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Is it possible to parent a collection?

Forum Archive › Is it possible to parent a collection?

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  • October 13, 2022 at 11:16 am #15469
    neitheram
    Participant

      I was watching this intro video, and got curious. I know I can parent different objects together, but can I parent a collection to another collection? 

      For example I make a skateboard 3D model, I have a collection for the wheel components (wheel, bearings and hardware), a collection for the truck (truck, metal base, hardware, bushin) and a collection with the skateboard deck (skateboard body and hardware maybe?). Could I parent these collections so I can move the assemblied skateboard as a whole? Or would I need to parent every component in all the collections to the same parent for this?

      October 13, 2022 at 11:34 am #75647
      Omar Domenech
      Participant

        I don’t think there is a way to parent collections per se, but you can do other things that basically do the same thing. You can always parent those loose components to empties and have them follow the empty around. But the option that maybe approaches what you’re thinking of is that you can also with Shift + A in the viewport add a collection instance, it’s the option all the way at the bottom. And with collections instanced, you can parent collections objects around in the viewport. You have to remember that when you do a collection instancing, it is important that your objects live in 0, 0, 0 so basically the world origin, if you want your origin point centered.

        October 13, 2022 at 11:40 am #75648
        Martin Bergwerf
        Participant

          Hi @neitheram ,

          You cannot (at the moment?) parent Collections; you can only parent Object, Curves, Grease Pencil,Text, Metaballs, Surfaces, Volumes, Armatures, Bones….And  Collection Instances!!!

          So, you can’t parent Collections but you can parent Collection Instances…but you can’t move anything that is inside that Collection Instance, only the Instance itself:the Collection Instance acts as one Object.

          October 13, 2022 at 11:40 am #75649
          Adrian Bellworthy
          Participant

            You can place a collection inside another collection, but this doesn’t parent anything in the 3d view.

            But what you may want to do to move all objects together in the 3d view, 
            parent the front wheels to the front axle, the front axle to the front metal hardware, then the front metal hardware to the board, and do the same with the rear.
            the only objects parented to the board will be the front and rear hardware.

            Hope this makes sense!

            October 15, 2022 at 11:09 am #75650
            Dwayne Savage
            Participant

              Not sure if this will help, but here goes. Create a collection or group(Unlinked collection) with everything in it. I personally would use group, but to each their own. To group select all and press ctrl+G. Then press F9 or goto adjustment box in bottom left hand corner and give the group a name like skateboard. Then when you want to move everything select one object press shift+G->collection. It will come up with a list of collections/groups that the object is a part of. Click the group and then it will select all of them. By using the group you can also select the objects in outliner, right click->unlink. Then to add the skateboard you would just shift+A->collection instance->Skateboard group. It will act as one object. If you need to adjust the objects inside the instance then at top of outliner change mode from View Layers to Scenes. Then expand objects, expand the collection instance right click on the Group name under the instance name and click link to scene. Go back to view layers and you will have a collection with the group name. Make your adjustment(Note this affect all instances) then when done you can select the collection(Group name) right click->Unlink.

              November 15, 2022 at 12:13 am #75651
              Shawn McCown
              Participant

                I think if you should check out the rigging courses to really get into it. But, I don’t think you can rig collections. https://cgcookie.com/courses?sort_category=179

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