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When I add an extra layer for the purpose of adding a bump on a specific layer I can set the reflectivity and transparancy colors all to black. I add an image map for the bump. What will happen, I assume nothing since the layer has only black to work with. Even though the bump image map is nicely making bumps in shades of gray.

I ask this since I see people make materials adding layers for specific purposes were previously these material characteristics were just part of a bsdf.
To make sure to add just a layer with only a bump effect the colors for reflectivity and transparancy are blacked out. The colors or images for the 0 and 90 reflecitivities are then set in the next layer.

I wonder if this is a good way to do is, or am I mistaken or is all this actually not how it works. I am a bit confused
Thanks Francois

If you turn on Force Fresnel (even with black) and have any Nd value higher than 1.0 you will get a bump that you can apply in a layer stack -- most likely in the form of a clear-coat type effect using additive blend mode.

Normal blend mode works exactly like Photoshop in sense that it obscures the layer(s) beneath... which is probably not the effect you are going for.

I use Global bump alot -- it's one of my favorite additions to the material editor because it allows you to have more than one bump map affecting the material(s) at the same time. (one in global and one in BSDF)

Best,
Jason.

If you set the layer to additive it doesn't have any effect. If it is set to normal it shows black (at least here).

You can set it for the whole material at "Material properties" (top of the layer tree).

Edit: Jason was faster.

totally overlooked global bump at the material properties. TX.

Its a bit weird to work with Layers that are blacked out for some effect to be added to other reflective maps or colors in other Layers. I need to experiment a bit more. With the Maxwell material editor I think there are a bit too many roads to Rome without a clear solid knowledge of where the highway is.

But that could be me being not a full time user of Maxwell.
Francois