Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

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cubek
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Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by cubek »

Hello
I've noticed strange behavior of Pointer node in Node Editor. When i use Pointer node to link some other material and plug it stright into Material output I got just matte black color.
When I insert between Pointer and Material output Mix Material node, plug Pointer into Material 1 pin and slide 100% to it and leave unpinned Material 2 pin, then connect Mix Material with Output node I get right material on the output. As far as I can say with previous style of Pointer node it worked correctly. Is it a bug or something was changed and I should use Pointer node in different way?
LuxBlend 2.2 with Blender 2.79b

Thank you
cubek
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Egert_Kanep
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by Egert_Kanep »

Did you refresh render view when connecting pointer? it does not trigger update unless you change some parameters
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B.Y.O.B.
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by B.Y.O.B. »

I can reproduce it.

However, I'm not sure if it's worth fixing this. This is a use case that never makes sense as far as I can see, or am I wrong?
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Egert_Kanep
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by Egert_Kanep »

I sometimes use pointers to mix materials, keeps node editor clean. Actually I have started to use this more and more so automatic update would be good to have.
cubek
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by cubek »

Hi
@Egert_Kanep
Yes, I've checked that at early steps of troubleshooting. I see that behavior in material preview window (no matter what geometry I select), in viewport with rendered style (CPU and GPU) and also on final render.

@B.Y.O.B.
I use Pointers when I have few geometries with the same materials. It is bit easier for me to control material at one place at once, then modify it in every place I've used it. As for now I use as workaround a Mix Material between Pointer and Output (or just copy&paste with tweaking in every place).
I know that I could just select from material list right one and replace it, but in that way I loose original naming which is quite important to me and therefore I prefer to use Pointer to material I've defined earlier.

Thanx
cubek
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by B.Y.O.B. »

cubek wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:06 pm know that I could just select from material list right one and replace it, but in that way I loose original naming
Why not just name the objects or meshes?
cubek
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by cubek »

Hi
B.Y.O.B. wrote: Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:12 am Why not just name the objects or meshes?
Objects that I work on are multimaterial ones and therefore naming them after material would be quite difficult. For example I have 3-4 object in scene, each of them with few materials. Material names are generated as follow: Object1_Mat1, Object1_Mat2, Object2_Mat1, and so on. Usually one or two materials are identical for all objects. The only thing that prevents me to just select same material from materials list is that I have to preserve material namings in objects.
Using old style Pointer was handy for me, because I could preserve these names,create material only once in 1st object, use Pointers for same material in other objects. And if needed do corrections only in one place.

thanx
cubek
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B.Y.O.B.
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by B.Y.O.B. »

I fear you'll have to find a workaround (or fix the problem yourself), because you are most likely the only user in the world who needs this usecase ;)
wasd
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by wasd »

B.Y.O.B. wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 8:48 pm I can reproduce it.

However, I'm not sure if it's worth fixing this. This is a use case that never makes sense as far as I can see, or am I wrong?
Black hole in place of material makes even less sence. What is its purpose? Is there any reason for this? If not I think that should be fixed.
It's counter-intuitive and just lame.
Also that's my use case too.
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Egert_Kanep
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Re: Material Pointer behavior in LuxBlend 2.2

Post by Egert_Kanep »

Tweaking volumes and pointer node not updating is pretty frustrating to be honest. Because for volumes I don't really see another way than using pointers.

Edit. If I check now they seem to update, but I think a saw a couple of situation where it did not update, I'll try to pinpoint those
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