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Shader Kit 2.0#

Installation#

Compatibility#

Maya 2019 2020 2022 2023 2024 2025
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

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.

    \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.

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

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    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:

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    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

    \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#

Screenshot   Shader Manager / Utilities

Screenshot   Save / Load Shader lists

Screenshot   Create Menu settings

Screenshot   About / Links / Shortcuts

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

Screenshot

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.

Screenshot

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.

Screenshot

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 Screenshot

Collapse

Alt   click on Screenshot

Note

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

Keyboard Shortcuts#

It is possible to control aspects of the tools interface with keyboard shortcuts.

Access pages

1   -   Shader Manager Page

2   -   About Page

3   -   Toggle Tool Menu Visibility

Requirements

The tool needs to have focus, for the shortcuts to work.

Expand / collapse tabs

 Ctrl   +   1   to expand all tabs on the Shader Manager Page

  Alt   +   1   to collapse all tabs on the Shader Manager Page

Attention

This works only on the page that is currently active.

Minimize to main menu

 Alt   +   3 to minimize the tool

Screenshot

Save / Load#

Info

Save and load Shader lists that include assigned labels.

How to use

  1. Save: LMB 1 click on Screenshot
  2. Load: Alt   click on Screenshot

Please note!

This saves the list and the assigned labels. It is not ex- or importing the actual Shaders.

Create Settings#

Info

Choose what Shaders are available within the Create Menu List.

How to use

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

    Screenshot

  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

    Screenshot

  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 Screenshot

The page contains information about the tool, several web links and an option to set up hotkey shortcuts.

Interface - About Page#

Screenshot

Create Hotkey Shortcuts#

Click on the Create Hotkey Shortcuts button to make a Shader Kit launch function available within Maya's hotkey editor.

Screenshot

Info

Access the Hotkey Editor under Windows > Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor

Supported Render Engines#

  • Maya (Default)

  • Arnold

  • Redshift

  • VRay

Note

The tool automatically detects available render engines.

Shader Manager#

Interface: Manager#

Screenshot

List Screenshot#

How to use

  1. LMB 1 click Screenshot:

    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 Screenshot:

    1. Sorts current list by name

  3.   Ctrl   click Screenshot:

    1. Sorts current list by label color

  4. RMB 2 click Screenshot:

    1. Open settings

Settings

Screenshot

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

    Search by name:

    Screenshot

    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.

    Screenshot

  2. Assign a label:

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

    Screenshot

List Operations#

How to use

  1. Select Shader:
    1. LMB 1 click on one or multiple list items to select a Shader
  2. Delete Shader:
    1. Select one or multiple list items and press the   Del   key to delete the Shader(s)

  3. Move Items:

    1. Up: Select one or multiple items and press the Up Arrow ( ↑ ) key to move the Shader upwards in the list

    2. Down: Select one or multiple items and press the Down Arrow ( ↓ ) key to move the Shader downwards in the list

      Screenshot

  4. 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

      Screenshot

Filter By Label#

How to use

  1. LMB 1 click on a label color to apply a filter that only lists Shaders that have the clicked label color assigned
  2. To undo the filter, LMB 1 click again on a label color

Screenshot

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 Screenshot#

How to use

  1. LMB - Create a Shader:
    1. RMB 2 click Screenshot to open the settings
    2. Select one or multiple Shaders from the Create List
    3. LMB 1 click Screenshot to create the selected Shaders Screenshot
  2. ALT - Duplicate a Shader:
    1. Select one or multiple Shader from the Shader List

    2.   Alt   click Screenshot to create duplicates

      Screenshot

Settings

Screenshot

Assign Screenshot#

How to use

  1. LMB - Assign Shader to Objects:
    1. Select one or multiple Object(s)
    2. Select one Shader from the Shader list
    3. LMB 1 click Screenshot to assign the Shader
  2. ALT - Assign Shader to Faces:
    1. Select one or multiple Face(s)
    2. Select one Shader from the Shader list
    3.   Alt   click Screenshot to assign the Shader
  3. CTRL - Randomly Assign Shader to objects:
    1. Select multiple Objects
    2. Select multiple Shader from the Shader list
    3.   Ctrl   click Screenshot to randomly assign Shaders Screenshot

Select Screenshot#

How to use

  1. LMB - Open Attributes
    1. Select a Shader from the Shader List
    2. LMB 1 click Screenshot to open the Shaders attributes
  2. ALT - Select Objects
    1. Select a Shader from the Shader List
    2.   Alt   click Screenshot to select all objects that have the selected Shader assigned
  3. CTRL - Select Objects with the same Shader:
    1. Select an Object
    2.   Ctrl   click Screenshot 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 Screenshot to select the object's Shader within the Shader list

Utilities#

Interface: Utilities#

Screenshot

Fix Prefixes / Shading Groups Screenshot#

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

How to use

  1. RMB 2 click Screenshot 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 Screenshot to fix Shading Groups
    2.   Alt   click Screenshot to fix Prefixes

Reassign Shader Screenshot#

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 Screenshot to reassign Shader
  2. Entire scene:
    1.   Alt   click Screenshot to reassign the Shader of all objects within the scene

Material ID Screenshot#

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

Info

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

How to use

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

Delete Unused Nodes Screenshot#

Deletes all unused shading nodes in your scene.

How to use

  1. LMB 1 click Screenshot

Graph Materials Screenshot#

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 Screenshot 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 Screenshot
  4. Remove selected nodes / list items from the Graph:
    1. Select one or multiple nodes and / or Shader list items
    2.   Ctrl   click Screenshot
  5. Show Input and Output connection of selected Nodes:
    1. Select one or multiple nodes
    2.   Shift   click Screenshot

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

  2. RMB - Right Mouse Button ↩↩↩↩↩↩