CompuServe Messages

Dear Rick Quisenberry: The shader color can not be set in the "Shader Preview Dialog." This priview dialog is used only to view the color and shader (texture) combination quickly so that the model does not have to be rendered every time you change the face color, shader color, and/or shader mapping as well as the settings for glossiness, tansmissivity, and reflectivity. To view the color/shader combination as it would appear on rounded surfaces, click the button marked "Sphere," and to get an idea of what it would look like applied to flat objects with edges involved, you would select the radio button marked "Cube." This whole dialog box is a way you can get an idea of what settings you would need to get the color and shader the way you want them. Also it allows you to get a pretty good idea of how changing the settings will affect the image if you are not sure what the number settings correspond to. To actually set the face color and mapping, shader color and mapping, as well as the settings for glossiness, reflectivity and transmissivity, you must use the "Set Attributes" dialog box located under the "Attributes > Face Attributes" menu bar. In this screen, to set face and shader color, click on the appropriate colored block. This should get you to a "Set Color" dialog. Choose your color and click on "OK." The chosen color should appear in the color block. Now you must click on the "Set" button or the color will not be assigned. Again the set button must be hit every time you make changes to glossiness, transmissivity, and reflectivity as well. The "Get" button will restore the color or number value to the one that has been set for that face or surface. you already know how to set the internal. shader. To set a face or surface map you must click on the set button under the MAPS block. Choose NEW and click on OK. Click on the EDIT button under the same block. Choose our surface image from the available images. You can also choose mapping type, reflection images, and bump images in this dialog. Additional images can be purchased from other companies, as well. I hope this information will help you. If you still have trouble setting the shader color or with any other part of SoftF/X, then please do not hesitate to send us another message or call our technical support line at (512) 795-0150. Mike Srivathanakul SoftF/X Technical Support