[garyswindell]

A feature I find VERY useful in the plug-in is the ability to assign mxm materials via ruby code. Looking at the maxwell export code shows it is simply a matter of setting a few attributes on a face to set the material. Now if you have automated system to create geometry, material assignment for maxwell is a piece of cake.

VERY NICE WORK.

Gary

[Sheik]

Do you mean the Auto mxm Conversion? You don’t need to set any information to geometry. You just make a SU material with the same name as an mxm material (in the Maxwell mxm folders), check the Use Auto mxm Conversion box in the export options. When you export the SU material will be automatically swapped to the mxm, no need to assign anything to faces.
I already started building an mxm library of the materials in the SU default libraries, and I will also make a SU library of materials in the default mxm materials database. This is really a huge step in streamlining the workflow .
Unfortunately it seems there is a bug in auto mxm, so it will not work for all users in this version .
Sheik

[messire]

indeed a huge step!
can you please let us know how you use the materials in SU and the mxm.
Do you make new SU materials with same names as the mxm ( eg: concrete1 in SU = concrete1.mxm?
Damn i have started doing lots of mxm / SU linking but it looks it can be even simplier, although i have to redo all the namings!

Question: is there a way to access SU materials and rename them simply? ( so they match mxm names?

Cool cool cool!
N.

[Sheik]

Do you make new SU materials with same names as the mxm ( eg: concrete1 in SU = concrete1.mxm?

Yes, that is how it is done. If you have the mxm filepath set to the Maxwell Materials Database, you can place the mxm in any of the subfolders. (If it doesnt work you have the Bug)...

Question: is there a way to access SU materials and rename them simply? ( so they match mxm names?)

You could try opening the *.skm library files using Wordpad and renaming them there.

Cool cool cool!
N.

Sheik

[garyswindell]

Unfortunately it seems there is a bug in auto mxm, so it will not work for all users in this version .
Sheik

I have not tried the auto mxm process so this is news to me. I have a material database that maps my sketchup materials to an mxm and as my geometry is being constructed it simply assigns the correct mxm to each face.

[messire]

can u explain again gary?

am not sure to be following you! A step by step for dummies seems mandatory
thnx
Nils

[deesee]

Hey guys. I'm doing my once a month check in to see how things are developing and this AUTO MXM feature in the new plugin is great.

This is how I understand one makes it work. Sheik am I doing this right?

Example:
1. Start a new sketchup file.
2. Draw a cube (or whatever you want).
3. Open Materials window.
4. Click "In Model" tab.
5. Click "Create" button.
6. Name your new material with the name of one of the mxm materials in the mxm libary. For example "c_carpaint01."
7. Click "Add" to add this new material to the Materials window.
8. Use paint bucket tool in sketchup to paint the cube you created with this new material.
9. Export. (Make sure you check the Auto Mxm box in the "Options" window).

That's what I did, but it didn't work for me. Perhaps I have the bug.

[ EDIT ] SketchRender is the way to go for me since it appears I have the bug.

[deesee]

I am so lost. I read that thread on PPB and am more confused than ever. Somewhere between the simplicity of the first beta and today, they lost me.