Make Unique (Compact Material Editor)

Make Unique makes a map instance into a unique copy. It also makes an instanced sub-material into a unique, standalone sub-material. It gives the sub-material a new material name. A sub-material is a material within a Multi/Sub-Object material.

• (Material Editor): Compact > (Make Unique)
• (Slate Material Editor: Right-click a material node: RIght-click menu > Make Unique > Make Unique)
• (Slate Material Editor: Right-click a map node: Right-click menu > Make Unique)
• (Slate Material Editor: Right-click a wire: Make Branch Unique or Make Node Unique)

Using Make Unique prevents changes to the top-level material instance from affecting the sub-material instance within the Multi/Sub-Object material.

You can also use Make Unique at the map level, when a map is instanced to different components of the same material.

Note: If you drag an instanced map to a Material Editor sample slot, the Make Unique button will not be available, because it is not clear from the context what it would be unique relative to. Instead, you need to bring one of the parent maps or materials into the Material Editor, browse down into the map, and then make the map unique relative to that parent.

Procedures

Example: Create an instanced sub-material:

1. Create a box and a sphere.
2. Open the Compact Material Editor.
3. Choose a sample slot, click the Material Type button, choose Multi/Sub-Object in the Material/Map Browser, and then click OK.
4. Select the box, and then apply the new Multi/Sub-Object material to it.
5. Drag one of the Sub-Material buttons from the Material Editor to the sphere.
6. Choose a different sample slot, and use (Pick Material From Object) to get the sub-material applied to the sphere.

   At this point, the material applied to the sphere and the sub-material are instances of each other.

7. Go to the parameters for the instanced sub-material by clicking its Sub-Material button.
8. (Make Unique) is now available. Click it to make the sub-material unique again, and assign it a new material name.

   Make Unique is not available for the top-level instance of the sub-material.