Possibility of assinging two Shaders/ Materials ( Add Label Shaders )

[mrbeltrao]

On the design process is very important to have the correct Shaders/ Materials applied on the surfaces and Alias does a great job on that, the Shader Library, the Apply Shader function etc.. all works very well.

The problem sometimes is when we need to label some parts or surfaces. Some big OEMs has rules to define what are NEW surfaces, only TRIMMED surfaces, ENG surfaces, COP (carry-over parts), COP in new position, etc... These are usually very simple shaders, just for reference.

So we end-up in a problem where we have to either put the "design material" like Black Plastic, Silver Paint etc.. OR the "label material".

No, the diagnostic shader doesn't work for it. The multicolor function can be completely reset wit a mistaken click.

So my suggestion is to have two kinds of shader like MATERIAL SHADER and LABEL SHADER.

[mrbeltrao]

I forgot to mention that once you want to save or export your file maybe you could be asked about which shader you would like to be saved.

For instance, some universal file formats like STP or even a CATPart file, can only save one color / one shader. So have the option to choose could be helpful.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree this would be good for most studios. We end up saying two sets of data for different downstream uses.

[rene.mallickH4AVT]

Hey mrbaltrao,

did someone solve your issue? The post is already a few months old...
Maybe you can try the switch-shader function. Therefore you need more or less a shader-library.
Once this library is set it can help you a lot.

The switch shaders work like this:
There is one switch-shader which includes multible shaders (like you said..material shadings, modeling shadings etc.)
Just define a switch shader lets say as grey and as many other usuall shaders as you want to (one black shader > the material shading should be black plastic and a red one > as a technical info the shader appears in red.... and so on) With activating the different shaders in the switch shader window you can switch between the appearences without assigning the shaders again and again.

Creating a switchshader:
In this menu : "Render > multi lister > shaders" you can create by using "edit > new switch shader" a new switch shader.
With douple click on the "switch shader ball" a window opens. In the switch shader window you can add the actuall picked "usuall" shader out of the shading window into the switch shader. Afterwards you can assign this shader onto your product.

And here comes the "hack":

In the switch shader window you can activate the shader you want and bookmark each appearance in the variant lister as you like.
So lets say you want to have it in material view > activate the material shading in the switch shader window > capture this in the variant lister.
So lets say you want to have it in technical view > activate the technical shading in the switch shader window > capture this in the variant lister.
When you´ve created a bunch of switch shaders its important to pay attention to switching the shaders in all of those switch shaders to material or technical or what you want-view and then create only one capture (right click > recapture) for this in the variant lister. Otherwise you will have glut of captured views and you will loose overview.

Once you´ve captured all different variants > you will have a starting file in which you can copy your clean data without shaders and apply only the switch shaders onto it. You should keep this file clean as a library starting file and save it without data at a secret place...without telling people where to find...it is worth gold 🙂
Now you can switch between the different appearances of the product.
With picking surfaces and save active as (lets say catpart) > this will only save the surfaces in the appearence/shading you have of your current view.

Maybe this will help you solving this issue? Hope you understood this somehow.

B.R.