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Idea #183: Material library/repository

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Written by ChrisH the 16 Sep 10 at 14:20. Category: Texturing & Materials. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: Awaiting moderation
Rationale
I tend to reuse a lot of the materials I create, but currently the only way to reuse a material is to import it from existing files. Sure, you can create a library by storing all your materials in one file. But that too will end up being a pain in the rear (if you collect a lot of materials and/or want to update some etc. Just to add a new material to such a file isn't that much fun..).
It would be really nice if there was a (optional? i.e. add-in) feature in Blender that would let you easily collect the materials you create in one location, where you could review and edit them.
And it would be awesome ( ;?D ) if it also could keep track of 'sets of materials', as there's times when you actually use multiple Blender-materials to recreate one "real world material".


NOTE: When I use the word "material" it's implied that it also includes textures that's connected to the materials.
NOTE 2: This should of course be a local library. But as a bonus it would be nice if there was some way to share a library within a project/company..

I hope (and think) that there's more than me who would like this.
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ChrisH wrote on the 16 Sep 10 at 14:22
Oh, my text was cut off!!?! :?|

Here's the rest:

"Behind the scenes":
It shouldn't be too hard to store the materials in a .blend. And by adding an option to set the path to that file in the configuration you should take care of the "bonus wish": to be able to share the library(/file). As you could set it to a file on a NAS or in a Dropbox folder etc..

I guess some materials can take up quit a lot of memory, so one solution to that could be to not load in the materials fully. Just the info and a thumbnail that is created when the material is stored/updated.

I guess it should be saved on modification and not when the current file is saved.

This is just my thoughts on how I would do it (I have worked as a programmer and UI-designer, but don't have the knowledge of [or time to learn] Python and the Blender API needed to create this). Feel free to add and adopt.. :?D


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