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Visualization > Materials

Materials


You use materials to define objects' color, shininess, glow, and transparency.

A material can contain a texture, such as a scanned image or artwork.

You can add materials to objects or add them to the World, and then link them to objects later on. When you modify a linked material, all the objects that use it are updated.

To add a material to objects or groups:
  1. Select the object or group.
  2. Choose Visualization > Add Material.
  3. Select a color, then click OK. See Changing material color .
  4. In the Parameter Editor, click Material, then adjust its Shininess, Glow, and Transparency. See Material parameters .
To add a material to the World:
  1. Make sure nothing is selected. (Choose Edit > Unselect All, or hold S and click an empty part of the World.)
  2. Choose Visualization > Add Material.
  3. Select a color, then click OK.
  4. The material appears in the World Explorer under Resources / Materials.

To link a material to objects:
  1. In the World Explorer, Ctrl-select the objects and the material.
  2. Choose Visualization > Link Material or press Ctrl+L.
  3. In the viewports, the objects are updated. In the World Explorer, the material appears under the object. When you select a linked material in the World Explorer, every instance of the material is highlighted. When you edit the material, all the objects that use it are updated.

To remove a material from an object and the World:

In the World Explorer, select the material and press Delete.

Objects linked to that material revert to the default material.

To remove a material from an object but keep it in the World:

Ctrl-select the object and the material, then choose Visualization > Unlink Material or
press Ctrl+U.

The object reverts to the default material.

Note: If you want to change the color of an object that uses a linked material without changing all the other instances of the material, unlink the material then change its color. To unlink a material, multi-select the object and the material, and choose Visualization > Unlink Material or press Ctrl+U.

To rename a material:
  1. In the World Explorer, expand Resources / Materials, or expand the object to which the material is applied.
  2. Select the material, click it again or press F2, and then enter a new name.
To select a material

Do one of the following:


See also:

Material parameters

Animating parameters

Textures

Set Material reaction

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