Creating new material

[arthur]

One of the objects I imported has a lovely metal texture. How can I import this texture in HD, as a new one and use it later on other objects?
I know how to create new materials from outside the programme, but how about this?

[Kbird]

Can you "make Materials" in Architectural? see the help menu I can in Pro 10....


if not the texture will be in the textures folder in My Documents/Homedesigner Arch Data/textures folder from when you imported it.

one way to find out the exact texture :
- open a camera view , "look" at your object with the texture,
-then click on the materials definition tool ( rainbow tool) assumes Arch '14 has it?
- click on the surface texture you want and a DBX will open
- and on the 3rd tab call texture, in the Texture file box it will tell you the file name being used,
- you can browse to where it is , select it and save it somewhere else by right click (on file)> choose send to>Documents
and you will find it in My Documents Folder where you can then put it anywhere you want , rename it etc
- Eg back in the HD Data folder inside another folder you make called My Materials so you'll know where to find it when you want to apply it to an object.
- the downside is you have to remember it's there it wont be in the library as usual.

[arthur]

Call me an idiot, a bad student or anyhting, because I never really studied the manual, but it never occurred to me that all the textures from imported objects are stored somewhere. Now I know how to import that metal texture.
You asked if I can "make Materials" in Architectural. Yes, I've made tons of new materials, such as real parquet floors and cement tiles and I hope these (along with the never ending imported objects) are not the reason my computer lags.
Thanks for the Enlightenment!

[David J. Potter]

Arthur, you are not unusual in the study regard. It seems like most of us start out by guessing and only when our guesses fail do we then refer to the Reference Manual. I think I had been using Chief Premier for over a year before I really started methodically studying the Reference Manual and defining all words and terms I came across that I was not sure of.

The most workable way to learn anything thoroughly is to study a paragraph or two (or watch a single video tutorial) and then open the software and practice what you studied until you too can confidently get the expected results yourself, usually in a simple test practice plan. You balance the theory (reading or watching) with applied, practical practice as they, together will increase your competence (ability to think with and create).

DJP

[JoAnn]

http://www.3d-diva.com/
has a very good tutorial about how to alter materials.

[arthur]

I completely agree with you. But even now, after a couple of years using the software, sometimes when I need a little help I feel that the instructions in the manual or the Help menu are too generic and won't cover me now that I'm an expert_yeah right.
But I must confess that when I first installed the programme the first thing I did was to check the cupboards and their specifiacetion windows and the libraries. And that night in bed I read some of the manual chapters.
And what I always teach my students is that practice and theory must be combined.