Shader Kit 2.1

Installation

Compatibility

Maya	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Python	2.7	3.x
		✓

How to install

1. Extract the RS_Assets folder from the RS_Assets.zip

2. Extract RS_Shader_Kit.pyc from RS_Shader_Kit_MAYAVERSION.zip (depending on your Maya Version)

3. Copy RS_Shader_Kit.pyc or RS_Shader_Kit.py (Studio Version) and the RS_Assets folder to:

   Attention

   If an RS_Assets folder already exists in the location below, please copy the RS_Shader_Kit folder (from inside the extracted RS_Assets folder) and paste it into the RS_Assets folder in the location below.

   WindowsLinuxMac

   \Users\USERNAME\Documents\maya\MAYAVERSION\prefs\scripts
   

   $HOME/maya/MAYAVERSION/prefs/scripts
   

   $HOME/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/MAYAVERSION/prefs/scripts
   

4. Launch / Restart Maya

5. In Maya, open a Python Tab in the Script Editor and execute :

   Attention

   Please make sure that there are no Space characters in front of each code line.

   Maya 2022 & above

   from importlib import reload
   import RS_Shader_Kit
   reload(RS_Shader_Kit)
   RS_Shader_Kit.MainClass_ShaderKit.show_shaKi_dialog()
   

   Maintain settings during a Maya instance

   The code above will load a new instance of the tool every time it is executed. To maintain the settings during a Maya session, even if the tool is closed, use the code below:

   import RS_Shader_Kit
   RS_Shader_Kit.MainClass_ShaderKit.show_shaKi_dialog()
   

Environment Variables

1. To set and use a custom folder location, please open the Maya.env file.

   The Maya.env file is located here

   WindowsLinuxMac

   \Users\USERNAME\Documents\maya\MAYAVERSION
   

   $HOME/maya/MAYAVERSION
   

   $HOME/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/MAYAVERSION
   

2. Add the following lines to the Maya.env file:

   MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH = path\to\your\custom\script\folder
   PYTHONPATH = path\to\your\custom\script\folder
   RS_TOOLS_PATH = path\to\your\custom\script\folder
   

   Attention

   1. Replace path\to\your\custom\script\folder with the actual path to your scripts.
   2. Make sure there is no forward slash (/) or backward slash (\) at the end of the path.

Interface Basics

Tool Menu

  Shader Manager / Utilities

  Export / Import - Label or Shader Assignments

  Create Menu settings

  About / Links / Shortcuts / Scale UI

Tool Settings

Indicator

A blue line at the bottom of a button indicates that optional tool settings are available. Also keep an eye on the tooltip indicators: RMB: Settings

How to open?

Open the settings with a RMB ² click.

Position & What settings are open?

1. The settings widget will appear at the bottom of the tool.

2. The background of an icon button turns dark gray to indicate it's settings are currently open.

How to close?

To close the settings page RMB ² click the active button again.

Tooltips

1. Hover over a button until a tooltip shows up.
2. Tooltips include information about available Modifier Alt Ctrl Shift and RMB ² settings options.

Please make sure that tooltips are enabled!

In Maya's main menu go to:

Windows > Settings / Preferences > Preferences > Interface > Help

and check DisplayToolClips under PopupHelp

Expand / Collapse tabs

It is possible to expand or collapse all tabs on an active page.

Expand

Ctrl   click on

Collapse

Alt   click on

Note

A settings page will automatically close when expand or collapse all tabs is used.

Menu Settings

Export / Import

How to use: Export / Import - Label Color Assignments

Info

Exports / Imports all Label Color assignments from or into the Shader List.

1. Export: LMB ¹ click on
2. Import: LMB ¹ + Shift   click on

How to use: Export / Import - Shader Assignments

Info

Exports all Shader assignments from the current Object selection, also includes face assignments.

Upon import reassigns all Shaders to the respective Objects and Faces.

1. Export:   Alt   click on
2. Import:   Alt   + Shift   click on

Create Settings

Info

Choose what Shaders are available within the Create Menu List.

How to use: Create Menu Settings

1. Click on in the tool menu to open the Create Menu Settings window.

   

2. The tool automatically detects what render engines are available.

3. Select the Shaders that you want to have access from within the Create Menu List

   

4. Buttons

   • Save: Saves the selection and updates the Create Menu list
   • Cancel: Discards all changes and closes the window
   • Clear: Unchecks all Shader selections
   • Reset: Checks all Shader to restore the initial state

Saved Create Menu List Settings

The settings selection will be saved as the new default and is available every time you launch the tool.

About Page

Access the About page by clicking on

The page contains information about the tool, web links and options to set up hotkey shortcuts and scale the UI.

Interface - About Page

Create Hotkey Shortcuts

How to: Create Shortcuts

LMB ¹ click on the Create Hotkey Shortcuts button

How to: Open Hotkey Editor

Alt + click on the Create Hotkey Shortcuts button to open Maya's hotkey editor.

Info

You can also access the Hotkey Editor under Windows > Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor

Scale UI

1. Open About Page
2. Choose a UI scale size in the drop-down menu: 100%, 125%, 150%, 200%
3. Click the Set UI Scale button
4. Close and reload the tool

Supported Render Engines

• Maya (Default)

• Arnold

• Redshift

• VRay

• RenderMan

Note

The tool automatically detects available render engines.

Shader Manager

Interface: Manager

List

How to use

1. LMB ¹ click :

   1. When list is empty: Function will list all scene Shaders
   2. When list is not empty: Function will update the list by adding new Shaders and remove those, that no longer exist

2.   Alt   click : Sorts current list by name

3.   Ctrl   click : Sorts current list by label color

4. RMB ² click : Open settings

Settings

How to use: Search by name

1. Enter a search string and press the   Enter   key to activate the naming filter

Attention

When a filter is active several functions like Renaming, using the List or Create Button etc. are not available until the filter is cleared.

1. To undo the filter, click on the magnifying glass to the left of the search string.

How to use: Assign Label

1. Select one or multiple shaders from the list
2. Click on a label color to assign the label

List Operations

How to use: Select a Shader in the List

1. LMB ¹ click: Select on one or multiple list items to select a Shader

How to use: Delete Shader

1.   Del  : Delete selected Shader

How to use: Move Items

1. Up Arrow ( ↑ ) key: to move Shader upwards in the list
2. Down Arrow ( ↓ ) key: to move Shader downwards in the list

How to use: Resize Shader List

1. Extend list size vertically:   Alt   click the Manager Header to extend the list
2. Shrink list size vertically:   Ctrl   click the Manager Header to shrink the list
3. Extend list size horizontally: LMB ¹ click / hold the window border and drag it to the desired size

How to use: Select Obects

1. Select one Shader from the list
2. Press the O (as in Object) Key

Note

Select objects to limit the search scope.

Warning

The Shader Kit tool needs to have Focus, for the button press to work.

How to use: Select Faces

1. Select one Shader from the list
2. Press the F Key

Note

Select objects to limit the search scope.

Warning

The Shader Kit tool needs to have Focus, for the button press to work.

Filter By Label

How to use

1. LMB ¹ click on a label color to filter the list for Shaders that have the same label color assigned
2. To undo the filter, LMB ¹ click again on a label color

Attention

When a filter is active several functions like Renaming, using the List or Create Button etc. are not available until the filter is cleared.

Create

How to use: Create a Shader

1. RMB ² click to open the settings
2. Select one or multiple Shaders from the Create List
3. LMB ¹ click to create the selected Shaders

How to use: Duplicate a Shader

1. Select one or multiple Shader from the Shader List
2.   Alt   click to create duplicates

Settings

Assign

How to use: Assign Shader to Objects

1. Select one or multiple Object(s)
2. Select one Shader from the Shader list
3. LMB ¹ click to assign the Shader

How to use: Assign Shader to Faces

1. Select one or multiple Face(s)
2. Select one Shader from the Shader list
3.   Alt   click to assign the Shader

How to use: Randomly Assign Shader to objects

1. Select multiple Objects
2. Select multiple Shader from the Shader list
3.   Ctrl   click to randomly assign Shaders

Select

How to use: Select

1. LMB: All Assignments
   1. Select a Shader from the Shader List
   2. LMB ¹ click to select all assignments in the scene
2. ALT: From Face Sample - Select all matching faces on the current object
   1. Select a single Face on an Object
   2.   Alt   click to select all faces on the current object that have the Shader assigned
3. CTRL: Select Objects with the same Shader:
   1. Select an Object
   2.   Ctrl   click to select all objects with the same Shader assigned to them
4. SHIFT: Select Shader from current Object:
   1. Select one object
   2.   Shift   click to select the object's Shader within the Shader list

Utilities

Interface: Utilities

Fix Prefixes / Shading Groups

Automatically correct Shading Group names and / or remove pasted__ or exported__ Shader name prefixes.

How to use

1. RMB ² click to open the settings
2. Choose a scope: Selection or Scene
   1. If you choose Selection: Select one or multiple Shader from the Shader list
3. Fix:
   1. LMB ¹ click to fix Shading Groups
   2.   Alt   click to fix Prefixes

Reassign Shader

Automatically reassigns all Shaders to fix accidental assignments to polygon faces.

How to use

1. For selection:
   1. Select one or multiple Objects
   2. LMB ¹ click to reassign Shader
2. Entire scene:
   1.   Alt   click to reassign the Shader of all objects within the scene

Material ID

Creates 9 Material ID Shader, each with a unique color.

ID Colors

Colors: Blue, Cyan, Green, Magenta, Orange, Purple, Red, Turquoise, Yellow

How to use

1. Create Lambert ID Shader:
   1. LMB ¹ click
2. Create Surface ID Shader:
   1.   Alt   click
3. Delete ID Shader:
   1.   Shift   click

Delete Unused Nodes

Deletes all unused shading nodes in your scene.

How to use

1. LMB ¹ click

Graph Materials

Graph the shading networks

How to use

1. Open the Hypershade Editor
2. Graph Material from selected Objects:
   1. Select one or multiple objects
   2. LMB ¹ click to graph the shading networks
3. Add selected list item to graph:
   1. Select one or multiple Shader from the Shader List
   2.   Alt   click
4. Remove selected nodes / list items from the Graph:
   1. Select one or multiple nodes and / or Shader list items
   2.   Ctrl   click
5. Show Input and Output connection of selected Nodes:
   1. Select one or multiple nodes
   2.   Shift   click

Footnotes

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1. LMB - Left Mouse Button ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

2. RMB - Right Mouse Button ↩↩↩↩↩↩