Making Changes to AutoCAD Architecture Materials

AutoCAD Architecture (formerly Architectural Desktop) object components frequently appear in 3ds Max carrying rendering material assignments that were made in AutoCAD Architecture. You can use these materials, adjust them, or replace them with new rendering materials for use in 3ds Max.

If you modify or replace the materials in 3ds Max, or if they change in the linked AutoCAD Architecture drawing, you can choose either to retain the current material in 3ds Max or else to revise the material assigned in 3ds Max with the current material in AutoCAD Architecture when you use the File Link Manager to reload the linked drawing.

NoteWhen 3ds Max encounters additional material references among xref files that use a material name that is already in use, it compares the properties of the two material definitions in an attempt to determine whether they really represent identical materials. If the two materials appear to be the same material being used in different drawings, 3ds Max will use only one of the material definitions for all objects assigned either material. But if 3ds Max determines that this is merely a naming conflict between two different materials, it will slightly modify the name of one of the materials and keep the materials and their assignments distinct.

Legacy Materials in AutoCAD Architecture

Longtime users of AutoCAD may be familiar with an older form of material creation and assignment associated with the RMAT command in AutoCAD that is still present in AutoCAD Architecture. Materials developed in this way can be viewed in AutoCAD Architecture and rendered with the legacy AutoCAD renderer. Any assignments of these materials to geometry in AutoCAD Architecture that is made through the RMAT command or its Material dialog in AutoCAD Architecture will be ignored in 3ds Max.

In theory, RMAT materials could be assigned to AutoCAD Architecture objects (not AutoCAD objects) by incorporating them into AutoCAD Architecture material definitions, and using these material definitions in edits to AutoCAD Architecture styles or object overrides. Materials created and assigned in this way would appear in 3ds Max assigned to the linked AutoCAD Architecture objects. However, this practice is not recommended because the native 3ds Max Architectural materials have more complete information on the surface characteristics of objects, and are easier to create and share. In other words, you work faster, share easier, and get better results using native 3ds Max rendering materials in both AutoCAD Architecture and 3ds Max.