Defining default sample slots?

[-niels-]

Just wondering if this is possible:

I'm making a template to use with the new Arnold renderer and i've changed all the sample slots to use the example materials that i got from the SolidAngle website.

If i open this file all the slots remain filled with those Arnold materials, but when i use that file as a template they revert back to their original ones, which Arnold doesn't like.

(yes i know i can switch legacy support on, but i don't want to use the basic materials)

Is there a way to define the sample materials that 3DS Max uses in a template?

[faline.custodio.da.silva]

@-niels-

Can you share the link to the samples you're referring to? I'll try to reproduce.

Cheers

[-niels-]

Sure: https://support.solidangle.com/display/A5AF3DSUG/Material+Library

Don't think the samples matter that much though.

If you'd just stick the default Arnold surface shader in all the sample slots and save, then use that as a template I think you'd get the same result.

It reverts back to the default "physical" materials for when using the created file with Arnold samples ad a template.

[vusta]

wouldn't bother...coz it's a case of the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing..

- bring up Template Manager, you'll see there's various save options......but NONE for Materials

- go into C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2018\en-US\StartupTemplates you'll see the templates....then go into a template directory...hey what's this...there's max scene file....so you open these directly...and as you've already noted...the Materials slots are as 'designed', great !!!....but if you load up a new scene from any of these template....the Material slots are all Standard.......because the Template module ignored the Mat slots (no saving options).

So yes Max scene is there, Mats correctly setup....but the Template Loader ignores it...LH doesn't know what RH is doing...

IMO, why take up all the slots with your Mats...simply plonk your Mat library into:

C:\Users\xxx\Documents\3dsMax\materiallibraries

Then in your Mat Editor, open Mat library...pick your Lib...do it once...next time you open up Max, the Lib is there...

[-niels-]

Thanks for looking into this @vusta

From what you're describing it's a shortcoming / bug in the template manager, right?

So it wouldn't even work when using non-Arnold materials, but for every customization of the sample slots...

@faline.custodio.da.silva, can you confirm this?

I do have my material library set up and can pick the materials from there.

The reason i tried to change all the sample slots is because whenever i bring up the compact material editor when using Arnold it will report on a few incompatible standard materials.

There are workarounds for that, a setting somewhere, but i just wanted to have the sample slots filled with Arnold materials in a special Arnold template so i wouldn't have to deal with that.

[faline.custodio.da.silva]

@-niels-

I would say that this is a limitation issue with 3ds Max, not Arnold. I am experiencing the same thing on my end.

[-niels-]

@faline.custodio.da.silva Thanks for confirming, didn't really expect it to be Arnold related.

Don't think there are any workarounds for it either.

@Alfred.DeFlaminis any suggestions on course of action?

Is this a bug or something for the ideastation?

(I'm going with Bug...)

It's a minor problem in the scope of things, but annoying.

Wouldn't mind seeing it fixed.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @-niels-,

Which version of 3ds Max are you using here?  I'm happy to look into it.  Thanks!

Best Regards,

[-niels-]

3DS Max 2018, hoped that was clear from context.
'New Arnold renderer' and all.

Somehow I expect this to be present in earlier versions to, just never needed / wanted to change the sample slots before.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Hello @-niels-,

To be fair the new Arnold renderer came out for 2017 a bit before 2018 launched so I thought it was worth asking as both have template managers. No worries.  Couple things.  

1) Could we just uncheck "Open on Error"?   Problem solved?  You can always get it back on the Rendering menu.  The dev team is aware of the errors being annoying and it's on their radar.  

2) It's not a defect but it is annoying.  It wasn't meant to read the material editor slots but if it's something you want you could do a feature request.  There is some history of the Custom UI for Design loading presets for ART, so there is a precedent there.   Generally the idea behind the material editor is that it's a palette and the libraries are used for summoning materials as noted by Vusta.  

3) There is an issue in here with something else which I found when I was looking for a workaround for you.  Specifically, the templates aren't loading workspace startup scripts properly which is annoying because it would have solved this issue right out.  I have logged this.  

4) So that leaves us two main options as workarounds.  I'm afraid that neither of them solves the error message coming up, but they do solve the problem of getting materials into the mat editor that are the Arnold presets.  

The first option is that you could just use the attached script and run it when you want to fill you material editor with those materials.  Drag it into the Max viewport and drop or bind it to a button and you're all set.  It's by no means an elegant script as I'm no programmer but it does work.  Don't forget to update the path in the script before you do it.  

Or,  you could make a new workspace that fires off a script on activation.  To do this, create a new workspace and tell it to run the attached script on open.  (Update your path in the script.)  It does mean that you have to switch workspaces to something else  and switch back to autoload the materials into the mat editor slots because the script loads the mats when the workspace is activated.  At home I have this set for every major renderer as a different workspace with my favorite mats loading in when I switch between them.  (Created to test this script, kinda neat though.)  

It's a workaround, but does it help with your issue?  Keep in mind this is not an official Autodesk script and other support specialists can't really run support on it, but I tried to make something that solves your issue.  Could this work for you?  

Best Regards,

[-niels-]

Hey Alfred:

1) You could, but i feel that error's should be reported. The material errors might not be critical but they don't work with Arnold so it's something that should be addressed.

2) Ok, no bug... more of a shortcoming because Arnold can't process some of the default materials. going to skip to...

3) so there is at least some part not working like it should... bringing us to...

4) Awesome! Now this might work.

As long as i can put 3DS Max in an "Arnold mode" i can live with that.

I tried the script and dropping it into the viewport does what it's supposed to.

As for the workspace method, this would actually be perfect but it's throwing an error "MAXScript error - unable to show details"

I copied the "default" workspace and in my Arnold template set it to use my Arnold scene and use this copied workspace which i set to run your script "on load".

But i think this is the defect you mentioned at 3)

So, for now, i'll see how i can get your script tied to a button and use it that way but hope that the script loading will be fixed.

Many thanks for investing your time in this!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @-niels-,

Hmm, I didn't get that error on workspaces.  For me there was no error, it just didn't load the script when I set a template to load a workspace.  Loading the workspace directly worked like a charm on my end.  Is it possible the path isn't correct?  (Guessing.) 

Would it be possible to record a screencast or something of this?   My workspace looks like this:

Best Regards,

[-niels-]

@Alfred.DeFlaminis I had to stop testing yesterday, so i thought I'd try again today.

The error message has mysteriously disappeared and now I'm seeing the exact behavior you describe.

So, it's not loading the script upon starting from the template but changing workspaces does fire the script.

I'll work with this, just hope the script loading will be fixed sometime.

Again, thank you for all the effort!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @-niels-,

There's a big difference between real programmers and myself, so probably the issue was that Arnold wasn't the current renderer.  Thanks for the update!

Best Regards,