Linking characters and library overrides

Hello! Can someone please explain to me how library overrides work.  I've tried watching looking it up myself but I am still confused.

So I have linked an animated character from my original scene into a new scene.  I have made a library override so I can make further animation adjustments.  If I make changes either on the animation or say change the colour of the shirt, do those changes show up on the original file?  If I make changes on the original file do they show up on the linked file?  

Also how does making it a single user or making it local work with the override?

Thanks

  • CCWieland replied

    I made a video showing you that you can not change the material if your object is linked. You can change the material if you Append, but it will not be a link. Hope this helps.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Rh8fFXCng

  • Shannon (treecalledgroot) replied

    Thanks for the video! I did find that there is a chain icon next to the material.  If you shift click it, it makes a library override for the materials where you can edit the materials but still be linked to the original file. Thanks again, appreciate your effort

  • Omar Domenech replied

    I believe Wayne in this video gives an overview about linking.

    https://cgcookie.com/lessons/file-linking-set-up

  • CCWieland replied
    cool! after you shift click, was it still linked?
  • CCWieland replied

    It must be a setting in the master copy, because I was unable to shift click the chain icon in the file I made. what file did you use to do this?


  • CCWieland replied

    It's cool that you have the ability to do this, But my thought is it also defeats the purpose of having a link. All you really need to do is go to the master copy and change it there. I think appending would be better if you want to Altar the file.

    • True
  • Martin Bergwerf replied

    CCWieland ,

    The power of Linking and Library Overrides is, that you can have a rigged character in a master file (for instance) and Link it in another file five times and give each Linked character different color clothes and different poses and then, if you need to change the original character, like they need a third eye or so, you can make that change in the master file...if they were Appended, you'd need to change that for each Character....And if you'd Link the character into several files, to advantage would be even more clear...



  • CCWieland replied

    I see, but is there something I need to do to override the Material?  I was unsuccessful with RIvet rig. I did Shift RMB, and LMB click chain icon. is there a step I am missing?

  • CCWieland replied

    Sift_RMB_Click.jpg

  • Martin Bergwerf replied

    CCWieland ,

    Yes, it is a bit tricky and I haven't played around with it much, but there is a hierarchy that you'll have to work through. For instance:

    Override_1.png

    I can't override the Material, I first need to overridethe Linked Suzanne and then I can select the Material in the Outliner and right click to:

    Override_2.png

    I tend to do this from the Outliner, then I can easily see what is already overriden and work my way down, but I guess there are other ways...

    Selected and Content doesn't always do what I would expect, so I usually just choose Selected.

  • Shannon (treecalledgroot) replied

    Sorry for the late reply but yes I did exactly as CCWieland said and went down the hierarchy.  

  • Omar Domenech replied

    Well, changing the material in the file where you linked things defeats the whole purpose of linking. If I wanted to change the material I go to the source file. In the file where the asset is linked, I just use it for layout and animation.

  • CCWieland replied

    Yeah I find it weird to, but I think in a big production it might be helpful. I believe you can also do it another way, I've never tried this, but you create a random color in the master copy so that every time you link it the color is changed.