Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Rigging/Auto custom shape

Auto Custom Shape
Creats a custom shape to the bone

UI location	File → User Preferences → Add-Ons → Rigging
Usage	Select a bone in pose mode or edit mode and clic on the Add shape button in the bone properties panel
Version	0.1	Author(s)	Jacques Duflos
Blender	2.59	License	GPL
Category	Rigging	Distribution	Extern

Executable information

File name	auto_custom_shape.py
Current version download	http://projects.blender.org/tracker/download.php/153/467/28861/18003/auto_custom_shape.py

Introduction

Interface

This script is meant to save some time and to facilitate the design of bones custom shapes.
You can activate this script via File → User Preferences → Add-Ons → Rigging.
Once activated, a panel will appear at the bottom of the bone properties panel with a single button. You can as well use the search menu (space bar) and look for Add custom shape. This script will only work if in pose mode or edit mode, because you need to select one single bone. If you didn't select any bone or if you select multiple bones, a warning message will be displayed in the main menu bar. If everything goes ok, an Info message will be displayed.

When you use this script, your bone is switched to wired mode. The mode is set to object mode and the selected object is no more the armature. It is the mesh object that has been created and set as your bone's custom shape. The new object and mesh's name is the bone name withe the '_cs' extension. As the mesh object is shaped like a blender bone, you might not see any differences in the 3D View. But you just have to toggle to edit mode (tab) and you can modify the shape.

Warning

This might be hard afterwards to select the bone as it is superposed to the mesh. You should move the shape to an other layer as soon as you have finished editing it.

Video demos