Mapping Window UI

This section lists and introduces all the features and workflow of Mapping Window.**

General Introduction

In Mapping Window, you need to map the controllers or joints of the Maya character and tell Animcraft which parts are the hands, feet, legs, etc so that the Animcraft is able to manipulate the correct parts of character when import or export animation.

Mapping Window UI

Open Mapping Window

To open the mapping window, you first need to select any part of the character (any controller, or any joint). Then click Animcraft > Controller Mapping Editor to open the Mapping Window UI

First select the left hand controller, then open the Mapping Window :::info Note
The Maya Mapping Window needs Animcraft license, so you need to start the Animcraft Main Program before openning the Maya Mapping Window. :::

Different Body Parts in Mapping Window

You need to map different parts of your character in the mapping window so that the Animcraft know which controllers need to be operated correctly.
The Biped character type has 4 different parts in Mapping Window, Body, Fingers, Joints, and foot roll.**

Body(Primary), Fingers, Joints, Ball in Mapping Window

:::warning Notes

• All FK controllers (circle markers) of body part are the primary controllers, you have to map all of them.
• To use the animation export or heel lift feature, all Joints must be mapped. :::

:::success Tips
Left and right are always inverted, you can suppose you’re always facing to the character, notice the palm linesin especially in hand page. :::

**

2 Modes of Mapping Window

Mapping Window has 2 main modes

• Import: import animation resources from Animcraft to Maya character.
• Export: export the animation from an animated Maya character to Animcraft as a general resource.

2 modes of Mapping Window

Mapping Templates

Mapping Templates store the mapping data for different types of Maya rigs. Every time when you open Mapping Window with a non-mapped character, the system will try to find the most matching template and apply it to the character automatically. Read more on Using Mapping Templates.

Menu Bar

The menu bar of Mapping Window

• Figure: switch between Biped and Quadruped mapping UIs.
• Language: switch English and Chinese Language.

Quadruped Mapping UI

Settings and Tools Panel

The right upper section in Mapping Window has some settings and tools, you can use them to do some basic works when map your character:

• Switch Import/Export Mode
• Using mapping template
• Display some bones information

Settings and tools in Mapping Window

• Mirror: Enable mirror when mapping.
• Number of Waist Segments: enable to add an extra torso marker
• Import/Export: 2 operational modes
• Character: current selected character, see Animcraft for Human IK
• Template: switch or clear template, see more on Using Mapping Templates
• HIK Source: the source of human IK character
• FK_name/IK_name/JT_name: selected FK, IK and joint name
• Keyable: disable to block animation importing to the specific controller or joint

Animation Tools

Beneath the Settings and Tools section, there are some buttons, they are animation tools.

Animation tool buttons in Import(left) and Export(right) modes

• Save Template/Delete Template: See Using Mapping Templates
• Mask Master Ctrl: map the Master Controller to make sure the imported animation can be performed on the same horizontal plane of Master Controller (otherwise, the animation will be performed on the default plane)
• Match Pose: resume all controllers transform to the status at the time of Match(the pose when Match the character)
• Match: Match animcraft middle rig to your rig and prepare the animation import/export（hidden operation, prepare for importing and exporting）
• Export Anim: export current animation data
• Delete Anim: delete the imported animation for the mapped character and go Match Pose

:::danger Warning

The maya character have to be in T-Pose or A-Pose before click Match, so that the animation can be imported and exported accurately. :::

:::success Tips
The match pose means the pose when you click the Match, click Match Pose button to go to the pose when you click the Match. :::