[3dsmax] How do u clone/instance a node in slate material editor??

melviso

How do u clone nodes like:
color correction, invert, mask e.t.c that u place between a map and the material so any changes u make to say one invert node affects the other invert nodes connected to other maps or materials.
Also is there a way to assign these kind of nodes to several materials like say assign invert node to diffuse slot of selected materials to save time?

Jonathan85

I think you mean how to instance a material/map node...?

melviso

@Jonathan85 Yep, instance a  node in slate editor.

musashidan

You can't directly instance a node, unfortunately, but you can expose parameters through controllers and when you shift+drag copy the node these controllers will be instanced.

To expose these controllers right click the node and choose Show/hide slots>additional params.

Eric Chadwick

We use that some here, and it's great. Only problem is those controllers are subsequently hidden by default.

If you're working with others, they can get confused when they're trying to edit something, but things appear locked. 

Also problematic even if it's just you, reopening an older file, forgetting you set controllers.

Oh man, wish they'd update Slate, mate. Guess I'll wait.;)

melviso

@musashidan Thanks so much. Will look into this. Will save me time.
@Eric Chadwick Isn't there a way to leave a note in the 3smax file so when u open it, the note shows somewhere in the HUD specifying the controllers used with details e.t.c. Blender has something like this so whoever opens the file sees it.
Or save a readme.txt in the foider with the file specifying this but not everyone reads the txt files though.

Eric Chadwick

Yeah it's a mess. There is a Popup Note function, but you can never remove it, the Delete Popup tool is broken. FML

musashidan

Eric Chadwick said:

Oh man, wish they'd update Slate, mate. Guess I'll wait.;)

Badly needed, but there has been a bit of chatter recently about it. It's high time it was revamped using the MCG GUI. It was a decent attempt at a node editor 10-odd years ago, but is aging now and lacking a lot of very simple but important features.

Have you used the Arnold Operator Graph? This is the basis of the modern node editor we need in Max.