Material Manager Pro

Introduction

Material Manager Pro is a powerful Blender add-on designed to simplify and optimize your material workflow. Whether you're working on architectural visualizations, game assets, or general 3D projects, this tool provides an efficient solution for managing, replacing, and assigning materials across multiple objects.

Key Benefits

• Batch material operations that save hours of manual work.
• Intelligent handling of parent-child relationships.
• Quick access to common material properties.
• Smart cleanup tools for organizing materials.
• User-friendly interface seamlessly integrated into Blender's UI.

Compatibility:
Material Manager works with Blender 4.2 and above, utilizing modern Blender features for optimal performance.

Location

After installation:
Find the "Material Manager Pro" tab in the 3D View's sidebar (press N).

Main Features

1. Material Cleanup Tools

• Remove Unused: Deletes unused materials from the scene.
• Merge Duplicates: Combines duplicate materials with the same base name (e.g., Material.001, Material.002).

2. Batch Replace Materials

• Original Material: Select the material to be replaced.
• Replace With: Choose the target material.
• Replace Material: Execute the replacement.

Options:

• Override: Completely replaces and deletes the original material.
• Edit: Toggle quick edit mode.
• Children: Applies operations to all child mesh objects.

3. Batch Assign Materials

• Select Material: Choose the material to assign.
• Assign to Selected: Apply the selected material to chosen objects.

Children Option:

When checked, materials are automatically applied to all child mesh objects.

4. Material List

• Displays all materials in the scene.
• Each material entry includes:
  • Preview Icon: Visual representation of the material.
  • Material Name: Clickable for quick assignment.
  • Delete Button: Removes specific materials.

5. Quick Edit Mode

• Enable Edit: Check the "Edit" option in the interface.
• Edit Properties:
  • Base Color
  • Metallic
  • Roughness
  • Alpha
  • Node Connection Information

6. New Material Creation

• Click the "New Material" button to create a new material.

Usage Tips

Batch Replacing Materials

1. Select the material to replace in "Original Material."
2. Choose the target material in "Replace With."
3. Decide if Override Mode is required.
4. Click "Replace Material" to execute.

Batch Assigning Materials

1. Select target objects.
2. Check "Children" to process child objects.
3. Assign Materials:
   • Option 1: Choose material in "Select Material" and click "Assign to Selected."
   • Option 2: Directly click a material name in the Material List.

Material Cleanup

1. Use "Remove Unused" to delete unused materials.
2. Use "Merge Duplicates" to combine duplicate materials.
3. Remove specific materials using the delete button (X) in the Material List.
4. Use Quick Edit Mode to adjust material properties.

Quick Edit Materials

1. Check the "Edit" option.
2. Click a material name in the list.
3. Adjust material properties in the popup dialog.

Important Notes

• Override Mode deletes original materials permanently.
• Backup your file before performing batch operations.
• Processing many objects may take time.
• Some operations cannot be undone—proceed with caution.

Best Practices

1. Start by cleaning up your material library.
2. Create new materials as needed.
3. Use batch tools for efficient material processing.
4. Fine-tune material properties with Quick Edit Mode.

Technical Requirements

• Blender 4.2 or higher.
• Sufficient system memory for large-scale operations.
• A graphics card that supports material previews.

Troubleshooting

• If materials aren't applying:
  • Verify object selection.
  • Ensure materials have proper node setups.
  • Check the "Children" option for hierarchy-related operations.
  • Confirm that materials are not locked or protected.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• N: Toggle sidebar visibility.
• Quick access to tools via material list clicks.
• Use standard Blender undo/redo for supported operations.

Additional Tips

• Use Override Mode for complete material replacement.
• Organize materials before batch operations.
• Monitor system resources during large operations.
• Regularly save your project during batch processes.

Support

• Refer to Blender documentation for basic material concepts.
• Report issues through the add-on's official support channels.
• Keep the add-on updated for the best performance.

This guide outlines the key features and workflows of the Material Manager Pro add-on. For advanced queries, consult detailed documentation or reach out to the support team.