Newbie Q: Why can't we use Color by Layer and add the textures from Materials?

Preface I started SU last week and I can’t find the explanation for this anywhere:

I’m really just trying to understand why SU won’t allow the user in Color by Layer mode to also utilize Materials. I have a building within a site plan and I want to add a roof texture. Do I have to use an image just to achieve this effect? Why?

Thanks so much,
Sophee

Works fine for me. (EDIT) No, it doesn’t, see next post.

I think you have the current rendering style set to “Shaded”.

You’ll need to set it to “Shaded with Textures”.
View (menu) > Face Style (submenu) > Shaded with Textures

It easy to switch rendering styles using the “Styles” toolbar.
View (menu) > Toolbars… (dialog) > check “Styles” in the toolbar list.
Exit the dialog.
Then position or dock the toolbar where you choose.

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Oh I see what you mean. Yes you must use a texture file (for Color By Layer.). It is just the way the Layer objects are programmed.

If you want to use a material, then group the roof surfaces into one group. Then paint the group with a roofing material. The faces of the roof group will all be displayed with their parent’s material, unless you specifically paint them with their “own” individual material.

And,… “Color by Layer” is not really needed for material rendering.

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Sophee,

You can attach materials to the layer and use them in combination with color by layer. With our Skalp for SketchUp extensions we even misuse this function to get a nice black and with image with only our section fully colored hatched.

on mac:

on windows:

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