multi-sub object material by layer?

[Dave Buckley]

is it possible to assign a multi-sub object material to an entire scene based on layer (layer colour)

 

i have been sent a dwg from acad architecture 2010, the scene is separated into layers (badly), blocks inside of blocks inside of blocks on a layer which is inside a locked layer etc etc etc

 

anyway i've sorted that part, now the way the client has organized it is that everything that is wood is on a layer. everything that is tiled is on another layer, everything metal another layer etc etc. they use this layering system with every drawing.

 

so they want to be able to create a multi-sub object material in max, select the entire import and hit apply so that the mats are applied by layer rather than mat ID

 

is this possible??

 

at the minute it's really awkward to do by ID because the layers in ACAD are being assinged really random ID's such as 193, or 62, or 241? so i'm having to manually go and find out each elements id etc

[SandmanNinja]

Well, I'd:

* write down a list of material name and material ID number

* refer to it often

* bring up the layer manager (so you can see everything)

* refer to said list

* then start picking objects and assigning material IDs to them

 

But that's kinda weird - having the object's MATERIALS sorted by layers...

So, I have a couch with leather, wood and metal - it's sitting on 3 layers?

[Dave Buckley]

tell me about it, not to mention mapping problems, the problem is i can't assign ID's in max, i need to use the ID's the layers come through with, so that next time i import a drawing with the same layer setup, the multi-sub object material still applies.

 

otherwise i'd be assigning the mat id's every time i import and they want it as automated as possible.

 

i think the way i'm going to have to do it, is select an object, check it's ID, create a corresponding ID in the m-s object mat, then save that m-s object material. its just a nightmare. they need acad arch training but hey thats not my job

[BrianKitts]

why wouldn't you just use the 3dsmax file link to attach the DWG. It will hold all applied materials by layer. You wouldn't have a multisub object to mess with all you would have to do is apply your materials once, and then when you need to update it just swap out the DWG and the materials are automatically applied to the new file.

 

The only thing you have to do is make sure the do not change the layer's name.

[Dave Buckley]

didn't realise it would work like that. wasn't aware i could just swap out the dwg. they already have a series of dwgs created sop providing the layers are named consistently across dwg's then it should work. cool. however, i'm need to check that layer names are consistent but not layer colours