FBX Export: WIP attempt to have 'skip_export' objects.

This would allo us e.g. to not export armature object as a root for bone chains,
or to have a real 'only deform' export option, in each case by ignoring some
nodes and 'reparenting' their children to first exported parent.

Idea is simple, but as always when touching to FBX transform (and even worse,
FBX bones binding), it turns into nightmare (a bit like the 'apply transform' issue).

So stuffing this here for now, in case someone (or myself) feels like
wasting another day or two on this mess - with no guarantee of success...

1 files changed, 12 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py b/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py
index 119e8edc..2a90471b 100644
--- a/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py
+++ b/io_scene_fbx/__init__.py
@@ -336,6 +336,17 @@ class ExportFBX(bpy.types.Operator, ExportHelper, IOFBXOrientationHelper):
             description="Export custom properties",
             default=False,
             )
+
+    use_armature_as_root = BoolProperty(
+            name="Export Armature As Root",
+            description="Export armature object itself as an 'empty' FBX object, parent of all bones",
+            default=True,
+            )
+    use_armature_deform_only = BoolProperty(
+            name="Only Deform Bones",
+            description="Only write deforming bones (and non-deforming ones when they have deforming children)",
+            default=False,
+            )
     add_leaf_bones = BoolProperty(
             name="Add Leaf Bones",
             description="Append a final bone to the end of each chain to specify last bone length "
@@ -364,11 +375,6 @@ class ExportFBX(bpy.types.Operator, ExportHelper, IOFBXOrientationHelper):
                    ),
             default='X',
             )
-    use_armature_deform_only = BoolProperty(
-            name="Only Deform Bones",
-            description="Only write deforming bones (and non-deforming ones when they have deforming children)",
-            default=False,
-            )
     # Anim - 7.4
     bake_anim = BoolProperty(
             name="Baked Animation",
@@ -506,6 +512,7 @@ class ExportFBX(bpy.types.Operator, ExportHelper, IOFBXOrientationHelper):
                 #~ sub.enabled = self.mesh_smooth_type in {'OFF'}
                 sub.prop(self, "use_tspace")
             elif self.ui_tab == 'ARMATURE':
+                layout.prop(self, "use_armature_as_root")
                 layout.prop(self, "use_armature_deform_only")
                 layout.prop(self, "add_leaf_bones")
                 layout.prop(self, "primary_bone_axis")