I'm trying to get blender working with my coworker so we can both work at the same time. I've got a model that will have Lots of parts. The data is from Rhino an is very high mesh. So I want to keep one file with the object data. We can bring that data in as an linked file so our working blend file isn't huge. The only way we'll change the data is fly around it, maybe open and close a door. Really basic stuff. Although, I need to animate a material on one or two pieces as well.
I've only found one reasonably good resource on how to effectively use links. The problem is they assume I'm already working with a bunch of other people, but we're Both trying to be jack of all trades here and we just split things up as we go.
So in testing things, I Immediately hit a giant roadblock, and I don't quite understand what's going on.
I created 3 cubes, and put each one in a collection that is parent of the next.
I thought there was a way to do some parenting, and have that come through. I tried doing it with some bones, but just can't seem to figure it out. I've found you have to go to Object>Relations>make proxy in order to access the data Some. But I can't figure out a way to access it in a way that would keep parents.
Am I on a wild goose chase? Once I import the data, I want to just save that off how it is. It actually comes in already in nested collections, which seems to be part of the issue. So I have a door with 20 parts or so. The screws are in one collection. The frame in another, the handle in another. And they are nested based on groups essentially, so that each above it is the parent for moving. That's how assemblies work.
I'm not sure how to go about this in Blender, in terms of splitting up the files. Ideally, I'll have a file for that cad data. I'd like to just link the collections. This way, anything I put in them gets updated. However, since they don't have pivot points or anything, I'm not sure how animating works.
Does anyone have decent resources for this? I'm just plain lost as to where to start figuring out an intended workflow.