Textures Tab Page

Use

You can use this tab page to define, and select the folders through which SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author searches for associated texture map images when opening 3D files. It is also used to define how the application loads graphics files.

SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author searches for the maps through the directories in the following order:

  1. The current directory of the map.

  2. All folders relative to the current directory if a map has a relative path in the 3D file.

  3. If an absolute path is contained within a map, the folder is defined within the absolute path.

  4. Any user-defined folder paths and sub-folders listed in the Textures tab page. Search paths are selected by default when added to the search paths list. You can clear the search path check boxes to prevent searching through the related paths.

You can also define search paths as recursive. This prompts the application to search through all sub-folders of the related search path when searching for texture maps.

Features

Fields and Checkboxes

Functional Description

Search Paths

Used to view and select the search paths through which the application searches for texture maps.

  • Folder Path and Name: Selects and clears the search paths.

  • Sub-folders: Used to define the path as Recursive (search through all sub-folders relating to the path).

Bilinear Filtering

Removes the pixel artifacting. That is, stray pixels of a contrasting color seen when you view a texture map closely. The use of bilinear filtering reduces the display performance on some graphics cards.

Perspective Correction

Applies a correction to the perspective of the 3D file. This option affects the rendering method of textured surfaces and although scene rendering is slower, the display of textured surfaces improves.

Use Alpha Channel in 32 bpp Images

Applies 32 bits per pixel with alpha channel to files. Alpha channel can be used only by some file types, for example, Quake 3.

Reload Texture on File Change

Saves textures painted in a 2D graphics editor such as Adobe Photoshop, so they are automatically reloaded when switching back to the application.

Maximum Texture Resolution

Used to select the maximum resolution of textures while rendering in Solid render mode. The higher the setting, the better your textures appear, however, the time taken to refresh the scene may increase slightly.

Activities

Adding a User-Defined Search Path

Choose Add, browse for the folder you require, choose OK and restart SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author. The folder path and name is displayed in the search paths list.

Enabling and Disabling Searching Through Path Sub-Folders

Do one of the following:

  • Double-click a Sub-folders column cell to enable searching. The path is defined as Recursive.

  • Double-click in a Sub-folders column cell that is defined as Recursive to disable searching.