Applying and mapping textures
Texture resources can be applied to a selected object, to objects assigned to a class, or to a material (and therefore to objects that use the material). Mapping specifies how a texture is applied to an object; different types of objects require different mapping types.
2D objects cannot have a texture applied; in this case, the Render tab of the Object Info palette displays the message "Cannot apply texture to object.”
There are multiple different ways to apply and map textures, depending on the object type and whether you want to apply a texture overall or to only specific faces or parts.
Decals are special textures that are applied over other textures. They are created from imported images or existing texture resources. Apply a decal from the Render tab of the Object Info palette; see Creating decal textures.
Applying texture to objects
Apply textures to 3D objects, such as solids, NURBS surfaces, meshes, 3D polygons, and so on, by doing one of the following:
Directly apply a texture to a supported object overall or to specific faces of a supported object with the Texture tool; see Applying textures to objects and faces using the Texture tool.
Apply a texture to a supported object overall or to specific faces of a supported object by applying a texture from the Resource Manager. Select the object, and then right-click on the resource, and select Apply from the context menu, or double-click the resource, to activate it; the Texture tool is automatically activated.
Drag and drop a texture onto an object from the Resource Manager. To apply the texture only to a particular face, press the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) while dragging the texture to the face. To replace the same current texture on multiple faces, press the Ctrl+Shift keys (Windows) or Cmd+Shift keys (Mac) while dragging the texture to one of the faces with the texture to replace.
Enter object editing mode to apply a texture to a supported object or face that makes up a 3D symbol; see Applying textures to symbols.
Use the Texture tool to apply a texture to all supported objects in a group; see Applying textures to objects and faces using the Texture tool. To apply a texture to only some of the supported objects in the group, or to individual faces of supported objects in the group, enter object editing mode and then use the Texture tool; see Object editing mode.
Replace the texture on an object or faces of an object on the Object Info palette Render tab; see Managing object textures from the Object Info palette and Textures on 3D objects.
You cannot use the Object Info palette to apply textures to faces that do not already have an individual texture applied; use the Texture tool to apply textures to individual faces. Once textured, these faces display in the Texture browser, where they can be edited.
Apply a texture to an object by class; see Concept: Applying textures by class.
Assign a texture to a material resource; the texture is applied to all objects that use that material; see Creating materials.
Apply textures to some objects with components, such as walls, roofs, slabs, and hardscapes, by doing one of the following:
Apply a texture to the components of objects such as walls and hardscapes, when defining the components (Design Suite required). See the help for the creation of those objects. These component textures can be viewed and, when not set by style, edited from the Object Info palette. See Managing object textures from the Object Info palette and Textures on objects with components.
Apply a texture to a part of objects, such as walls and hardscapes, when setting the object preferences (Design Suite required) or from the Render tab of the Object Info palette. See the help for the creation of those objects, and Managing object textures from the Object Info palette and Textures on objects with components.
Apply a texture to an object by class; see Concept: Applying textures by class.
Assign a texture to a material resource; the texture is applied to all objects that use that material; see Using materials.
Mapping textures on objects
When you select a textureable object, the Render tab of the Object Info palette displays the currently assigned textures, along with controls to change a texture and adjust the texture mapping to achieve various visual effects. See Managing object textures from the Object Info palette
For some objects and mapping types, you can use the Attribute Mapping tool to adjust the texture mapping directly; see Direct texture mapping.
