Question about make a character's arm be in front and behind a desk

[tiatridis]

So I have this character who sits behind a news desk. The entire rig is behind the desk and a chair is behind the rig. So the character sits on the chair and has the desk in front. Works fine, but ... on occasion I need an arm to rest on top of the desk. Not sure how to pull that off. Thought maybe a reference layer, but while that would mimic the original layer if edited, because it would be in front of the desk it is no longer inside the rig and doesn't move with the character. Then I thought I could make a desktop layer and place it behind the arm inside the rig and toggle the other one off as needed. But then the new desktop layer does moves with the rig, and the table needs to stay stationary. Maybe there's a way to have a layer inside the rig that doesn't move with it?

I think there's probably an easier way to do this I haven't thought of. Any suggestions? Thanks a bunch.

[synthsin75]

With the desktop inside the character rig, you just need to release the layer from any bone influence and avoid layer transforms in any of the parent layers in the rig. Conversely, you can reference the entire character rig, place it above the desktop, and hide everything except the arm. That way all your rigging remains intact.

[tiatridis]

Thanks so much. I see what I was doing wrong. I had made a reference layer for the arm and placed it above the desk and the rig and thought it didn't work, but duh ... I was moving the rig on layer 0 to see how it worked. It works inside the timeline. Gotta remember to test things in timeline. This forum rocks, you all are so helpful it's much appreciated!

[tiatridis]

Hmm, ok actually the reference layer of the arm does (or the whole rig) does work, however the reference layer seems to be always on or off. I need the arm to behind the desk at first, then in front. If I toggle the visibility on a frame in the timeline it toggles on or off for the entire timeline not just the part I'm looking for it to be in front. Oy, how do you hide a layer for certain frames only?

[tiatridis]

Found it! Layer visibility when you double click the layer, makes a keyframe. I'm learning.

[Franky1966]

Or maybe the tireless Poptoogi can clear this one out for you.