how to get rid of library part materials?

[rm]

Ok,

my gut feeling is there is no solution to this problem, but I hope I am wrong. Lately I have collected numerous free library parts from the internet by developers all over the world who give them away, ( thank you all ).

Many of these objects are scripted in languages I can not read......so I have to play with the parameters to figure out what each one is. Given that they are free, I'm willing to accept that challenge.

But many of these objects load new materials into the material list, which messes with my standard template.

So the issues to me are as follows:

1. Once an object is loaded, and it brings in its materials, can they be permanently removed. I know I can remove them from my materials list. But it seems like they reload every-time the project is loaded.....am I missing the technique to permanently remove them?

2. If I cannot permanently remove them, or turn them off, does anyone believe the GS should give us that ability so our material list can stay standardized as the user sets them up?

Regards.

[TomWaltz]

rm wrote:
Ok,

my gut feeling is there is no solution to this problem, but I hope I am wrong. Lately I have collected numerous free library parts from the internet by developers all over the world who give them away, ( thank you all ).

Many of these objects are scripted in languages I can not read......so I have to play with the parameters to figure out what each one is. Given that they are free, I'm willing to accept that challenge.

But many of these objects load new materials into the material list, which messes with my standard template.

So the issues to me are as follows:

1. Once an object is loaded, and it brings in its materials, can they be permanently removed. I know I can remove them from my materials list. But it seems like they reload every-time the project is loaded.....am I missing the technique to permanently remove them?

2. If I cannot permanently remove them, or turn them off, does anyone believe the GS should give us that ability so our material list can stay standardized as the user sets them up?

Regards.

Any time the object library is loaded, the material will be recreated. It's a necessity, since if you want to use the objects, you have to have all the attributes (materials, fills, linetypes) that go with them.

If the object came in a PLA file, you can probably extract the PLA and remove the texture map... maybe.

[rm]

Thanks Tom,

thats what I was afraid of. I wonder if there is some creative way to avoid this problem. My material list is getting filled with materials that need only be assigned once in a project. Where as the majority of my materials are used universally through many projects, eg,

Wall interior 1
Wall interior 2
Wall interior 3

Concrete 1
Concrete 2
Concrete 3

.......etc, etc.

It takes so long to find a material when you have to scroll through hundreds of materials that you don't need on every project.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi Robert,

Yes, as Tom says, the materials will be added to your list each time. Unpacking the PLA will not alter that, as the materials are being created by a MATERIAL command in the GDL of the objects themselves - their way of assuring that the materials that they want (need?) exist.

This just points to a long time wish for hierachical organization of materials and other attributes (layers, fills, composites, etc.) We're all still waiting.

A workaround for your standard materials today is to rename each of them with a space in front of the name. This will make them sort to the top of the material list.

Also, if you position your settings dialog tight to the left side of your screen, when you click on a materials button, the scrollable list of materials will be several columns wide to the right - and all of your standard (sorted to the top) materials will very likely be visible without further scrolling.

Workarounds R us.

Cheers,
Karl

[rm]

Karl wrote:
Hi Robert,

A workaround for your standard materials today is to rename each of them with a space in front of the name. This will make them sort to the top of the material list.

Also, if you position your settings dialog tight to the left side of your screen, when you click on a materials button, the scrollable list of materials will be several columns wide to the right - and all of your standard (sorted to the top) materials will very likely be visible without further scrolling.

Workarounds R us.

Cheers,
Karl

Hi "Workarounds R us"

Thanks for the idea to put a space infront of my materials......pain in the neck, but good idea none the less. I guess thats the way I will have to go.

I did know the trick of moving the dialog box to the far left to get the screen to unvail several columns of materials.

One other convenience would be to assign our own numbers to materials than select materials by number too. I think thats what you were talking about, if so I support that idea.

Thanks Karl!

[Anonymous]

I had exactly the same problem. At the time that my material list reached over 500 and take ages only to open!! I decided to do something about it. First I made my own template with custom made material library which I use for every project. Than I segregate all my objects in separate folders and put them in one "external objects" folder. Now when I start project I collect only those I really need and if necessary add some in a time. I know that doesn't solve the problem but at least you have some control on your material library.
If you are patient enough than you can always export object to 3ds format and than convert them back to .gsm . In most cases you should lose attached textures, but is not very practical.

[gerd]

hi,

If I remember right, the additional materials coming with a separate gdl file defining those materials (it could also define new fills, new linetypes, but normally only materials are created.)

one example:
filemname: Master_gdl_Materials_hoer.GDL

DEFINE MATERIAL	"HM_WEISS" 10,
	         1,          1,          1,
	 0.73,  0.55,   0.7,     0,     20,     0,
	         1,        0.8,        0.8,
	         0,          0,          0,
	         0,    -3

DEFINE TEXTURE "Texture2" "holz1_hoer.jpg",          3,        0.5,    0,         0

DEFINE MATERIAL	"HM_HOLZ" 20,
	  0.963821,   0.753536,   0.452461,
	 0.84,   0.6,  0.75,     0,     15,     0,
	  0.995071,   0.797009,   0.504494,
	         0,          0,          0,
	         0,    -2,    -1,
	IND(TEXTURE, "Texture2")

I think, the file must begin with "Master_gdl_"
So it seems to be easiest to delete this gdl file.
But this may cause problems, if the material is used inside the object without possibility to change it with the user interface / parameter list.

If you use those objects and you get error messages, you need to change the skript of the object.

best regards, gerd

[Frank Beister]

Sorry Gerd, but fills and lines will be created too.

[gerd]

hi frank,

yes, you are right: If you use the command in the special menu to create a master gdl file, the materials linetypes and fills are created.

of course a programmer of library parts is free to delete all things, which are not necessary in the objects.
the author from the hoermann library file (the example above) did so, but maybe in other libraries this is not the case...

but there is no need to put a master gdl in the library; you can also define materials in the masterskript or in the 3dskript

best regards, gerd

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:

This just points to a long time wish for hierachical organization of materials and other attributes (layers, fills, composites, etc.) We're all still waiting.

This is unfortunatellyan important missing set of features.