When you use a Texture shader (actually when you use a texture map anywhere in Carrara: backdrop, gel, shader), there is a save option down at the bottom for External or Internal. External is nice when you want to keep your CAR file small or want the ability to update the texture file and everything gets the change. Internal is nice when you want to package the whole thing up and send it to your buddy with the quad Xeon render monster. Not sure why you would ever mix and match. Eric Winemiller Digital Carvers Guild Freeware and commercial 3D extensions http://digitalcarversguild.com

Eric Winemiller
Digital Carvers Guild
Carrara and LightWave plug-ins