Updating Thumbnails for Materials with Rendering Domains

You can update a thumbnail of a material with a rendering domain using the Update Thumbnails to ensure the thumbnail appears in the Search Results window using the Thumbnails or the 3D Thumbnails display mode.

A thumbnail is created when a rendering domain is propagated to the database using FBDI or PLM New. The thumbnails are not automatically created or updated in the following situations:

  • If you propagate modifications to a texture or shader document that is referenced by a rendering domain.
  • If you import an 3D XML file.

The Update Thumbnails function allows you to trigger the thumbnail's creation or update.

Before you begin: The Material Editor must be open with at least one material open in session.
Related Topics
Opening Existing Materials
Saving Materials

  1. Click Update Thumbnails.

    The Update Thumbnails message appears.

    The Update Thumbnails message gives the number of materials and rendering domains open in session or not, their current status, and specifies if a thumbnail will be created or updated. The following list describes the detailed report, including messages and corresponding actions.

    • Number of materials without a rendering domain: No thumbnails are created.
    • Rendering domains that cannot be edited: No update is performed for the associated thumbnails.
    • Rendering domains open in session without thumbnails:Thumbnails are created for these.
    • Rendering domains open in session with thumbnails: The existing thumbnails for rendering domains are updated.
    • Newly created rendering domains: New thumbnails are created.

  2. Click OK.

The thumbnails are automatically updated or created accordingly. You can access a thumbnail for each material in the Search Results window either from the Thumbnails or 3D Thumbnails display mode.