Material application?
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Is there a way to control the direction in which a material is applied to a face? For example, when using a wood grain material, is there a way to control the direction the material goes on so that the grain runs in the appropriate direction, ie. grain running vertically on sides of a bookcase and horizontally on the shelves? I suppose I could build the component, the explode it and rotate the faces all in the same direction, apply the material and then put the pieces back together but I was wondering if there might not be an easier way.
Thanks for any help.
P: jmac
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As a follow on to the previous question, can the rotated material then be saved as a seperate material which can be used in other models. In other words, one material with the grain running in the red / green direction & one in the blue direction.
Also, I have recently brought a stone texture into a model, which when applied was far to small in scale. I scaled it to suite but again is it possible to then save this amended material for use in other models so that I don't have to re-scale it every time I use it.
Dave
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Hi James
When I have re-scaled the material in the model I can then use the eye dropper with the bucket tool & then paint other surfaces in the revised scale. However the material in the materials in model window doesnt alter & if I deselect & then select again I get the small scale version again. There is no 'save as' when I right click the material in the 'materials in model' window but if I select the altered material & do a 'list' new texture it saves in the 'my textures' folder. However when I then try to put this material on a new model it comes in at the small scale again.
I am on a Mac but I would have thought that the basics would be the same.Thanks for your help anyway
Dave
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Thanks for the help Modelhead and James. I am also on a Mac so I'll have to investigate your comments about saving the altered material further.
P: jmac
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You can scale a material two ways in SU (at least in Windows).
One way is that when you have already applied the material to a face and edit there - you cannot save this as a new material (the same with the rotation).
The other is when you go to the material browser, choose a material, hit the edit tab and change its dimensions there. Now it will be in your browser in the "In model" window, you can rename it there and then save it to any material folder.
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Cool James - I'll shut up...
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Hi James / Gaieus
I think I have it sorted.
I made a copy of the material & then edited the size of it from 1000mm sq to 250mm sq - this then puts it in the model at 4 times the size of the original which is pretty much what I wanted.Thanks for your efforts.
Dave -
Dave,
Happy you've succeeded - yet I keep "shut up"
Well, the orientation is still another problem
AND the saving of the new material fo further use is another
so what about these things?
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I have attempted to change the direction of a "wood" material I applied to orient the grain as it should be. When I right click on the face I do not get any option to select like "texture/position". I am on a Mac. Surely there must be a way to do this on a Mac. Anyone?
I figured out my mistake. You have to explode the component first. Then when you right click on a selected face an option for changing the orientation of the texture is available.
P: jmac
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Yes, that's it.
You can apply a material to an entity that has more faces (like a sphere or either a group or component) but that way youcannot control the texture position.
Yet don't explode the component just edit it and you will have the same result.With an entity with more (smoothed) faces, you need to turn on hidden geometry firs (View menu).
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Well, I learned my something new for the day. Guess I can take the rest of the day off.
I had been saving woodgrain materials in both orientations when I imported them so that I could have the grain running right. Now I've found out I can just spin em around after they've been painted on.
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