Mapping Patterns and Textures

In Chief Architect, materials have two attributes that determine what they look like in 3D views: patterns and textures.

Patterns and textures are assigned origins, which determine where the pattern or texture begins on an X/Y axis. By default, this origin is 0,0.

Depending on the placement of a particular object relative to this origin, a material applied to it may not look right in 3D. You can address this by specifying a new origin for the material's pattern and/or texture.

The origin for patterns can be set on the Pattern tab of the Define Material dialog. The origin for textures can be set on the Texture tab of the Define Material dialog. See "Define Material Dialog".

A texture or pattern origin is a property of the material and not of the object the material is assigned to. When an object is moved, the pattern or texture maintains its absolute position and may not look right. It is a good idea to assign pattern or texture origins only after the position of the object has been finalized.

If you have multiple objects using the same material, they all share the same origin. Duplicate materials can be created if you want different origins specified for the same texture or pattern.

Determining the Origin

Before a new origin can be specified, the display of coordinates in the status bar should be enabled. See "The Status Bar".

To determine origin coordinates on the horizontal plane, place your cursor over the origin location in floor plan view. When the pointer is in the position you want to establish as the material origin, take note of the coordinates that display in the Status Bar.

To determine origin coordinates on the vertical plane, place your cursor over the origin location in a cross section/elevation view.

Once you have taken note of the new origin coordinates, enter them on either the Pattern or Texture tab of the Define Material dialog. See "Pattern Tab" and "Texture Tab".