Materials Library (lib) Add New Materials?

[LenseOnLife]

Hi,

 

Am wondering if it is possible to have a 'personal library of materials'. I see in the tools->OPtions->folders it is possible to add extra path for A:M to search for additional LBR files. I have a number of materials files and am wondering how can I put them into a LBR file so that A:M will recognise them.

 

Have searched the internet for a utility without any success.

 

Any ideas - or am I simply barking up the wrong tree and there is an easier way that I've missed?

 

Thanks,

 

Oliver

[Fuchur]

You can add stuff quite easiiy:

1.) Click on " View > Libraries" if it is not yet available.

2.) To save a material to the library, the material needs to be saved externally somewhere. That can be done by Right-Clicking on the material and choosing "Save as...".

3.) Now you can drag and drop the material-file on the Library View. Like that, you can put it in a folder in the library-file.

 

The other way to do this is to right-click on the material and choose "Create Shortcut to Library". If the file is not already saved externally,

A:M will now ask you if it should be saved externally now.

After that, the file will be put in the library at the current position you have navigated to.

 

Be aware, that the library only references files... that means, you need to save the stuff to a place, which is accessable when you want to use the library.

Copying only the library file to for instance another computer without having access to the folders where the files in libraries are referenced from will not work.

 

This will not only work for materials but for all the other files in A:M too...

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[LenseOnLife]

Hi,

 

Thanks for that feedback - it looked so easy (till I was let loose)!

 

Unfortunately I seem to have screwed up everything

 

 

 

I made up sub-directories and shortcuts to the various materials - every looked brilliant - just what the doctor ordered. Then I noticed that I had mistakenly stored everything in the 'Hash Library1' which is not what I had intended to do. It was at that stage that I noticed the 'My Library' option and thought to myself - that would be a safer place to deposit all the shortcuts. It had a load of empty folders, and to keep everything clean, I deleted them all in preparation to inserting my own ones BUT when I then went back to the 'Hash Library1' it is now empty!!

 

1. Is there any way of getting back the Hash Library1?

2. Is it possible to make up a new library with just my own materials in it that I can store in my own location rather than under the V.18 folder i.e. totally independent of the Hash Libraries?

 

Guess I'll get there .... eventually

 

Oliver

[LenseOnLife]

Hello Again,

 

In terms of (2) above, I think I've sorted that one out. I made a copy of 'My Library' and put it into one of my own folders and renamed it as 'MyPersonalLibrary'.

 

 

I made a directory in that library and put in some materials.

 

Within A:M that library is now available in the dropdown list

 

 

When I select 'All Libraries' my new one appears as expected

 

 

When I select the 'Hash Library1' there is a reference to the folder in my personal library and showing as empty.

 

 

The same for 'My Library' which is the library file in Hash V.18

 

 

And finally, when I select 'MyPersonalLibrary' it shows my materials folder with materials in it as I would expect.

 

 

QUESTION: Is that normal to show folders from 'other libraries' and to show them empty? I'm finding it a little confusing because, in the above example, 'MyMaterials' folder only exists in 'MyPersonalLibrary.lbr' adn not in any other library - or have I missed something?

 

Confused

 

Oliver

 

[Rodney]

I don't recall Libraries doing that (showing empty folders) but it sure looks that way.

Be careful about deleting those as that will remove them from their 'real' Library!

 

A workaround would be to create a folder at the top level in the Library (as you have done with your 'My Materials' folder and then work your directory structure down from there once you are in that folder then you won't see the other (empty) folders.

 

I'll look into this more to see if there is a fix on our end.

I'm trying to recall if this behavior showed up around the time A:M split into 32bit and 64bit versions. There was something that changed with Libraries at that time but my memory is foggy.

[LenseOnLife]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the feedback - any idea how I can get a 'good copy' of the real library as I seem to have deleted all references for the HASH materials?

[Rodney]

If you copy the attached .lbr (text file) into your Library directory all should be normal again.

Deleting library shortcuts doesn't delete the resources... just the library's shortcuts to those resources.

 

The location for the default library file should be something like:

 

C:\Program Files\Hash Inc\v18.0o\Libraries

 

I had to zip the file up because the forum doesn't allow files with the .lbr extension.

I should remedy that so we can share library files.

Just unzip the Hash Library.lbr from Hash Library.zip in the Library directory and refresh your view of the Library by clicking All Libraries and then back to Hash Library.

 

Disregard. I've added .lbr as an acceptable text file format for uploading to the forum, similar to .mdl, .act and other A:M files.

Just save that .lbr file to your Library directory (and make sure your operating system doesn't change the file's .lbr extension).

Hash Library.lbr

[LenseOnLife]

Hi Rodney,

 

It was worth all the hassle after all - many thanks for your help.

 

The new library is now safely in its place.

 

Thanks again,

 

Oliver

[Rodney]

Yes, thanks to you everyone can now share Library files via the forum!