Material database and node editor. Tweet

[Terryvfx]

So since it's release I've always use the node editor and I also have been using the material database more a more (the local database) and well I thing I've a few suggestions for improved funtionality as well as a couple of bug reports:

Material database:
- Database search function it's broken.
- When you rename the material in the DB the name doesn't change even if you reload the windows or restart Cinema 4D, actually the file name itself does change and when you download the material the new name shows up but still the new name needs to be displayed in the DB aswell.
- Option to override or update the material (like for example drag the material on top and get a pop menu asking to update).
- Being able to drag and drop materials from the DB to the material manager (for downloading).
- View materials as list. (I really really want this.)

Node editor improvements:
- When creating a transform or projection right in the texture option the node doesn't show up right away, same thing happens when you create a sinewave from the gradient node.
- Keep connections and references when you save materials into the DB, for example when you load a material what was originally only one transform node connected to several image textures is now X number of transform nodes one per each image texture node (this happens when you have references to several materials).
- Fix bug "error loading texture", when you load a material from the data base you get an error in the image texture nodes when you render the scene the textures does load but having that error there besides being annoying also means that you can't click the Edit button to check the texture.

Lastly I just want to clarify that I'm not mad for the lack of these features or something, the plugin is great as it is right now but things like "View materials as list in the BD" would make me incredible happy.

[aoktar]

My answers repectively:

Material database:
-I know. It's working just on current category and not perfect. But have not time to improve soon. We're working on somethings else always.
-don't know.
-....
-Not supported by C4D.
-Don't know if i'll have time to do.

Node editor improvements:
-Appearently you didn't tried on latest version. It works.
-check on latest versions.
-

[Terryvfx]

Thanks for replying aoktar, I understand if there is no time to implement these features, now about the node editor section you were right about it updating the new connections (projection, transform, etc) I had the option "Auto Load Materials" turn off but now that is turn on it works as expected but about it creating new nodes and stuff the problem is there, let me show you:

this is the original material

I upload it to the DB and then download it and as you can see I end up with much more nodes than I originally had.

[aoktar]

Yes i know that. When you import a material from livedb it recreates material from saved octane nodes. Here some nodes are internal(floattexture) in octane side and created as normal nodes. Also c4d shaders will be saved as imagetextures not c4d nodes. This is the reason why you loose c4d shaders. Also saving locations are another problem.

After getting an osl implementation in octane you should not never use c4d shaders. It's not possible to save/load these properly.

[Terryvfx]

Teah! I'm waiting impatiently for the release of 3.1, now just to be clear I'm not using c4d shaders in my example just textures and native noises.

So now aotkar isn't there any way for you to tweak the way materials are stores in the DB so that it doesn't create multiples copies of the same node? for example if there is one image texture node used in two materials the moment you store it in the DB it becomes two image texture nodes, one for each material, same goes for any other reference.

[aoktar]

Yes i'm aware of this. There is some problems and long story to explain. I'll try to especially improve things for node editor/etc... But all is a matter of time and priority of todo. Thanks for infos and reminding these! Don't hesitate to advice anything.

[Terryvfx]

Thanks for taking note!