Microsoft KB Archive/163990

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

HOWTO: Associate 2D and 3D Textures
Last reviewed: February 21, 1997

Article ID: Q163990

The information in this article applies to:


 * Softimage 3D for IRIX, version 3.51
 * Softimage 3D for Windows NT, version 3.51

SUMMARY
If you are creating a scene where many of the objects require identical materials or texture maps, the Mat_Oper -> Associate command makes it possible for objects to share a single file that contains all the material information.

One of the many advantages to using this feature is that it allows you to edit a material used throughout your scene quickly. Additionally, by reducing the number of texture maps in a scene, you significantly reduce the render time and the time it takes to save and load a scene.

Sharing Materials or 3D Textures
To share 3D textures, you can use either the Mat_Oper -> Associate command or the Txt_Oper -> Associate command:


 * 1) In the Schematic window, select Matter mode.
 * 2) Select the object you wish to associate.
 * 3) Choose the Mat_Oper -> Associate command or the Txt_Oper -> Associate command.
 * 4) In the Schematic window, select the material or 3D texture file you want to associate the object to.

The material or 3D texture file is now linked to the selected object.

Sharing 2D Textures
To share 2D textures, you need to apply the texture to the first object using the Texture -> 2D Local command. The texture map is then associated with the material instead of the object, which is the case when you apply global textures.


 * 1) In the Schematic window, select Matter mode.
 * 2) Select the object you wish to associate a texture to (you can do this to multiple objects by activating multi mode).
 * 3) Choose Mat_Oper -> Associate.
 * 4) Select the material of the object with the texture.

Now the material and the texture file are shared with all the objects to which you associated the original object.