foot Lock" addon, follow the standard Blender addon installation process:

1. Download the addon file.
2. Open Blender and navigate to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
3. Click "Install" and select the downloaded file.
4. Enable the addon by checking the box next to its name.

Usage

After installation, the "Foot Lock" addon can be accessed in the 3D Viewport's UI panel, under the "Foot Lock" tab. The addon provides three main functionalities:

1. Lock Foot Position

This is the core feature of the addon. It locks the position and rotation of the selected foot bone (or any bone selected in pose mode), creating a NLA (Non-Linear Animation) strip that represents this locked state. This NLA strip can then be edited for length and blending, offering a high degree of control over the animation.

How to Use:

• Enter Pose Mode and select the bone you wish to lock.
• Navigate to the "Foot Lock" tab in the 3D Viewport's UI panel.
• Click the "Lock Foot Position" button.

2. Show/Hide Active Foot Lock Empty

After locking a position, an Empty is created at the lock location, serving as a visual and functional reference. This button toggles the visibility of this Empty. Additionally, you can adjust the Empty's rotation and location to fine-tune the foot's placement on the ground, ensuring a more accurate and realistic animation.

How to Use:

With the appropriate NLA Strip selected, navigate to the "Foot Lock" tab and click "Show/Hide Active Foot Lock Empty" to toggle the Empty's visibility.

Select the Empty to adjust its rotation and location as needed for precise foot placement.

3. Bake Foot Lock

This function finalizes the foot lock by baking the animation into the armature. It converts the controlled movements into keyframed animations, removing the need for the constraints and empties previously created. This is typically used at the end of the animation process to clean up the project.

How to Use:

• Ensure the armature is selected and that you've completed all desired animations with the foot lock.
• Click the "Bake Foot Lock" button in the "Foot Lock" tab. This will bake the animation and clean up the constraints and empties.

Troubleshooting and Best Practices

While using the "Foot Lock" addon, you may encounter some common issues. This section aims to help you identify and resolve these issues quickly.

Foot Bone Does Not Follow the Foot Lock Empty

If the foot bone does not follow the location of the created foot lock empty, it may be due to the bone being set to "Connected" in its properties. To fix this:

In the 3D Viewport, switch to Edit Mode (Tab) with the armature selected.

Select the foot bone that is not following the foot lock empty.

In the Bone Properties tab, under the Relations section, ensure that the "Connected" checkbox is unchecked.

Random Foot Bone Rotation on Foot Lock Application

Should you experience unexpected or random rotation of the foot bone upon applying the foot lock, the issue might be related to unapplied rotation transformations on the armature. To resolve this:

Press Ctrl+Z to undo the foot lock application.

Switch to Object Mode (Tab) and select the armature.

Press Ctrl+A and choose "Rotation" to apply the rotation transform data to the armature.

Ensuring Proper Foot Lock Bake Process

For a smooth foot lock bake process and to avoid accidentally editing the original motion capture (mocap) data keyframes, it's crucial to follow these steps:

Always push the mocap action down into an NLA strip before applying the foot lock. This not only aids in the baking process but also protects the original mocap data from unintentional modifications.

Following these troubleshooting steps and best practices can help ensure a more effective and efficient animation workflow with the "Foot Lock" addon.

Uninstallation

To uninstall the addon, simply navigate to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons in Blender, find the "Foot Lock" addon, and click "Remove."

Support

For any issues or inquiries about the "Foot Lock" addon, please send us an email to mitchell.kennedy@redbellymedia.com