creating separate DEF collections per model part

Would it be a reasonable approach to create separate DEF/MCH bones collections while working on a rig to make it easy to hide sections that you're not working on and then collating them all into one at the end?

For instance, while working on Luna's neck and head in the previous video it was a (minor) pain to need to hide everything else by selecting all of the other def bones and going through the process each time I needed to unhide specific bones in the neck  (without going through the outliner).

This might meddle with the python script in this specific course, but per my Q at the start, would this be something that some riggers do? Or would it just be complicating things?

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  • Dwayne Savage(dillenbata3) replied

    Yes, it is something that is done. Just note that shift+H hides everything not selected. But yes some rigger do use multiple collections for temporary use. I even created an addon to put bone collections in the n-panel. You can download it at 

    https://blenderclassroom.com/download.php

    If you don't want to use the addon under rigging 101 tab you can use DDSRigUITemp.py just load into text editor and click play button at top of the text editor. This creates a DDS tab with the bone collections. Note: the addon after you enable it you can expand and change the tab name or add it to and existing tab like Item. 

  • Wayne Dixon replied

    Hi Harris,
    Yes you can create multiple DEF and/or MCH collections.
    This is something that I thought I might end up adding to my work flow when collections were introduced.  However, for me it's more of a hindrance to separate things too much.  It's more convenient for me to just turn on either the DEF or MCH and not have to think harder about which DEF of MCH collection I want to turn on.

    With experience you do getting better at seeing through the visual clutter but if anything does get in my way I usually just hide it (or hide everything except what I'm working on).

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