2. Rigify 0.5

Rigify 0.5 New Features

Code Refactor
Old rigify types and meta-rigs were merged with the pitchipoy ones. Due to this change all the "pitchipoy" names were removed.

Legacy Mode
In order to keep backward compatibility during the transition to the new feature set a "Legacy Mode" option was added in the add-on preference pane. When enabled rigfy will run with the old 2.77 feature-set.

• Legacy Switcher
  When the system detects an old/unsupported Meta-Rig will ask the user to switch to legacy mode.
• Upgrade Meta-Rig
  When a old but supported Meta-Rig is detected the system will give the user an option to upgrade the Meta-Rig types to the current version. When this is done the user can upgrade the rig too by clicking on generate rig again.

Updated rig-types
All rig types now use the formerly known as "pitchipoy.type" as base. New feature were ported from the original rigify code and merged or updated as listed below:

• super_limb
  Formerly known as 'pitchipoy.super_limb' is the new base type to create Arms, Legs and Paws. All the types now support standard 'pole vector' as an option in the ui after rig generation. All the FK/IK snapping functions were updated to work seamlessly indipendently from the pole type (standard or rotational). Bone rolls are automatically calculated during the rig generation process, so no more eyeballing on the metarig's limbs bone rolls!
• super_spine
  Formerly known as 'pitchipoy.super_torso_turbo' is the new base type to create spines. This new type support the creation of stretchy spines complete systems splitting "head/neck" and "Tail" generation as an user defined option. This sample can generate a full bendy-bones spine (from tail to head). If the distance from head to neck is more than 3 bones will automatically generate an ik-stretchy neck useful for animals rigs. The spine system features rotation isolation modes for head, neck and even the new tail.

Rigify Layers Redesign
Rigify Layers - formerly used to define names in the UI - are now updated to support per-layer automatic creation of user defined bone groups and selection sets on the final rig.

Rig_UI automatic linking
The generated rig_ui.py script is now automatically set as python controller for the armature rig forcing the script to be imported along with the armature when a rigify rig is linked into another blend file.

Advanced Generation Options
Rigify can now handle more than 1 rig generation per scene. Users can now select a specific target rig and python ui to be updated from the metarig generate panel. This feature also addresses the patch proposed in https://developer.blender.org/T51094.

New Metarigs
Along with the 0.5 featureset a bunch of new metarigs are added to the armatures list:

• Basic Human
  A generic Human Meta-Rig, no fingers, no face.
• Basic Quadruped
  A generic Quadruped Meta-Rig including the new tail option in the spine.
• Cat
  A complete Cat Meta-Rig including claws, face bones and the new tail option in the spine.
• Wolf
  A complete Wolf/Dog Meta-Rig including claws, face bones and the new tail option in the spine.
• Horse
  A Horse Meta-Rig including the new tail option in the spine, hairs, tails and the bend&stretch ik neck option.
• Bird
  A basic Bird Meta-Rig including wings, feathers, claws, beak and the new tail option in the spine
• Shark
  A basic Shark Meta-Rig including fins, jaws, and the new tail option in the spine.

Bug Fixes

• fixed typo errors in various part of the old pitchipoy code
• fixed eyes bones/widgets size
• upgraded limb types to avoid the errors in legs generation when bones were not aligned https://developer.blender.org/T50500
• upgraded limb types to correctly show all animated properties in the graph editor as requested in https://developer.blender.org/T50511
• upgraded limb types to allow user defined foot orientation as requested in https://developer.blender.org/T50502
• All bone widgets shapes are now created as child of the 'WGTS' empty.