How do I auto-load material libraries

[jsbenson001]

I've created and downloaded a bunch of materials and created common libraries (metal, liquid, wood, etc...), but I can't figure out how to get them to automatically load on new scenes.  Like a base set of material libraries.

I understand workspaces and paths.  I've set the materials default path to a constant location on my network, and I moved my libraries to that folder, but they still don't load.

Am I missing something here, or do I have to load my custom material libraries on every new scene I create?  I can go fishing in my registry or .ini files, but I thought I'd check here first to see if I've just overlooked something.  Is there a script out there that does this?

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help

[irishman_team_kilber]

configure user path i must have been talking about this situations for hours now.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/3DSMa...

[jsbenson001]

Went through the steps but didn't have any luck.  

All I want is for my wood.mat, glass.mat, metal.mat, etc... to load by default so that those libraries are always available.   3dsmax.ini doesn't seem to have anything pertaining to default library loading. 

[irishman_team_kilber]

Configure user path should work, because once you set a path to a folder and add that folder to the user path you created then max should automatically load up the files from that folder.

Maybe it's a bug here is another question https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-forum/bug-configure-user-paths/td-p/4058139

here is a script https://www.mladengradev.com/en/6-script-for-finding-and-organizing-missing-textures-in-3ds-max/

[jsbenson001]

No luck.  The scripts are for finding missing bitmaps and materials.  When I use the mRay renderer, the Autodesk Material Library is always listed (which is what I'm trying to do with my own libraries).  When I start a brand new project and reset the workspace, I want my own libraries to always appear in the materials editor, just like the Autodesk materials are always present for mRay projects.

After digging a little further I located the folder where the Autodesk materials are located.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\Materials\2016\assetlibrary_base.fbm\Mats

The folder contents for each library (Metal, in this case) looks like this:

The XML files contain the material library contents and settings for each material.  So, either I have to build my own XML files and figure out how the Autodesk Material Libraries are read into 3ds Max when the mental ray renderer is selected, or I have to manually import my libraries for new projects.  I would have thought auto-loading core user material libraries for new projects would have been a no-brainer.  

[Judith.Hageman]

Hi @jsbenson001,

Maybe I am looking way too simple at this, but....

I have my own material library, not as fancy organized as you describe, but for me it works. My library is always imported when I open a new project.

It could be the way I have organized my work flow that it imports. Every now and then I need to load it again, which is quiet simple because I know where I put it. This only happens when I use a difference in work flow.

This is my path configuration, just plain and simple to a shared folder (because of my render farm). As far as I know I have never done anything with *.ini files nor with *.xml files

You have probably seen this already, but just in case you haven't, here is a link:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/3DSMa...

Be aware that if you make a change in your library material, you have to drag your old material out, and your new changed material back in your library. Good practise is to save the library immediately after that. Most of the time Max asks if you want to save changes in you own directory when you close Max, but sometimes it doesn't.

Hope you get it solved, because it is nice to use your own library!

J.

[jsbenson001]

My paths look correct, though I do have to clean them up and organize my paths.  Once I do that I'll compare mine to your's and see if they compare.

I know this is supposed to be really easy.  I've worked on many other apps where I've set up workspaces with shared folders.  That's why this is confusing me.  

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it 🙂

[Anonymous]

there are 2 places you should be concerned with:

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

02) .\materiallibraries (in User Paths)

the 1st one is 'universal' while the 2nd one naturally is 'per project'

You should save your mat libs into one of these dirs and then they can be easily accessed. I think I'll have to do a video to show you because it would be infinitely easier to follow than reading words...

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

here's the procedures, note I used a MR car paint and standard material to create my dummy Lib....for you, of course you'd drag your mats that you've collected over the years into the Lib, then save.

[jsbenson001]

I got it to start working.  I'm not sure why, but after I cleaned up and organized my paths everything worked fine.

Thanks for everyone's help