fiddly rotation link setup

[super gnu]

ive got a constellation of satellites to animate. basically a box with a solar panel sticking out of each side.

one side of the box faces the earth. the solar panels rotate on their axis on an axle sticking out of the box.

the problem is the panels must always face the sun..

this requires the panels to rotate on one axis (the axle) . the box then rotates around another axis -the one perpendicular to the earth ( thrusters i guess) between these two movements, the panels can remain pointed at the sun, while the "business end" of the box remains pointed at the earth.

lookat constraint does not allow single axis rotation, wire parameters dont allow a single axis to be selected on a dummy with a lookat constraint applied (or a dummy linked to a dummy with the lookat constraint applied) exposeTM helper may help, but i immediately hit "self reference" errors and am not sure what im doing wrong.

anyone care to suggest a setup?

i can do a sketch if necessary.. it might be hard to visualise

[fixeighted]

Is there a link to an image of the type you've modeled? I can try to see if I can make it work

[super gnu]

in the end using this clever tutorial i managed to make something that kind of works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9VlncTujNA&t=520s

however i have an issue that the satellite flips over rapidly at the two extremes of the orbit... if it was a normal "lookat" constraint i would use the "upnode" to try and fix it.. but in this case i dont have the option, and given i basically only understand enough to copy that tutorial and then nest one copy inside the other (to get the two parts with one axis of rotation each) im a bit stuck still.

ive emailed the creator of the video, but im not holding my breath.

i could maybe upload the test scene here, but editing it (given the multiple nested float script controllers -there are 12 satellites) might be a bit fiddly.

[fixeighted]

Upload just one satellite unit if you can, or a sketch as mentioned, or I can just strip the scene to play with. It's intriguing me

[super gnu]

ill fire something over in a bit

[super gnu]

sent you a PM