Problem with object pivots / animation > can anyone help please?

[smalldogstudio]

Hi

I'm quite new to animation in Keyshot and I'm learning as I go. I'm having real trouble trying to do a relatively simple animation of a small printer with a lid.

The sequence is that the casing parts drop in from above, the lid drops in from above (but at an open angle) and then I want to close the lid. I have made a pivot object for this purpose - shown as the metal cylinder in the screen shot.

The problem I have got is that the Lid will not rotate around the local X axis of the Lid Pivot object - no matter what options I select in the animation wizard. The lid now also wont rotate around the lid pivot with just the move command either. It always appears to rotate about the Global X axis. This is driving me mad.

Should I arrange the model hierarchy differently? I've tried nesting the lid pivot in the Lid group and moving it down with it. The manual and tutorials are a bit too vague on this - can anyone help please? I can upload the KSP if it helps

thanks - David

[germannick]

I ran into this problem before too. Often it helps when you aktively select the pivot object manually, meaning instead of SELF click the pick button and than select the "rod" in your model.

[smalldogstudio]

thanks (or should that be danke?)

yes I find that works better too - the problem is more the motion has to be controlled by dragging the manipulator in the realtime view - which is inaccurate, but if you try to type numerical info into the dialog on the right it uses the 'old' pivot point - I find it annoying and unusable to do it this way as I would like to rotate that object precisely 89deg and then back 89deg later. hopefully v10 may provide a new way (please Luxion!!)

I'll have another go once I've got some free time inbetween paying jobs

best wishes
David