9
1412 Chapter 16: Material Editor, Materials, and Maps
For choosing materials, see Material/Map Browser
(page 2–1412). For applying materials using drag
and drop techniques, see Dragging and Dropping
Maps and Materials (page 2–1423).
For an overview of how to use the Material Editor,
see Designing Materials (page 2–1395).
For the user interface elements in Material Editor
and the di fferent materia ls and map ty pes, see the
following topics:
Material Editor Menu Bar (page 2–1428)
Sample Slots (page 2–1420)
Material Editor Tools (page 2–1427)
Types of Mater ials (page 2–1457)
Types of Maps (page 2–1617)
For information about how to animate materials,
see Animating Materials (page 2–1449).
Material/Map Browser
Main toolbar > Material Editor > Get Material >
Material/Map B rowser
Rendering menu > Material/Map Browser
Material Editor > Click Material Type button or Map Type
button. > Material/Map Browser
Procedure (page 2–1413) Interface (page 2–1414)
The Material/Map Browser lets you choose a
material (page 3–971), map (page 3–968),or
mental ray shader (page 2–1710).
When you click Get Material (page 2–1439),
the Browser that is displayed is modeless (you
can leave it displayed while you do other work).
However, when you display the Browser by clicking
the Type (page 2–1449) button, a map assig n ment
button in the Environment dialog (page 3–272),or
from a projector light (see Advanced Effects Rollout
(page 2–1341)), it appears as a modal dialog with
OK and Cancel buttons.
You can leave the modeless Browser displayed,
and drag materials from its listings to material or
map sample slots and buttons in the user interface.
When the Browser displays a Material Library, you
canalsoaddmaterialstothelibrarybydragging
them f rom the Material Editor sample slots (page
2–1420).
When you double-click a material, map, or shader
in the Browser, it places that material, map, or
shader in t he Material Editor’s active sample slot.
It automatically chooses between an instance or
a copy, as follows:
• Browsing New Materials: Creates a new
material.
•BrowsingaLibrary:Makesacopy.
• BrowsingtheMaterialEditor,Scene,or
Selected: Depends on the status of the map or
material.
When you browse the Material Editor, the Scene,
orSelectedobjects,thechoicebetweenmakinga
copy or an instance depends on the status of the
material, as follows:
• If the material or map is already in the act ive
slot, the Browser does nothing.
• If t he material or map is in s ome other sample
slot,theBrowserputsacopyintheactiveslot.
• In all other cases, the Browser makes an
instance of the material or map.
Browsing mental ray Materials and Maps
When you use the mental ray renderer (page 3–78),
you might want to use the materials and shaders
that provide effects for this renderer only. (T he
default scanline renderer renders these materials
and shaders only as black or white, or it simply
ignores their effects.) The Material/Map Browser
lists mental ray maps and ma terials only if you