Using Cloth with Envelopes and Other Deformations
If you want to use cloth on an envelope or use it with another type of deformation, you should apply cloth to the envelope or object before you apply the envelope to a chain or use another deformation.
This is because of the order of operators for the object: if cloth is applied after the envelope, it doesn’t know that the envelope exists (the Cloth operator is above the Envelope operator in the stack) so it won’t deform properly.
However, if you do apply cloth after the envelope, it’s simple to move the operators in the construction history to get the correct results.
Applying Cloth Before the Envelope
To apply cloth before envelopes or deformations
1. Parent the object you want deformed to the bone that matches the movement that you want the cloth object to inherit.
2. Select Animation from the Construction Mode list on the main menu bar at the top of the interface.
This keeps the ClothOp operator in the object’s Animation region in its construction history so that Softimage knows you want to use the cloth as an animated deformation.
For general information on construction modes and the viewing options related to these modes, see Construction Modes and Regions
[ Modeling and Deformation Basics ].
3. Apply cloth to the object.
4. Apply the envelope or deformation to the cloth object, also in Animation construction mode.
• For more information on envelopes, see Envelopes [ Character Animation ].
• For information on deformations in general, refer to Deformations [ Modeling and Deformation Basics ].
Applying Cloth After the Envelope
If you apply cloth after the envelope is applied to the chain or after another deformation is applied, the envelope or object doesn’t deform properly because of its order in the object’s construction history (operator stack). If the envelope or deformation is applied after cloth, then cloth doesn’t know that it exists.
If you do apply the envelope or deformation before cloth, you can drag its operator in the explorer so that it’s above the ClothOp operator, as shown on the left. If you do this, those deformations are applied first, and then cloth can be calculated in relation to them.
Another useful thing to do is to disable any operators above the current one. To do this, open an explorer, right-click on the lowest envelope or deformation operator you want to disable, and choose Disable from Here. The operator and everything above it no longer affect the object.
For more information about using the operator stack, see Operator Stack [ Modeling and Deformation Basics ].
Autodesk Softimage v.7.5