Reestablishing the path to decals

[Pitcher]

I sometimes don't have the file organization as I like it and attempt to reorganize. Sometimes this leads to losing the path to the decals. The program seems to try to reestablish the path for some by having me browse and find a few of the decals, but there are others that are left out. Is there a way to select these decals with no path and reestablish a path. In the best of all possible worlds I would hope I would not have to redecal an object, but just establish the path to the image used in the decal. Is there a procedure to be used in moving a file that will help avoid the lost decal problem? Sometimes I have a model that might have 60 or 70 decals. Thanks.

[Rodney]

Yes, it is quite straightforward.

 

I'd say the best method for organizing decals would be to place those decal images in the same folder as the model they belong to. Then when you move or rename the model folder the decals will go with them. Renaming and moving files is the reason the link gets broken in the first place. The same goes for renaming the decal images themselves. By placing the images in with the model they are less likely to be mistaken for images that belong somewhere else.

 

As for reestablishing the path you can either do that in A:M via the browse function to point A:M to where you have moved the file or move the file into the proper location on your harddrive where A:M will automatically make the connection.

 

One easy way to reestablish a connection for decals whose path or location is problematic is to open that image in A:M from it's current location (at this point even if you do not... A:M 'knows' it's path). Then crack open the decal properties in the Project Workspace listing and change/select that image from the dropdown images that appear. All the images that are currently loaded in A:M should appear there.

 

If you have a lot of decals for the same model its a good idea to create a folder inside your model folder (call it 'decals') and place all of your decal images there.

 

If you've really messed things up and 100's of paths are broken it is often best to use a text editor to go into the file and replace the paths via a global search and replace.

 

Having sad all this... there really is no substitution for good (and perhaps more importantly consistent) organization.

[robcat2075]

If it is too late to organize, my next thought is text editing. You could open the file in a text editor and fix the non-working paths to be working ones.

That would be a daunting task for 70 decals but it is likely that many of them have some common element that can be fixed with one search and replace command.

[Pitcher]

Thanks for your help. I lost the paths when I tried to place all of the decals for the project in one file. I use many of them in multiple models and in multiple scenes. Originally, I put them with the model I used them with first. I was getting too many decals and too many models to remember when I started another scene (you know...where did I use that decal first?), so I put them all in one folder. In the entire project, there are hundreds of decals. I had noticed that when I moved a model, the program tried to reestablish a path, so I wasn't worried. Then I discovered that it does not do that for all of the decals. By that time, I had reorganized so much that I couldn't go back.

 

Rodney and robcat2075, you guys are completely necessary. When I had not found the forum and was trying to answer my own questions, I used to get extremely frustrated with the program. After finally finding the place in the forum to ask my questions (no matter how stupid they are), I have come to recognize that the program is great. It is just very complex. There are so many "bells and whistles" that without someone like you, it is very difficult to find them all, especially for someone like me who never took a computer course in high school or college (or an art course). Thanks again.

[Rodney]

In the entire project, there are hundreds of decals.

 

While it can be a little bit of work it may be worth considering taking several of those images and combining them together.

You could, technically have one decal that covers everything... but that would obviously be a large file.

The plus would be that it'd be a lot easier to keep track of than hundreds of separate images.

 

The Decal Editor allows for assignment of the different areas of an image to model geometry wherever you want to place them.

This can be especially useful if you have master images for models similar in layout but not in specific detail.

For instance, if every humanoid character is going to be modeled in roughly the same way then a master decal image for each can be created.

Similarly, buildings have one primary facade where the majority of detail is needed (usually the one that faces the camera).

On a larger scale entire cities or backgrounds can be decaled in a similar way.

Will Sutton has a very fine video that outlines the basics of the Decal Editor and several nice improvements have been made since then.

 

I'm glad to hear you have such an affinity for A:M.

[robcat2075]

So, problem solved, John?

[Pitcher]

Problem solved. Thanks robcat for the idea of text editing. I do the text editing thing frequently when creating websites, but I haven't thought about it with A:M. I'm not sure how to open A:M in a text editor. Rodney, I did not know about the Decal Editor. That is an interesting idea about joining decals together and using a different area in each situation. I have several cities with many buildings in my project, and having one decal per building rather than 10 or more would be very helpful.

[robcat2075]

My "It Can't Be Done" series from last February has a pretty through explanation of how to get started with text-editing.

[Fuchur]

Problem solved. Thanks robcat for the idea of text editing. I do the text editing thing frequently when creating websites, but I haven't thought about it with A:M. I'm not sure how to open A:M in a text editor. Rodney, I did not know about the Decal Editor. That is an interesting idea about joining decals together and using a different area in each situation. I have several cities with many buildings in my project, and having one decal per building rather than 10 or more would be very helpful.

 

You'll want to have a look at "Bake Surface" and / or the plugin "Merge Decals", depending on how those decals are created.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Pitcher]

Thanks, Fuchur! I will look at the resources you have recommended.

 

robcat2075, I looked for your "It Can't Be Done" series. The search does not bring it up. Where is it?

[robcat2075]

Here it is...

 

Painting With Light It Can't Be Done

[Pitcher]

Thanks!