{"id":966,"date":"2011-09-07T17:23:41","date_gmt":"2011-09-07T17:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/?p=966"},"modified":"2013-04-15T09:23:05","modified_gmt":"2013-04-15T09:23:05","slug":"how-to-save-materials-3ds-max","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/2011\/09\/07\/how-to-save-materials-3ds-max.htm","title":{"rendered":"How to save materials in 3ds Max"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Still problems of love with <strong>Saving Materials<\/strong> and\u00c2\u00a0<strong>Material Editor<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>Yeah, managing materials in 3ds Max could be more simple.\u00c2\u00a0Fortunately, the 2011 version is a little bit easier to use. In this post I use the 2012 version to illustrate the logic: \u00c2\u00a0it&#8217;s easier to understand, and in the end I&#8217;ll wirte down some advice for 3ds max 2009 and similars.<\/p>\n<p>One more clarification before you start. In this post I use the<strong> Material Editor Compact<\/strong> to give an universal explanation. Who has the latest versions will find the <strong>Slate Material Editor<\/strong>. To activate Compact version, open it and select: <em>modes &gt; compact material editor<\/em>. Let&#8217;s get started \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"premium\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">*<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>In this video I&#8217;ll show you how to save materials in 3ds Max.<\/strong><br \/>\n(Watch the video and you don&#8217;t need to read the full post)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/images\/more-contents-premium.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p>[private Premium|Premium1|Premium-1year]<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/34467108?color=ff9933\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"599\" height=\"337\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>[\/private]<\/p>\n<p>.<\/p>\n<p>.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Textual Version<\/h2>\n<p>The 2 options to handle in\u00c2\u00a0the Material Editor are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Get Material<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Put to Library<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-967\" title=\"library1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library1.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library1-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There are several\u00c2\u00a0ways I could\u00c2\u00a0follow to\u00c2\u00a0achieve the same\u00c2\u00a0result. Here the 3\u00c2\u00a0steps I suggest:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1<\/strong> -\u00c2\u00a0In\u00c2\u00a0the Material Editor\u00c2\u00a0(top),\u00c2\u00a0click <strong>GET\u00c2\u00a0MATERIAL<\/strong> \u00c2\u00a0to open the\u00c2\u00a0<strong>Material\/Map\u00c2\u00a0Browser<\/strong>. Click on the black triangle and\u00c2\u00a0select\u00c2\u00a0<strong>New\u00c2\u00a0Material Library<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0to create\u00c2\u00a0a new library:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-968\" title=\"library2a\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library2a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library2a.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library2a-300x133.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I called my file &#8220;<strong>mymaterials&#8221;<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0and initially it appears\u00c2\u00a0empty:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-969\" title=\"library2c\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library2c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library2c.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library2c-300x133.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0-\u00c2\u00a0Drag\u00c2\u00a0the materials\u00c2\u00a0you created, from <strong>SAMPLE SLOTS<\/strong> to <strong>mymaterials.mat<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0You&#8217;ll see\u00c2\u00a0an asterisk\u00c2\u00a0appearing\u00c2\u00a0before &#8220;mymaterials&#8221;: It means the library\u00c2\u00a0has been updated\u00c2\u00a0but has not been\u00c2\u00a0saved yet.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-970\" title=\"dragdrop\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/dragdrop.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/dragdrop.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/dragdrop-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3<\/strong> -\u00c2\u00a0Finally,\u00c2\u00a0save it\u00c2\u00a0by clicking the\u00c2\u00a0right mouse button\u00c2\u00a0on the\u00c2\u00a0<strong>LIB\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>indication\u00c2\u00a0(to the right\u00c2\u00a0of the\u00c2\u00a0rollout)&gt;\u00c2\u00a0<strong>C:\u00c2\u00a0\/\u00c2\u00a0Documents and\u00c2\u00a0Set..\u00c2\u00a0&gt;SAVE\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-971\" title=\"library4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library4.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/library4-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Done! Wow&#8230; the library\u00c2\u00a0is saved \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>When you will open again 3ds\u00c2\u00a0Max,\u00c2\u00a0just click\u00c2\u00a0on <strong>GET\u00c2\u00a0MATERIAL<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0and you&#8217;ll see the first rollout: <strong>mymaterials.mat<\/strong>. Double click\u00c2\u00a0or a\u00c2\u00a0drag-and-drop to get the\u00c2\u00a0materials\u00c2\u00a0in the Material\u00c2\u00a0Editor.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Ok.. nice&#8230; uhmmm&#8230; \u00c2\u00a0and what about &#8220;<strong>Put to Library&#8221;<\/strong>?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Whenever\u00c2\u00a0you have\u00c2\u00a0a new material\u00c2\u00a0and want to\u00c2\u00a0save it,\u00c2\u00a0just click\u00c2\u00a0<strong>Put To\u00c2\u00a0Libray<\/strong> to put it in your library&#8230; of course \u00c2\u00a0^_\u00c2\u00a0^<\/p>\n<p>If before you already saved your library,\u00c2\u00a0you will have to choose between:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>mymaterials.mat<\/li>\n<li>Temporary\u00c2\u00a0Library<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There is also\u00c2\u00a0a &#8220;temporary&#8221; space for\u00c2\u00a0materials.\u00c2\u00a0Choosing\u00c2\u00a0the &#8220;Temporary\u00c2\u00a0Library&#8221; you will save it just for the current session: close\u00c2\u00a03ds\u00c2\u00a0max and them will disappear.<\/p>\n<p>If\u00c2\u00a0you\u00c2\u00a0choose &#8220;<strong>mymaterials.mat<\/strong>&#8221; you will save them forever!\u00c2\u00a0\ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>* * * Notes about 3ds Max 2009 and around * * *<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the previous versions (I tested 2009) the concept is very similar:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click Get Material<\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8220;Browse from&#8221; is setted to &#8220;New&#8221;: you select &#8220;Mtl Library&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Save As: mymaterials (for example)<\/li>\n<li>Use &#8220;Put to Library&#8221; to save your materials<\/li>\n<li>Save the library before closing 3ds Max<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>When you open again 3ds max, you have to reselect the library:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click Get Material<\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8220;Browse from&#8221; is setted to &#8220;New&#8221;: you select &#8220;Mtl Library&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Open&gt; mymaterials.mat (for example)<\/li>\n<li>Double-click on the list to get the materials in the Material Editor<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The difference is mainly in <strong>point 2: &#8220;Browse from&#8221;<\/strong>. It &#8216;a small thing but it is enough to cause confusion in the beginners.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PS<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0I admit is not so friendly.. However follow these simple guidelines, \u00c2\u00a0just play around and everything will be clear.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/2011\/09\/07\/how-to-save-materials-3ds-max.htm#premium\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" title=\"premium-contents-here\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/images\/more-contents-here.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"131\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Management and in particular the saving of material in a library with 3ds Max is not so spontaneous. There are just few steps, not so complicated.. but check it and solve any doubt in 3 easy steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[39,58],"tags":[37],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/966"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/966\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cg-blog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}