Topic: C3D - Pasting Surfaces

[Guest]

I've been messing around with some surfaces a co-worker created (EG, FG, FG-Roadway) and was wondering:  If I pasted EG and FG together to get a composite surface of the existing grades/finish grades and then pasted in the finish grade roadway surface, can I keep the render materials for each surface separate?  In other words, I would have a single surface with multiple materials mapped to it: grass for unpaved areas and a pavement material for roadways.

Just curious if it can be done (from what I've seen the answer is NO).

[mjfarrell]

you will probably be happier with render masks
and not pasting them together

[Guest]

you will probably be happier with render masks
and not pasting them together

Never heard of them...  I'll go take a peek!

[mjfarrell]

surface definition masks

[Guest]

surface definition masks

Already found it.... reading about it..... gonna try something sometime.   

[scout]

If I pasted EG and FG together to get a composite surface of the existing grades/finish grades and then pasted in the finish grade roadway surface, can I keep the render materials for each surface separate?  In other words, I would have a single surface with multiple materials mapped to it: grass for unpaved areas and a pavement material for roadways.

It's a pity- it _used_ to stick. If you assigned render materials to surfaces, then pasted, they would keep their assigned materials. Apparently this was one of those "happy accidents" and now it works "as designed". Kinda like referencing expressions. 

Everything Michael suggested works. Another idea is to "cut holes" in your EG so that it doesn't visually block your FGs. If I do this technique, I will save a render only copy of the drawing, which kinda stinks because now you've lost the dynamic aspect. So masks would be the way to go if you want to keep everything tied together. I just have mixed results with masks, personally. Likely an issue between the seat and the keyboard.