Thanks for the info. I will have to check this out further. I guess I really mean layers list and shading domain compatibility are iffy together. I have had other objects that lock out the parametric mapping(I cannot see or change where they are applied in the layers list)once I assign a domain. This has coincided w/ errors often with trees.Usually I prefer, the shading domain method, however, the downside here is the way carrara limits grouping of shaders, applying etc. In other words, it makes you have to do alot of work over, whether you import tweaked textures or not you have to then assign them all over again(no presets).

No need to think outside the box....
    Just make it invisible.