I am trying to construct a scene in Poser and need to know a few basics about the software.

My first problem is

1. How do I mat the ground plane? {I have tried using the paint bucket but the colors won’t take}.

2. Is it possible to apply a jpg mat to an object the way one might do in Bryce? 

3. I have created, posed, & matted other figures in a separated Poser file, is it possible tobring them into the current scene I am working on?

The picture below shows my basic scene set up as well as the figure I want to bring into the scene and the jpg matting I would like to use on my floor plane.

Thanks again for all your help

Steel

1. I've never placed a mat on the pre-existing ground plane, but rather I bring in a single sided plane from the Prop/Prop Types and mat that.
2. I do not knowing Bryce that well, but I'd say Yes. Bring in an object that has a mat assigned, and LOOK at how it is being done via the Render/Material. There is a Texture Map, a Reflection Map, a Bump Map, and a Transparency Map. Not all objects need all these functions, but it would be best if you looked at various types that do use each of the variable to get a better understanding.
3. Yes. From your previous PZ3, save the objects you would like to bring into your New PZ3. See the '+' sign which will add the object to a folder of you must 1st create. I use !AAA so it stacks on top of all others, and I create a separate folder in each of the Runtime/libraries Folders. 
   ie. a Character, and all parented items can be added to the Runtime/libraries/Character/!AAA 
   ie. a Prop, and all parented items can be added to the Runtime/libraries/Props/!AAA 
   Be sure to select the individual items you want inside the add dialog box.
   You can also save Character Poses, but not Mat Poses. I do that via copying an existing Mat Pose (or extracting the Material section out of a .cr2/.pz2 file) and replacing names via WordPad. 

1.)  In P5, P6, and P7 the Poser Default Ground Plane PoserSurface node is at: 

Material Room > Advanced > Object > Prop > GROUND.  

2.)  You texture a PoserSurface node the same way for any Figure, or Object, in your scene:

Create an Image_Map node.  Load/Browse to a Texture, plug it into a White Diffuse Color node, and Set the Diffuse Value to 1.

3.) FIle > Import Poser scene.document, will merge two scenes.  Otherwise save whatever it is you want to Export/Import to a Library.

1. You need to remove the checkmark from "shadow catch only" in the material room for the ground plane to get its texture to show up. At the moment your renders only show the background color not the ground color.

I always use a floor prop 'cos I'm lazy!!

While I see what you're trying to do, I've never done it. So am clueless to assist. Everything I do, I do in Daz Studio. I hardly ever open my poser up. I have Poser 6, and have only rendered one thing in it. So I could not help you though I want to. You got me.

tried a floor prop, but getting the scale on the materials and the object take some mathematics..;)

In older versions of Poser (versions 4-6) I noticed that there is a texture for the ground plane (Ground Default Texture.tif).  I seem to recall that it shows up as brown in Poser.  I think it also renders, but I'm not sure.  In Poser 5 and 6 it's located in the main Texture folder.

You could use this file to make it any texture you want using Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, or any other photo-editing software.

Forgot to add:  You can not apply a material to a prop/figure that the Mat file is not intended for.  You will get strange results.

Also, as was mentioned, if you want to combine scenes, the File, Import method is probably the best.  I had found that if I only want to bring in a few props or characters into a scene, I just save them temporarily in my Figure or Props library for that purpose.  An entire scene would be better using the File, Import method.

At #3: Yes, that's possible. Choose File->Import->Poser document/prop and browse for the .pz3 (or .pzz) file that contains the scene you want to import.

Edit: sorry, didn't see that the question was already answered. Got to get  myself more coffee....

*"Forgot to add:  You can not apply a material to a prop/figure that the Mat file is not intended for.  You will get strange results."
*Where did you have rouble?  Some scene Element's Material ZOnes do'nt root at the PoserSurface node, like Lights, and Atmosphers, I think.  Bu the vast majority of Figures, and Props do, in which case the Material File shouldbe compatable. 

The upper right you will see mat I would like to use on ground plane   its in JPG format and was wondering if I could matt to the ground plane or maybe pull in a cube from the primitives in Poser give that the mat and then flatten and enlarge as the floor in my scene.
Thing is when I click on the paint buket up top and then click on a color it will not change the color of the ground plane ....   is that normal????
Please remember Im new to poser  I can use to pose and cloth figures but Ive never tried to create a scene in poser before.
Steel

Quote - tried a floor prop, but getting the scale on the materials and the object take some mathematics..;)

I've been having one heck of a time lately trying to get floor tiles scaled. I don't use floors very often because I mostly create "tubes" (backgroundless images for others to use), but lately I've been experimenting with ground reflections etc, so  I have been using floors a great deal.

What I find happens almost all of the time is that the floor tiles that I apply end up with extremely wide grout lines along the Z Trans, but bearly visible or non existent along the X Trans.

I use image_map node and browse to my texture, which has equal grout lines between the tiles, and set the U & V to 0.25  and while it looks ok in the preview in the material room, when rendered in the main camera view, the grout lines from front going back into the image are almost as wide as the tiles themselves.

I just rendered an image that had that problem, and the only way I could get around it was to find an angle using the AUX camera and render from slightly above.

If anyone has any tips on how to stop this from happening, I would appreciate the help :)

The Paint Bucket has nothing to do with Image Texture Maps.

What version of Poser are you using?

To apply a photo to Poser figure, or object, you need to go into the material room, and do it iwith nodes...

Thanks I read about that node, yesturday, but would'nt have caught it!

I also notice that Display > Guides  Ground Plane needs to be checked!

Wow!!!!!   Is it possale for you to write a simple 1.2.3 tut or point me to one that will teach me how to do what uve done with that mat?
It will be a real life saver if you could.
That is exactly what I want to do.
Thanks much for pointing me in the right direction

Did you get my IM?

Flat color wo'nt be a problem, for the Arm Band, but if you want reflective metals then we're in another ball park.  You'll ned to add a few other thngs to your scene to get those materials to work.

I see lips everywhere on this post, LOL 
I think Angelouscuitry has your answer

One day I'll get up to date with P6/7

Dennis - What version of Poser are you using,with the P5 Material Room I'm wondering why you'd mentioned MAT.PZ2s, Poser 4?

Steeleyes101 - Check your e-mail, for the scene file I rendered this screenshot with.

If anyone else is interested in the scene, please just e-mail me, it's 457K.