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TfmMerge

The node merges different transformational parts of two differen transformation nodes into one.

TfmMerge Node

Combine Transformations from Multiple Sources

TfmMerge allows you to selectively combine position, rotation, and scale from two different transformation sources into a single output transformation. This is useful when you need an object to follow one source's position while inheriting rotation from another, or any other combination of transformation components.

Reference

The following properties can be configured for this node:

Property Type Description
parentA - parent A transformation node
parentB - parent B transformation node
pos - select the translational part from one of the parents
rot - select the rotation from one of the parents
scale - select the scale part from one of the parents
transformation pass - transformation pass
Inlet Type Description
properties properties properties | use message [set <propertyPath> <value(s)>] (without node/<nodeName> at the beginning) to set internal properties
Outlet Type Description

How It Works

Selective Component Merging

TfmMerge takes two parent transformations (A and B) and lets you pick which parent provides each component:

Component Options
pos Position from parentA or parentB
rot Rotation from parentA or parentB
scale Scale from parentA or parentB

The result is a new transformation that combines the selected components from each source.

Basic Setup

Merging Two Transformations

To create a merged transformation:

  1. Create or identify two transformation sources (TfmNode, RigidBody, TfmLookAt, etc.)
  2. Create a TfmMerge node
  3. Set parentA to reference the first transformation
  4. Set parentB to reference the second transformation
  5. Set pos, rot, and scale to select which parent provides each component
  6. Use TfmMerge as the parent for your target object

Use Cases

Common Applications

Position from tracking, rotation from look-at:

  • parentA: RigidBody (tracked position)
  • parentB: TfmLookAt (orientation toward target)
  • pos: A, rot: B, scale: A

Stabilized rotation with moving position:

  • parentA: Moving object transformation
  • parentB: Fixed orientation reference
  • pos: A, rot: B, scale: A

Independent scale control:

  • parentA: Animated transformation
  • parentB: Scale controller
  • pos: A, rot: A, scale: B

Transformation Pass

Execution Order

Like other advanced transformation nodes, TfmMerge has a transformation pass setting to control execution order:

  • pass1: Default, executes first
  • pass2: Executes after pass1
  • pass3: Executes after pass2

If parentA or parentB are computed transformations (like TfmLookAt), ensure TfmMerge executes in a later pass than its sources.

TfmMerge vs Other Transformation Nodes

When to Use TfmMerge

Node Purpose
TfmNode Simple position/rotation/scale with hierarchy
TfmMerge Combine components from two different sources
TfmLookAt Orient toward a target point
TfmMirror Mirror/reflect a transformation

Use TfmMerge when you need to "mix and match" transformation components from different sources that can't be achieved with simple parenting.

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Last updated: 2025-12-01 | Edit this page on GitHub