Hiya,

I would like to automate as much as I can the process of adding blender nodes into a material zone without messing up the nodes already configured.  V4 has eleven nodes configured for her skin parts for the high resolution texture, and I've added ambient occlusion on all skin parts, a bit of a chore that I'd like to automate for further characters.  There are other applications for this I have in mind e.g. transmapped eyebrows and whatnot.  Is there a way to "gently" connect the AO node without breaking the other settings?  This one doesn't seem so hard because AO connects into Diffuse_Value and Specular_Value, which are free by default with the V4 highrez skin.

Harder question (I think):  Is there a way to do the same for slipping blender nodes for handling transmapped eyebrows and the like into the connection between Diffuse_Color and the Color_Texture node without breaking it?

I have the materials saved for one character into an mt5 file, but this overwrites the entire material config for the whole material zone, which I don't want.  I'm thinking question 2 needs a script (time to learn python I guess).  I checked out MAT Pose Edit but it doesn't read mt5 files in and convert them to poses like I'd hoped.  I think I can figure this out eventually but if this is something a lot of people have solved I'd appreciate a nudge in the right direction.  Thanks!

You can't apply partial materials in poser. I don't know about P7, but certainly not in earlier versions.

What you can do is buy Shader Spider, a poser plug-in which allows the application of any partial MAT.

mac

That sure narrows it down :)  Thanks, I'll look into that.

Note Shader spider currently is ONLY P6, but poseworks is already testing the P7 update

Shader Spider is way overkill for what I want to do - what I am looking for is just personal development of a set of characters for a webcomic, it seems to me SS is pitched towards the merchant with a high volume of production.  I think I can figure out how to do it from python or something, especially since I can cheat and reference stuff by name.  I'm not looking for something all that flexible, just something to insert transmapping for like 6 characters once they're developed or to turn on AO for all skin bits.  Thanks for the info though.

Attached Link: CR2Builder

I just recently did a bunch of partial mats to affect different levels of transparency settings for some clothing I made, and it works like a charm. I apply the texture file first, then hit which ever trans setting I feel like and I'm good to go. (because otherwise, instead of 4 partial trans to go with the 20 textures....you do the math)

Set up the parts you want (your transparencies and the like) and save out a copy of your material file. Either as a single or a material collection.

Then, take your file and edit everything out EXCEPT the part your going to want to apply the extra bits. CR2Builder comes in great for this task.

Rename, put back in your runtime, and hopefully....everything should work like you want. Some of your's are sounding a bit more complex than what I did, but just experiment and see what will work.

If you need any help along the way, just let me know. Can do a mini tut and/or send you one of my partial mat files to take a peek at.

Wow, that's really helpful!  I don't mind editing text files at all, I'm pretty comfortable looking at the structure of both pose and materials files - might not know what each line means exactly but I'm not intimidated by their size or structure.  At worst I guess I could reinstall one of my compilers and simply write something if it's not easy or practical to do it with Poser python or this tool you're pointing me to.

CR2Builder is a Japanese app?  Is this link the same tool?
http://www.geocities.co.jp/Bookend-Ohgai/9483/tool/index_e.html

That is indeed the same thing....and now I've gotten my link updated. I'm addicted to that little app, even if I haven't figured it all out just yet. Makes things much easier than scrolling through in Notepad or what have you.

And like I said, if you want a walk through on doing this, just let me know and I can get something done up tomorrow or Sat.

I think I can figure out just inserting a node onto a plug with no current attachment without too much trouble, from what you describe that seems to be just to make a mat file and then cut out the parts that I won't want to change.  

Where I expect it will be tricky is in sneaking a node to an existing connection - if I already know what that branch of nodes is, I can just rewrite the whole branch, but I'd like to figure a way to sneak the node in that is independent of what is already connected; just slip in place and hook onto the inputs and outputs without breaking anything, just as the Wacro might already be doing it (speaking of such I guess I should go look into how Wacros really work).  I am completely sure this can be done by automation of some form, just not so sure that Poser python can do it or how difficult it would be to devise and debug.