GDL DEFINE MATERIAL using Surfaces

[GDL Enthusiast]

Hi, 

Is there a way to extract the parameters of a Surface/Texture from Archicad into GDL? My hope is one can see the parameters, somehow, of a surface texture and copy that detail to GDL code. It would enable a few more material definitions.

An example of the standard Define Material using RGB:

DEFINE MATERIAL "anodiseframe" 4, 0.84, 0.83, 0.85

It is a slow, hit and miss method to create materials especially when using the full Define Material categories. My hope was to use the Archicad Surfaces tool to create the right material first time in GDL.

Many thanks, Matt

[Barry Kelly]

Why do you want to define a surface material that already exists?

Isn't that just doubling up and asking for trouble.

Barry.

[GDL Enthusiast]

Hi Barry, 

I sometimes send GDL objects to my colleagues on different systems. There is a common file of materials, however sometimes people tweek and duplicate materials  😏

By having a predefined list in GDL of the three or four materials needed by the GDL code, that makes the materials consistent and steady for future use by colleagues.

I have read about a hidden menu 60 that provides parameters but I can't seem to activate it in Windows. There may be a better way?

Many thanks, Matt

[Pertti Paasky]

I think it´s a good idea to define materials in GDL. When You use the same object in diferent projects for years, the object looks the same. Especially simple material definitions without textures and bitmaps are very feasible. 

[Peter Baksa · Accepted solution]

On Library Developer toolbar check Library Developer / Enable Saving a Surface as GSM. Then there will be a Save as GSM button in the Attributes / Surfaces dialog.

Pre-AC27 this command has to be added manually to a menu in the work environment.

[GDL Enthusiast]

Hi Peter,

Thank you that fit the bill perfectly! I have never seen so much code to define a material until I opened a material file, wow, that is something. Hugely appreciate your help in finding the menu. Many thanks Matt