Rig Layers

[Larry_Tweed1]

Sorry, the other topic about this same thing was closed, so I had to start a new one.

I have the same issue with Rig Layers not showing up as @ImmanuelYefraimov did, except I do see the Rig Properties. I do NOT have the Rigify options (like generate rig). I’m using blender 4.0.2 and downloaded Grant’s file. If I start my own file, everything is there. Loading Grant’s 3.x file, it isn’t. If I go back to Blender 3.6, it’s there.

I tried disabling add-ons in 4.0.2, but that didn’t help. I tried starting a fresh blender file in 4, and appended the items from Grant’s file (ok, I was confused here admittedly… I’m not sure I appended correctly), but that didn’t work either.

Immanuel’s message was marked as solved by @FedPete . Can you give me any more details as to how I can try to fix this? I’ve gone back to 3.6 for now, but it’s just bugging me that I can’t use 4. No, there is no specific reason I need 4 while going through this course.

[FedPete]

@Larry_Tweed1

I have the same issue with Rig Layers not showing up as @ImmanuelYefraimov did, except I do see the Rig Properties. I do NOT have the Rigify options (like generate rig). I’m using blender 4.0.2 and downloaded Grant’s file. If I start my own file, everything is there. Loading Grant’s 3.x file, it isn’t. If I go back to Blender 3.6, it’s there.

Blenders .blend file format has been changed in 3.6 / 4.0 (only backward compatible, for some versions of Blender).
I forgot the specifics. In that case you need to open the file in the correct Blender version.
You can have multiple versions of Blender installed on your PC.

Can you tell us which course/lesson you are working on?

Also, a full-screen dump can help us detect obvious problems!

Appending should work, but you don’t only import the mesh/object, but also related features, such as armature, materials. If the problem is in one the features, then it’s no help.

Instead of appending the object (with features), you could go for appending the mesh (not object) and materials,

[Larry_Tweed1]

Thanks for the reply. I thought the course name was encoded above these messages. Maybe something else is encoded there… I dunno, I mean… it’s code

This was related to the Blender Animation and Rigging course. It isn’t specific to a single lesson.

You’ve given me a couple of ideas I’m going to try. I’ll report back after, and will provide more info if it’s still a problem.

Thanks again!

[FedPete]

@Larry_Tweed1

Maybe something else is encoded there… I dunno, I mean… it’s code

Yes true, but I not part of the DevTeam, I’m just a student like you.
And I have no clue how this code is constructed

Let us know I you can resolve this problem!

[NP5]

The code, there is a programmer’s logic to it.

Back to front. bce Blender Complete? Animator (course)
‘ca’ Section title in this case Character Animation section, you have to look through and find a section that matches the letters used.
‘2’ the second lecture in that section.

Clearly a simple lecture number everyone can get easily like in Udemy will not work.

[Larry_Tweed1]

Obviously, duh

[Todd_Vance]

I imagine one problem is new lectures get inserted between existing lectures. Still, be nice to have something like the forum auto-expanding the code into something more narrative. That “should” be automatable! Though I don’t know how much control they have over the forum software. (a variant of Jeff Atwood’s Discourse? For some reason I thought I remembered that.)

[CoreyKnecht]

The good thing is that the Rigify team seems to be aware of the issue (or are at least becoming aware of it). Judging by the commit referenced in this bug report, it looks like they axed a bunch of the layers code in the process of migrating the whole system to use collections instead.

migrating pre-4.0 rigs loses Rig Layers information

I’m guessing FedPete’s suggestion about appending the files worked last time because of some sort of forced regeneration of data during the importing process (using the new collections system), vs. just opening the existing 3.x file in 4.x and relying on the old, now-broken layers data. Maybe this provides some dots for others to connect =)

Edit: I guess it would’ve helped if I had noticed the potential solution provided in here. They’re suggesting to upgrade the metarig to Bone Collections and then regenerate it:
https://projects.blender.org/attachments/dc246304-e571-4dfd-829b-da945984d433

[Larry_Tweed1]

Thanks for searching that out. It worked. I can stop going crazy now (for the moment anyway).

The steps, in essence are:

1. open the 3.x file in 4.x and select the metarig. In the data properties for the metarig, you should see “Bone Collections”, which contains very generic names for the layers.

2. In the Rigify section of the metarig data properties, there should be a button to “Upgrade Metarig”. This should populate the Bone Collections with the names of the (formerly) layers. Layers are no longer a thing, it appears. (I don’t know how I missed this upgrade option before)

That’s it. Pretty simple. There’s a LOT more info around about how to deal with the new bone collections, but these steps should get someone up and running if they have the same problem I did.

[CoreyKnecht]

Fantastic! Glad I could help. I’ve seen several people with this issue already, so this is a great result to see.

Also, it sounds like you’ve already searched through a fair number of resources regarding using Bone Collections vs. Layers. If anything stuck out to you as particularly helpful, it might be nice to note/link that here as well to give people a headstart.

Enjoy the course! =)

[NP5]

Yes it is somewhat limited I believe, not an area I know anything about.
But Udemy has numbers on lectures so

[Dwayne]

It also gets a little more complex in 4.1 since you have the ability to nest bone collections. Well if all goes well then just 1 1/2 years to go until the new animation system will be in place.