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can you change the default material on startup?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Just wanted to know if i could change the default material on startup, i’m not a big fan of the red wax and would like to change it to one of the grey captured mats.

Steve 8)

#2

As far as I know there is no way to set the current material at startup through the ZBrush UI or config. The Matcap materials are in the ZData folder but DO NOT (said in the kindest possible way :slight_smile: ) modify anything in the ZData folder.

Instead try using the zplugin below. It will allow you to set the current material at startup. Currently it is set to the Green Roma matcap material.

#3

Thanks TVeyes, that’s fantastic, just the ticket :smiley:

Steve 8)

#4

Do we have to have the material placed somewhere specific?
I’m using a cutom made shader i use for sculpting and i just tried doing this and it asked me if i wanted to make that shader my default on startup. i restarted zbrush and it’s still that matcap green shader. so…do i need to place it somehwere specfic i guess?

#5

For Custom materials you should place them in the ZBrush3/ZStartup/Zmaterials folder and restart ZBrush. You will then be able to use the zplugin to set that material as your startup material.

Edit: But bear in mind that I only created this plugin to change the startup material to one of the other default materials. I need to add some extra code so that there are no problems if you later remove your own materials from ZBrush3/ZStartup/Zmaterials. Check back a little later and I should have a version that will not cause any problems in the above case.

#6

Another way of changing the default material is to save it with a Startup document. See here:
http://209.132.96.165/zbc/showpost.php?p=380471&postcount=3

#7

Haha, well at least it was interesting figuring out how to write this script. Thank you Marcus, seems quite easy to do it that way.

However the script was not all lost. I found an issue with my one PC and the NormalRGBMat material. It crashes outright when that material is selected. Works fine on my laptop.

Just in case anybody found the above script desirable for some reason here is an updated version that takes care of user loaded materials and the NormalRGBMat material.

To install unzip the file to the ZBrush3/ZStartup/Zplugs folder and restart ZBrush. You will then have a new button in ZPlugin > Misc Utilities > Set Startup Material. Simply select your material and press the Set Startup Material button. The next time you start ZBrush that material will be the Current Material. If you have downloaded before simply overwrite the files as per the above instructions.

#8

Thanks for the update TVeyes, i’ll certainly stick with your little plug, i think it’s great.

Steve 8)

#9

i know this post is really old… but this info must be on the wiki

http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Changing_the_Default_Material

thanks for the script

#10

I have been looking for doing this for sometimes in 3.1 and thanks to your script, I am happy…

#11

Hello TVeyes,

Could you please tell me if your plugin “HandleBArStartupMaterial.zip” can be used with ZBrush 3.5 R3?

Many thanks,

Eduardo

#12

Hi,

The startup material zplugin will work fine in 3.5R3, assuming you install it correctly :slight_smile:

Just be aware that the first time you run ZBrush after installing the zplugin it will have selected material #82 (or higher if you have Material presets in the ZStartup/Materials folder). Simply select the material you want to use and press ZPlugin > Misc Utilities > Set Startup Material.

I should have had this and many more zplugins on my website by now. But it is quite true when they say time makes fools of us all.

#13

Thank you, TVeyes, for your promt reply: I will try and, in case of difficulties, I will let you know!..

#14

Awesome plugin. Thanks for this. Very simple to use too.

#15

Finally! Thank you very much TVeyes, your Plug-in worked wonders. For some reason the way suggested by saving a startup document with the matcap drawn onto the canvas just wouldn’t work for me in ZBrush 4R4.

Thanks!:D:cool:

#16

Thank you very much for this.
Have been looking to change the redwax for a long time.
Found this by accident, still works (02/06/15)
Much appreciation

#17

Hi, yes you can, without any plug-in, just go to the menu bar, select the material menu, select your material, and choose “Save as Startup Material”, or if you prefer you can go to the material icon itself select it and when the material palette opens with all the materials you can go down and choose the button that says “Save as Startup Material”, that’s all, hope this helps you.