APEX Constrained IK and Lookat

[6ril]

Hi there,

I'm trying to rig a simple hexapod like robot, with APEX.

I've watch quite a few tutorials but never found info on how to fine tune an IK (locking some axis and limiting the range of others).

It's pretty much a mechanical arm rig.

 

If anyone can help/point me in the right direction... thanks !

6ril_IK_APEX.hipnc

[6ril]

Oh and the lookat on the shoulder might not be necessary, it's just an attempt at "simplifying" the problem since I can't figure out how to limit an IK (locks and angles).
If someone know how to limit/constrain IK joints, then the shoulder might be included in the IK chain (only allowing the rotate Y) ?

 

[6ril]

I've manage to almost rig it, without APEX, just kinefx, but just almost.

I'm almost there, but my problem now is that I'm able to make a lookup pointing to the ik target, I replace the Y position of the target with the shoulder Y value in a rigattributeVop, but it's not enough, when I rotate the body it's not working because I should point to the target projected on a plane (XZ plane of the shoulder bone) and not just

I'm failing at making the rigvop network that would "project" the target position into the right plane.

I'm also wondering if there isn't a way more straight forward approch to rig this.

If I could lock rotation on the joints of the IKchain, I wouldn't even need the lookat !

There's a node called ConfigureJointLimit ! But it's not doing nothing to the IKchain. Seems to be for ragdolls and fullbodyIK.

 

here is where I'm at now, without apex (hip file attachment)

6ril_IK_kinefx.hipnc