Project: Blender Extensions
Tracker: Py Scripts Upload
Blender: 2.49
Category: Rigging
Python: 2.6
Script name: armature_joint.py, build_armature_from_joints.py
Dependencies: SciPy
Author(s): Terry Stafford
Status: Closed

Features,
This set of scripts builds and poses an armature from a shapekey mesh.

Requirements: Blender 2.49b
Python 2.6
SciPy

Setup,
Put scripts in user scripts directory, load and run from text window in blender

The work flow is,

1. pick a frame
2. create joints from selected vertices of shapekey mesh by running armature_joint.py
3. run build_armature_from_joints.py with frame set to frame picked from step 1
4. create a mesh from shapekey mesh with frame set to frame picked from step 1
(duplicate and delete all keyframes except frame picked from step 1, or write a script that uses getFromObject)
5. parent mesh to armature created in step 3, pick create vertex groups from envelopes;
select quaternion armature option (volume preserving)
6. with mesh and armature still selected run pose_armature_from_shapekeys.py

Possible other uses, base for motion capture?

TODO create modeller friendly rest pose by aligning bone chain to a certain vector allowing for high res models

The included pdfs cover building armature but they are based from 2.57 scripts, although concepts are the same.

The videos show the process. If you look at the outliner in the video you will see joint names for a human form.

The results video shows small errors between the original shapekey mesh and the armature modified mesh.

Any comments, corrections welcome.