Save file textures to Ptex maps in XGen

You can save a texture or image file to a Ptex map, and then use the map to assign the texture or image to a Description. When you preview the Description, the primitives use the color values from the texture based on their location on the geometry's surface.

To see the texture color values in your rendered Description, you must connect an xgen_ptex_lookup node to a color channel of your XGen hair shader. See Assign Ptex-based textures to Descriptions.

1. In the XGen Editor, click the Preview/Output tab.
2. In the Preview Settings section, click the icon beside Primitive Color.
3. In the menu that appears, select Create Map.
4. Set the options in the Create Map window.
   • Type a Map Name.
   • Set Map Resolution to a value of 30 or greater.
   • Set Start Color to White or Based on attribute.
   • Click Create.
   This creates a new file node in the XGen shading network.
5. In the Hypershade, select the file node.
6. In the File node Attribute Editor, browse to the image or texture file you want to save to the Ptex map.
7. Before exiting the 3D Paint Tool, click the icon beside Primitive Color to save the Ptex map with the image or texture.
8. Preview the Description.

   The previewed primitives display with the textures's colors.

Related topics

• Control hair color with ramp 2D textures
• Color hair root and tip
• Create seExpr expressions for materials and shaders