Use expressions to bind multiple properties

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 132 views

Introduction

In Blender, drivers are a powerful tool that allows you to create dynamic relationships between objects and their properties. One common use case for drivers is to bind the visibility of an object to its parent's properties. In this article, we will explore how to use an expression to bind the "Visibility in Viewport" property of an object to its parent's "hide_render" property.

Understanding the Problem

You want to create a driver that binds the "Visibility in Viewport" property of an object to its parent's "hide_render" property using an expression. This means that when the parent object's "hide_render" property is set to True, the child object's "Visibility in Viewport" property should also be set to False, and vice versa.

Setting Up the Driver

To set up the driver, follow these steps:

Select the object: Select the object whose "Visibility in Viewport" property you want to bind to its parent's "hide_render" property.
Open the Driver Editor: Open the Driver Editor by pressing Ctrl + P or by navigating to Object > Driver > Driver Editor.
Create a new driver: Click on the New button to create a new driver.
Select the property: Select the "Visibility in Viewport" property from the list of available properties.
Set the driver type: Set the driver type to Expression.

Writing the Expression

Now that we have set up the driver, it's time to write the expression. The expression should bind the "Visibility in Viewport" property of the object to its parent's "hide_render" property. Here's the expression you can use:

self.parent.hide_render

This expression simply returns the value of the parent object's "hide_render" property. When this property is set to True, the expression will return True, and when it's set to False, the expression will return False.

Testing the Driver

To test the driver, follow these steps:

Set up a test scene: Create a simple test scene with a parent object and a child object.
Set the parent object's "hide_render" property: Set the parent object's "hide_render" property to True.
Check the child object's "Visibility in Viewport" property: Check that the child object's "Visibility in Viewport" property is set to False.
Set the parent object's "hide_render" property to False: Set the parent object's "hide_render" property to False.
Check the child object's "Visibility in Viewport" property: Check that the child object's "Visibility in Viewport" property is set to True.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored how to use an expression to bind the "Visibility in Viewport" property of an object to its parent's "hide_render" property. We set up a driver, wrote the expression, and tested the driver to ensure that it works as expected. With this knowledge, you can now create your own drivers to bind object properties to their parents' properties using expressions.

Tips and Variations

Here are some tips and variations to keep in mind:

Use the self.parent syntax: The self.parent syntax is used to access the parent object's properties. You can use this syntax to access other parent object properties as well.
Use the hide_render property: The hide_render property is used to control whether an object is rendered or not. You can use this property to control the visibility of an object in the viewport.
Use expressions to bind multiple properties: You can use expressions to bind multiple properties to their parent's properties. For example, you can bind both the "Visibility in Viewport" and "Render" properties to the parent object's "hide_render" property.
Use drivers to create complex relationships: Drivers can be used to create complex relationships between objects and their properties. For example, you can use drivers to create a relationship between an object's position and its parent's position.

Common Issues and Solutions

Here are some common issues and solutions to keep in mind:

Driver not updating: If the driver is not updating, check that the expression is correct and that the driver is properly set up.
Driver not binding to parent property: If the driver is not binding to the parent property, check that the parent property is properly set up and that the driver is properly set up.
Driver causing errors: If the driver is causing errors, check that the expression is correct and that the driver is properly set up.

Conclusion

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored how to use an expression to bind the "Visibility in Viewport" property of an object to its parent's "hide_render" property. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about using drivers and expressions in Blender.

Q: What is a driver in Blender?

A: A driver in Blender is a script that allows you to create dynamic relationships between objects and their properties. Drivers can be used to bind object properties to their parents' properties, or to create complex relationships between objects.

Q: How do I set up a driver in Blender?

A: To set up a driver in Blender, follow these steps:

Select the object: Select the object whose property you want to bind to its parent's property.
Open the Driver Editor: Open the Driver Editor by pressing Ctrl + P or by navigating to Object > Driver > Driver Editor.
Create a new driver: Click on the New button to create a new driver.
Select the property: Select the property you want to bind to its parent's property.
Set the driver type: Set the driver type to Expression.

Q: What is an expression in Blender?

A: An expression in Blender is a script that allows you to create a dynamic relationship between an object's property and its parent's property. Expressions can be used to bind object properties to their parents' properties, or to create complex relationships between objects.

Q: How do I write an expression in Blender?

A: To write an expression in Blender, follow these steps:

Open the Driver Editor: Open the Driver Editor by pressing Ctrl + P or by navigating to Object > Driver > Driver Editor.
Select the property: Select the property you want to bind to its parent's property.
Write the expression: Write the expression using Python syntax.
Test the expression: Test the expression by running it in the Driver Editor.

Q: What is the `self.parent` syntax in Blender?

A: The self.parent syntax in Blender is used to access the parent object's properties. You can use this syntax to access other parent object properties as well.

Q: How do I use the `hide_render` property in Blender?

A: The hide_render property in Blender is used to control whether an object is rendered or not. You can use this property to control the visibility of an object in the viewport.

Q: Can I use drivers to create complex relationships between objects?

A: Yes, you can use drivers to create complex relationships between objects. Drivers can be used to bind object properties to their parents' properties, or to create complex relationships between objects.

Q: What are some common issues with drivers in Blender?

A: Some common issues with drivers in Blender include:

Driver not updating: If the driver is not updating, check that the expression is correct and that the driver is properly set up.
Driver not binding to parent property: If the driver is not binding to the parent property, check that the parent property is properly set up and that the driver is properly set up.
Driver causing errors: If the driver is causing errors, check that the expression is correct and that the driver is properly set up.

Conclusion

In conclusion, drivers and expressions are powerful tools in Blender that can be used to create dynamic relationships between objects and their properties. By understanding how to use drivers and expressions, you can create complex relationships between objects and improve your workflow in Blender.

Tips and Variations

Here are some tips and variations to keep in mind:

Use the self.parent syntax: The self.parent syntax is used to access the parent object's properties. You can use this syntax to access other parent object properties as well.
Use the hide_render property: The hide_render property is used to control whether an object is rendered or not. You can use this property to control the visibility of an object in the viewport.
Use drivers to create complex relationships: Drivers can be used to create complex relationships between objects. You can use drivers to bind object properties to their parents' properties, or to create complex relationships between objects.
Use expressions to bind multiple properties: You can use expressions to bind multiple properties to their parent's properties. For example, you can bind both the "Visibility in Viewport" and "Render" properties to the parent object's "hide_render" property.