AnchorSwitch | Controller Space Switching Tool

AnchorSwitch is a controller space-switching tool built for Maya rigging. It lets a controller switch between multiple follow spaces (for example hand, back anchor, or world space), automatically computes a compensation matrix, and keeps the controller from jumping in world space where possible. Compatible with Maya 2020 and above (requires offsetParentMatrix), and verified in Maya 2026.

Features:

• Checks that the matrix is invertible before switching, then computes the compensation matrix and verifies its reconstruction error. If the check fails, the switch is cancelled and rolled back, leaving no half-finished setup
• Checks the world-matrix error again after switching, and rolls back automatically if it exceeds the tolerance
• Detects whether the controller is driven by an external connection such as a parentConstraint, and refuses to run when there is a conflict, telling you which channel is occupied and by what
• Can key automatically when switching, using stepped tangents so the controller does not slide incorrectly between spaces
• Keeps showing the last selection when the selection becomes empty, with a lock button to pin the displayed controller
• Creating and switching both run inside a single Maya undo chunk, so a failure always rolls back without leaving orphan nodes or attributes

Who it is for: animators who do their own character animation, beginners still learning space-switching concepts, and anyone maintaining several character assets who worries that a failed switch will leave half a set of keyframes behind.

The download contains two Python files (.py) plus usage instructions. Drag the launcher file into the Maya viewport to open the panel and create a shelf button automatically, or run this in the Script Editor:

import space_switch_tool
space_switch_tool.show()