Overriding Look File Material Attributes

When a Katana look file is assigned to a location, the details of where to find the look file are stored, not the contents of the look file itself. To retrieve the actual contents, a LookFileResolve or LookFileManager node is needed. These nodes enable you to select a pass, stored within the Katana look file, and retrieve the scene graph locations for that pass.

While this behavior has a number of advantages, scene specific overrides need access to the information within the look file. To make scene specific changes you bring in a look file’s materials and then change those material locations. This is achieved with either the LookFileOverrideEnable or the LookFileManager nodes. For details on overriding with the LookFileManager node, see Overriding Look Files.

To override a look file material using the LookFileOverrideEnable node:

1.

Create a LookFileOverrideEnable node and connect it to the recipe.

The LookFileOverrideEnable node should be connected at some point downstream of a LookFileAssign node but before the look file is resolved.

2.

Select the LookFileOverrideEnable node and press Alt+E.

The LookFileOverrideEnable node becomes editable within the Parameters tab.

3.

Enter the name of the look file to override in the lookfile parameter.

4.

Enter the look file’s pass name to use in the passName parameter.

The materials within the look file are brought into the recipe and can be overridden.

5.

Edit the material as needed. See Editing a Material for further details.