Trying to do more with animation but have some hurdles here. 

As an example I'll use a swing.  Is there a way to parent the character to the swing?  Seems I can parent Props, but not characters.  I have used the Hieriarcy window for some work abouts.  I would like to think there may be an easier way.

Second,  let's say a handle on a crank, Is there some way to have the characters hand 'stick' to the handle while it moves around. 

I thought the Magnets would do this, but seems that's more for morphing.

Last,  parenting figures to figures,  again i've used the hieriacy window for this, but seems wrong.

Thanks for any help here.

I think you would parent the swing to the figure's hip?

So far as the "crank" goes, if you parent the hand to the handle it should stay with the handle when the handle moves.  You might have to save the hand grasp to your Pose Library and then reapply the hand grasp pose if you change the figure's pose, but the hand should stay with the handle.

When I parent an prop/figure that is created for that particular figure IE: V3, I use the FIgures Menu and "Parent'.

If I'm parenting a prop/figure that was created for one figure, to another figure IE: hair for V3 and being used on A3, then I go to Geometry Menu and "Change Parent".

I wouldn't have a clue how to use the Hierarchy to parent anything.

the hand sticks to the crank if IK is on and the crank is parented to the hand. re: the swing - try what was said in previous message. it would also help to post a screen shot of said swing and figure, and state what version of poser yer using.

If the swing is all one piece, just parent the figure's Hip to the swing.  If the
swing is built in separate pieces (chains and seat) parent the Hip to the seat.
After that, don't worry about trying to attach the hands; simply adjust the
figure so the hands happen to be on the chains at each frame.

This little animation was done that way.....

http://ockhamsbungalow.com/Movies/Swing.swf

ok,  so much information so fast. 

Been reading here and going back to the poser doc's. 

Arcadia, Found where to  'set figure parent' in the menu's and that helps as not having to go to the hierarchy wiindow. 

I don't have a graphic at the moment for you Ms. Nancy.   I had a bicycle model and started to animate it.  Ultimately was hoping I could sit a character on it and 'pin' the hands to the bars, the feet to the pedals, and butt to the seat.  Then when the bike is activated the body parts would react to the bike, while those five parts stayed fixed to the respective parts.

Ockhams swing thing was right on.  Most models i'm making are in multiple parts and some being set up as figures.  The thought of adjusting frame by frame is not as easy as I'd hoped for,  but if it were too easy, artists we would not be.

Dusted off the bike and did some quick work.  have much more to do.  At least now when I move the bike, her butt will be stuck to the seat, Imagine the feet and hands will follow.  

Another important tool in the box:  Often it's better to use Point-At than parenting.

With multi-limb attachments like bikes and swings, parenting can get 
tangled or even impossible.   Rotating pedals may roll up the feet 
into twisted messes.  

So consider setting the hand or foot to point-at the pedal.   If the pedal isn't
a body part on its own, parent a little dummy prop to the location where the
foot needs to rest, and set the foot to point-at this little dummy.

With adjustment, point-at can be almost as precise as parenting.