Adding my materials

[raykos]

Hello all,

   Is there a way to add a material of my choosing?  For instance, there is no External Wall material to match what I actually have.  So, I've taken a picture of what I have and can use Windows Paint to edit it and then save it.  But, how do I bring it into my drawing so that I can use it as a wall covering material, either external or interior?


Thanks,
Ray

[ahr8tch]

Hello Ray,

Try this (haven't done it with anything but it might work).

1.  In your project select the object you want to put the material onto.
2.  Right click and select "Properties" then click on the "Appearance" tab.
3.  Beneath the word "Materials" click the SELECT button.
4.  When the Materials window pops up, place your cursor in the "Materials" area and right click.
5.  You will get another pop up where you can select "Add Material".
6.  Click the "Use Texture" button then click on the SELECT button.
7.  This loads Windows Explorer where you can navigate to the file you created, choose it, and click OPEN.
8.  This should show your material in the TFP Materials panel.  Be sure to type a name in for it or it will appear as <Default>.
9.  From there just keep clicking OK until it appears in your Materials List.

Let us know if this works for you or if you have problems.

rh

[Allan Chesney]

Ray, 

Yes you can add a new material and the directions given by RH are the way to do it.  I have posted a few tips in the Tips and Tricks section of the Forum that may help you to get it right without too many failures.

Have fun. It is quite thrilling to see your own lounge suite in the room!! It is amazing what the right texture will do.

Allan

[raykos]

Hi all,

    Thanks, arc8tch & Allan, was able to use the paneling from my camera.  Now, the next question,
how do I get this material permanently into the Catalog?  Whenever I open my drawing it goes to where I saved the .jpg from Paint, but now I'm happy with it and would like to add it to the catalog so that I can use it again in another drawing without having to worry about losing the Paint .jpg?


Thanks,
Ray

[Allan Chesney]

Ray,

It should automatically add it to the Materials list, especially if you edit the Element/Appearance from the Elements list. I have not specifically tested but maybe it doesn't if you just edit the Appearance of the Element AFTER it has been inserted into the drawing.

You can also go to File/Catalogs/Catalog Manager and select Materials from the Libraries menu option. This puts it straight into the Materials Catalog.

Allan

[Doug.S]

and when you exit the program do "OK/Yes" to have the catalog accept the change or it will be lost/not there when you next open the catalog if you say "no"

[raykos]

Hi all,

    I tried to add the texture to the materials list using the Catalog Manager but, somehow I must have missed a step or maybe something else, however, I did find a folder under TurboFloorPlan called "Textures", and I copied my texture into this folder.  Now, when I create another drawing I have the new texture available, and I can delete the one I saved from Paint.  I'll probably try working with the Catalog Manager again, but at least I know I can add a texture of my own making to the Materials list.


Thanks,
Ray

[Allan Chesney]

Ray,

When you go to the Appearance tab on any object, double click the texture to change it and all you have to do is select the material group you want the texture to go into, then right click in the lower section and select Add Material.  You can add as many as you want all at one time. Obviously the last one selected will be applied to the object but the others will be there for future use (as long as you accept the Catalog change prompt when you close TFP.  You can put them in the Textures folder but you still have to add them into the program at least once.

Allan