5.9.2.8.3. Important settings

Note

This note contains important key points. Later at the single options, you can find details.

Attribute Display

Display of the attributes share metallic [Percentage Metallic], roughness [Roughness], mix color with color texture [Mix color with color texture], color texture [Color texture], normal map [Normalmap] and transparency [Transparency]

Information on the display color can be found at Section 5.9.2.8.7, “Rendering matrices”.

Export attribute

RenderMaterial set to component level:
- When exporting to a CAD system, the color [Color]! of the render material is transferred.
  
  An entry under "Color [Color]" → "Color [Color]" is not necessary and - if available - is ignored.
  
  Exception:
  If an entry is set under Color → Color AND the option Mix color with color texture is set AND a color texture is entered, then the color from Color → Color is exported to CAD, NOT the color of the render material.^[a]
- If NO RenderMaterial is set, but a color is set under Color → Color, this is transferred to the CAD system.
RenderMaterial set to surface level:
If the render material is set as a face attribute, the color of the RenderMaterial is also correctly transferred to the CAD system and overwrites the value under Color → Color for this face. The reason for this is that SYS_FaceAttributeColor is automatically set with the RenderMaterial color. Please note, however, that this automatic setting only works the first time. Subsequent changes to SYS_FaceAttributeRenderMaterial are no longer applied.

Material definition via variable

The material can also be set via a variable. This has a considerable impact on performance, which is why it should only be used if it is really needed.

Face attributes

Render materials [Render Materials] can also be used for surface attributes [Face attributes] or feature attributes. [Feature attributes...].. such as blend/sweep. Details can be found here.

Priority texture before color

In the Edit material for 3D preview dialog box, the texture always has priority over the color unless the Mix color with color texture option has been activated. For details, please refer to the matrices at Section 5.9.2.8.7, “Rendering matrices”.

Attention: The desired color must still be set because a) the texture is only displayed in software from CADENAS (PARTdataManager, PARTproject, ...) and cannot be exported to the CAD systems and b) the color is already displayed if the texture is still loading when a component is opened.

Set the desired color even if the Mix color with color texture option is not set (see following illustration).

Example: Wood texture

Please also fill in the license information. Otherwise an error message will appear.

The License, Source and Source date fields are mandatory fields and must be filled in when creating a new render material (only if a texture is also used/defined, otherwise not). If the fields are not filled in, a corresponding message is displayed.

License: CC0 (Creative Commons Public Domain)
Source: URL
Source date (e.g. download time [date/time])

Fill in license information

The Mix color with color texture option should only be used for gray textures.

Standard procedure

Deactivated option Mix color with color texture
Mixing colors with texture in fact only makes sense, if one and the same texture is used with a lot of different colors (e.g. for painted surfaces).
Use textures with desired color.
For compatibility reasons (for export), specify a corresponding color in parallel under Color
Attention: The desired color must still be set because a) the texture is only displayed in software from CADENAS (PARTdataManager, PARTproject, ...) and cannot be exported to the CAD systems and b) the color is already displayed if the texture is still loading when a component is opened.

Textures/Normalmaps

General:

Textures from the Internet may only be used if the source is freely usable on the Internet. This can be recognized by the fact that it is not necessary to specify where the source comes from. It is also important that the texture may be used without attribution. → It is best to only use textures that are CC0 (Creative Commons Public Domain) and without attribution!
For any texture downloaded from the Internet, the source, so the link, must be deposited in the catalog. Additionally the date with time, when you downloaded the file! This serves the legal protection.
Textures can be downloaded for example from the following sites:
- https://ambientcg.com/
- https://polyhaven.com/
Please note: Sometimes the licenses are defined differently per texture!
Do not download textures from forums! The license conditions are often confusing.
Textures should always be downloaded and saved with an associated Normal/Normalmap with the same resolution.
Textures may be used without the corresponding normal. However, a normal may not be used without the corresponding texture!
File format
Textures: jpg is the preferred file format. Exception: Transparent textures: 32 bit png files are recommended in this case. Higher bit depths are not supported and only lead to an unnecessarily large file size, so this should be avoided.
Normal maps: jpg is the preferred file format (also applies to normal maps for transparent textures).

Only valid for textures and not necessarily for texture labels:

Textures must be tileable (→ seamlessness).
Textures may not be scaled or compressed!
Pay attention to the resolution of the texture:
- min.: 256*256
- max.: 1024*1024
The resolution must be a power of 2 (2^n).
Permitted resolutions: 256*256; 512*512; 1024*1024
If there is no permitted resolution available please contact your CADENAS representative.

^[a]This special setting is actually only required if many different colors are used on the basis of one and the same texture or if colors are to be controlled by variables.

You can make the following settings in the Edit material for 3D preview dialog box:

3D Model
At the very top a dummy part is shown, which mirrors all settings. In particular, this is useful to adjust the scaling. You can choose dummy parts of different shapes and sizes in order to get a realistic impression.

Setting 3D model [3D Model]
Color, metallic content [Percentage Metallic] and roughness [Roughness]: In the simplest case, you only make settings here and no settings under Advanced [Extended].

Color, metallic content [Percentage Metallic], roughness [Roughness]

You can make the following settings in the Advanced [Extended] dialog area below:

Mix color with color texture:

The Mix color with color texture option is actually only required if many different colors are used on the basis of one and the same texture or if colors are to be controlled by variables.

By default, you work with the Mix color with color texture option deactivated.
Then preferably use textures which have exactly the desired color.
AND set a corresponding color under Color for compatibility reasons.
Attention: The desired color must still be set because a) the texture is only displayed in software from CADENAS(PARTdataManager, PARTproject, ...) and cannot be exported to the CAD systems and b) the color is already displayed if the texture is still loading when a component is opened.

The exact effects of this option can be seen in the matrices. See Section 5.9.2.8.7, “Rendering matrices”. The shortcut "mix" stands for this option.

In the following the different combination possibilities are described:

Mix color with color texture: Off

Color only, no entry under color texture [Color texture] and/or normal map [Normalmap]:
→ The color is used (for view and export).

Entry under color texture [Color texture] and/or normal map [Normalmap]:

→ The texture is used for the view.

→ The color is used for the export.

Example: Wood texture

Note

As soon as an entry is made under Color texture and/or Normal map [Normalmap], the setting under Color is ignored! The color in the above exemplary 3D representation comes from the color texture stored as an image, NOT from the set color.

Attention: The desired color must still be set because a) the texture is only displayed in software from CADENAS(PARTdataManager, PARTproject, ...) and cannot be exported to the CAD systems and b) the color is already displayed if the texture is still loading when a component is opened.

Mixing color with color texture [Mix color with color texture]: On
The color values of texture are not considered, only the brightness values and then these are mixed with the set color.

Example: Texture + Color White

Example: Texture + Color Blue

Note
If no entries are set under Color texture and Normal map [Normalmap], it does not matter whether Mix color with color texture is activated or not.

Color texture: Click on . .. to select the desired image file.

	Note
	Textures may be used without the corresponding normal. However, a normal may not be used without the corresponding texture!

Note

Currently the starting point of texture can not be specified!

The color texture [Color texture] must be tileable.

	Note
	If graphics from the Internet are used for the texture, it must be checked whether they are graphics with a CC0 license (Creative Commons Public Domain) and whether they are without attribution. (See also above.)

	Note
	If the Mix color with color texture option is activated, the color values of the texture are irrelevant. Only the brightness values are used and these are mixed with the set color. If the Mix color with color texture [Mix color with color texture] option is deactivated, the color values of the texture are also used.

Scaling [Scale]:
Adjust the scaling [Scale] according to the component size so that the texture optimally overlays the component (repetition of the pattern). The value is given in mm.
Example:
A scale of 300 means, that a - quadratic - color texture is exactly mapped one time to a - quadratic - area with length/width of 300. When changing the scale to 100, for example, the color texture is mapped 9 times ((300/100)^2).
Rotation:
Use rotation [Rotation] to determine the direction of the texture.

Tip
You can rotate textures globally, but also locally on surfaces.

Example:
The model depicted below is a part and the texture is globally from top to bottom in direction of Z axis.

Texture vertical

If you now select the PARTdesigner the horizontal cylinder and put the same texture on it again, but rotated 90°, then it looks better.

Result:

Texture horizontal

Normalmap (Bumpmap): Select the desired image file by clicking on ... to select the desired image file.

Note
Textures may be used without the corresponding normal. However, a normal may not be used without the corresponding texture!
- Scaling [Scale]: Adjust the scaling [Scale] according to the component size so that the texture optimally overlays the component (repetition of the pattern).
  Color texture and normal map [Normalmap] can be adjusted independently of each other.
- Height: Determine the height of the bumps. Without height, surfaces may reflect strongly.
  Example:
  
  Height "0"
  
  Height "10"
- Use rotation [Rotation] to determine the direction of the texture.
  Color texture and normal map [Normalmap] can be adjusted independently of each other.
Note
Currently the starting point of texture can not be specified!
The normal map [Normalmap] must be tileable.

Note
Textures should always be downloaded and stored together with a corresponding normal (→ Normalmap) with the identical resolution.
Please note the further information on textures (see above).

Transparency: Transparent materials such as glass, Plexiglas, etc. can also be used for transparency.

	Note
	If the material is to be opaque, transparency [Transparency] must be deactivated.

As soon as "Transparency [Transparency]" is set in the Edit material for 3D preview dialog, a setting under Color and texture → Color is overwritten.

Color and texture → Color

Edit material for 3D preview → Transparency

Note

Transparency can only be used for the entire part, not for single faces.

If attempting to set transparency for a face attribute, a respective note is displayed.

The use of transparency for faces is ignored.

Once the option is activated, transparency is set. That means, even with 0% transparency the part appears transparent.

Texture Label [Texture label]

Note
If the Texture Label [Texture label] box is checked, an error message appears if the Color Texture [Color texture] and Normal Map [Normalmap] field is empty.

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