A couple of newbe question if i may

[jack pepsi]

Hello all, its good to be here.

My first quick question is. a few years a go i had a trial version of keyshot, i found a command where i could once i had assigned materials to a job, save these materials  so if i was to start a new version of the model that had the same individual model numbers i could use the saved file to repopulate the model with the corresponding materials previously picked in an earlier version of the model, so i wouldn't have to go through all the assigning material process again. Now i finally purchased keyshot (2 years later) i cant for the life of me remember where and how i do this?
second quick question is, when i assigned a material to my model, later i realised there were other parts that need the same, i couldn't find a list of materials i had used already so had to go hunting for the same material in the main menus which can be a pain. Is there a place where all the materials I've already used in the model are kept so i ensure i can quickly and easily find the same.
Last quick question. as i'm new, what are or where are the best places to go for easy to follow  tutorial.
Sorry for all the question, hope its OK.

Thanks in advance, Jack

[Anindo Ghosh]

1. Materials saved for reuse: After applying materials to a model, you can "Add model to library from scene" from the Models tab of the Library panel. Next time you need that set of materials, drag that saved model into your scene.
2. List of materials used in a scene: In Preferences, you can enable that feature, see the screenshot.

[jack pepsi]

Thanks for  your quick response, unfortunately i'm not sure i explained it that clearly. i did what you suggested and added the model to the library, i opened the same model again in a brand new window, then added the saved model as you suggest, all it did was add that model to the scene, not add the materials to the new model even though all the parts numbers are the same. what i'm looking for and i know its possible(or it was) i import my model into the scene, i then assign materials to it. Because i work in a R&D facility, inevitably things will change. so when the changes have been made i then have to start again, put my model in a new scene and go through the process of assigning materials again
i found a way of saving the file of which material was applied to what part number (not the model just the information that says what material is assigned to what part number) so when i put the updated modal in i could apply the saved file that would then look for the numbers used in the saved file and if they matched, then that material would be assigned to the new model. but as i said this was a few years ago and cant remember how to do it.

As for the second point, that box is ticked but i don't see anywhere that just has the materials I've assigned to the model anywhere?

Sorry if its write in front of me but cant see it.

Jack

[mattjgerard]

If you are replacing the geometry there are a couple of ways to keep your materials-
1) drag the new model into the project and select UPDATE GEOMETRY, this only works if the model structure and naming is exactly the same
https://manual.keyshot.com/keyshot11/manual/models-tab/import/

2) use Live Link between your source application and KS. This only works if you have both apps open at the same time, and the structure of the scene stays the same. You can add things, but you can't move/change the names of already existing geometry. It works, but is sort of fragile. I use it with C4D, and I have to be VERY careful with stuff.
https://manual.keyshot.com/keyshot11/manual/models-tab/keyshot-plugins/livelinking/

If you are just wanting to save materials out, you can save a single material preset to your library for use later, https://manual.keyshot.com/keyshot11/manual/user-interface/project-window/material-tab/
or build a multi material if you want to have several different options to pick form of a single base material (very helpful for colors/finishes) https://manual.keyshot.com/keyshot11/manual/materials/multi-materials/

[Anindo Ghosh]

i opened the same model again in a brand new window, then added the saved model as you suggest

This won't work, it is a sequencing logic problem: KeyShot has no way of determining which materials from the scene are supposed to be replaced with materials from the "saved" model, and it would be imprudent to replace materials that the user might have spent time fine-tuning, with something from the model that is being added next.

Your use-case is familiar: If your CAD model changes, instead of creating a new scene, simply add the updated CAD file to the work-in-progress scene. If all part names and part hierarchies remain the same, "update geometry" is viable, but even otherwise, the "added to scene" model will pick up (most of) the materials from the identically named objects of the previous CAD model. Once that is done, you can hide-and-lock the older model in the scene. Once satisfied that you've picked up all the relevant materials, unlock and delete the old version model from the scene.

The materials of the current scene are listed in: Project panel, Materials tab, then below the triple-dot marked in the attached screenshot. You may have to drag that triple-dot upward to reveal the materials list.

[jack pepsi]

Sorry for the late response (been away) thanks for your answers, its very much appreciated.

[ieatfish]

Could you be referring to material templates?

https://manual.keyshot.com/manual/tools-3/material-templates/