Can someone please explain to me why, when I apply a brick texture to a wall the sides look fine but the top doesn't have the texture? And, how do I fix this? Thanks

Try changing the mapping. On the right side at the bottom (where the 3 windows are) is a little triangle.

You probably have it set to Object Front or World Front or something. Try Object Space for a regular cube, but beware of texture stretch when you resize. You can either compensate by stretching the texture or delve into the horror of parametric texture maps, where anything might happen.

Actually, make sure it IS only on one side. If you preview with a box you'll only be able to see texture on the side the light hits it, because of the shadows, but the other sides WILL be textured. Don't rely on the preview to show you what it will look like.

I appreciate the responses, but I think I am not explaining correctly, though you are touching on it. I am taking a regular cube, texturing with a preset cube texture (brick) and stretching it out to form a wall. When I am done the front and back look fine, but the sides and top edges are not. I take it this is because, by streching the cybe, I have streched the texture out of proportion? Is there any type of fix for this? I don't mind it as much on the walls, because I can cheat if doing a close-up. But, as far as using it in, say, a building, when I cut out windows the floor looks wrong. Should I change the texture for the inside of the building (the negative) to a different, more solid type texture so it will be placed on the surface when the booleen operation is rendered? Am I making any sense here? :)

Can you do a screenshot. It sound like you have the texture in Worldmap mode. You can also go into the edit texture and resize the texture on the axis that is losing the definition (upper left button with the 3 windows in the material editor).

No, I can't do a screenshot because I am at work. I've tried resizing, which affects the front of the wall, but doesn't really do anything to the top or side edges.

As far as stretched textures go, use the scale tool (left) for whatever object you're having problems with, boolean or otherwise. So if your object is 3x longer in the x axis than the y and z, use x=300 y=100 z=100. And so on. You can try parametric scaled (right) but this has a slightly different effect.

• doesn't have to be in multiples of 100, of course...

Thanks Tuttle, I never considered the size percentages like that. I'll give it a try when I get home.

The answer to your question depends on what kind of texture it is in the first place. Look at the bottom left hand corner of the Texture Component in the Materials Lab. You will see a T and a P. If the T is lit up (and it can be hard to tell the difference) you are dealing with a Procedural Texture. If the P is lit up, you are working with an Image Texture. If you can't tell which one is lit up, click on the second button from the top left corner. (The text area above the palette will say "Texture Source Editor" when you are over the correct one.) If you find yourself in something called the Deep Texture Editor, you are working with a Procedural Texture. If you find yourself looking at a Pictures dialog, you are working with an Image Texture. Procedural Textures cannot be distorted by changing the shape of the object. However, sometimes they are 1D or 2D textures, not 3D textures; so the texture appears correctly on only part of the object. If this is the case, let me know and I'll tell you how to fix it. Image Textures can be distorted. In that case, as explained by Tuttle, you need to change the proportions of the image. Be careful, though. If you like the size of the bricks on the front just multiply that number by the difference in size (3 in Tuttle's example.) Otherwise, you will change the size for all the bricks. The closer the percentage number is to zero, the larger your bricks will be. The farther from zero (either as positive or negative numbers) the smaller the bricks. Also, in order for this to work as you expect, you might need to change the mapping mode to Object Cubic. (Especially if it's at Parametric right now.)

Another idea.... or actually a possible work around.
If you like the texture at it's current settings for part of your mesh, and not able to divide it up into component parts (i.e. in a modeling program) and you wish to stay with procedurals, instead of uvmapping.....
Then....
Duplicate your mesh, be in object mode(not world mode) and resize the mesh (in place) just at 101 in each of the coordinates that need changing. If it's ok in the x, then change the y & Z... and shrink the x dimension to 99, then texture this. Group both so when you move them they will stay together.... Might be a small enough change in dimensions to allow you to texture different without being obvious that it's two meshes.
This is just a possible work around to your problem. Seeing an image and your settings, might mean not having to go through this though.

"Procedural Textures cannot be distorted by changing the shape of the object." Yes they can. Procedural textures, 3D or otherwise, are directly affected by the dimensions of the object unless a parametric scale option is chosen. Even then they are affect, just not distorted. So object space, world space, object cubic etc. all depend on the shape of the object. In this pic, a 3D prod texture with equal frequency settings is applied to a cube in object space, and the cube then stretched in the Y axis.

"...then they are affect" = "then they are affected"

and "prod" = "proc" - I shouldn't post this early in the morning!

tuttle: "Procedural textures, 3D or otherwise, are directly affected by the dimensions of the object unless a parametric scale option is chosen." I only use parametric mapping for pic mapping, a purely procedural (non image-based...I may be using my own definitions here :^) texture seems to work better for me in the other mapping modes. I think when someone says that procedural textures don't stretch with the object, they may be referring to non image-based textures, which don't usually distort with object sizing in non-parametric modes. I think... Just when I think I've got it all sussed out, Bryce will throw me a curve.

Agh! I deleted my message! Oh the horror! Briefly, slight correction. Any texture, image or proc, will distort with the object unless it is applied parametricallly or in world space. Distortion isn't based on image type at all. In any type of object space, the texture (proc or JPG or whatever) will always distort with the object. But images need to be applied parametrically because they are only 2d, so attempting to apply an image to a 3d object will result in banding in one direction (i.e. parallel lines as Bryce tries to make the 2d image 3d) glad I could add to the confusion... ;)

That's correct. You need to apply the Procedural texture in World Space, or it will distort. Sorry for the confusion; I really shouldn't post when I'm sick with the flu. :P