Talk:Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Simple Vehicle: Some Assembly Required

Appending the File
I tried this, and it worked for everything except for my seat. Nothing happened after I hit Load Library. What could be the problem?

When I tried this, I was unable to move my seat at all. Said that I could not edit the object.

This noob either (A) linked the seat instead of appending it. when selecting the file, look at the bottom for the append/link options and make "Append" selected. (B) selected "Append or Link (Image Browser)" instead of the option above it in the File menu. (C) tried to enter edit mode without making a new instance of the mesh.

In F9(Editing Panel) -> Link and Materials You will see at the top the mesh name "ME: seat" or whatever you called it. To the right there may be a button that makes the mesh data local. Click that if you want to make a copy of the mesh data.

Following the instructions on the above paragraph I was able to append and successfully edit the rocket launcher and the tires of the vehicle. However, for the seats whenever I tried to "copy group" I received a message saying: "can't edit external data". I triple checked the procedures that I followed and the only difference that I noted was that in the seat case a square icon with the "Li" sylab was shown to the right of the Me: SEAT button. This icon was not, for unknown reasons, shown in the tires or the rocket launcher procedures.

When you move the body, the seat will stay in his place. To prevent this you must make the body parent of the other parts. For example the seat: first select the seat, then select the body.(so you have them both selected) Now press (CTRL PKEY) and select make parent. If you move the body, the seat will move with it. if you move the seat, the body won't move.

I try to append the file and instead I get the message "nothing indicated"? PLEASE HELP! I've been doing pretty good so far... Rupoe (talk) 04:56, 26 August 2010 (UTC) I figured it out... That's what I get for not reading the directions...Rupoe (talk) 04:59, 26 August 2010 (UTC)

Rinse and Repeat
I may have done something wrong in the Rocket Launcher tutorial, but when I link to the .blend file each object (launcher, mount, and ball bearing) is listed separately and have to be reassembled in the new file. Any suggestions??

When creating the rocket launcher, stay at Edit Mode while adding the meshes that you will turn into the mount and the ball, this way all 3 objects act as one in Object Mode, and can be appended at once.

Making the windshield transparent
explain in more depth how to make the windshield transparent

if you quit out of this tutorial while staying in that section of the book, there is a section called "every material known to man" (its near the bottom of the tutorial list) and there are several kinds of glass there.

how do you get just the windshield made out of glass?

select the faces you want, press f7, (note: it's f9 for me [2.47])then click add under links and materials. Press f5 then add your glass material

I have 2.4.6, and I don't know how to make just the windshield transparent, everytime I try the whole thing is transparent.

You have to create a new material and assign it to the appropriate faces. In edit mode, select the faces you want (make sure you select both sides of the windshield including: front face, back face, and top face). On the Editing section (F9 in 2.4.7), under Links and Materials, click the 'New' button under Materials then click the 'Assign' button. This assigns the new material to the selected faces. You can then go into the Shading section (F5 in 2.4.7) and adjust the material to be glass. Make sure you are editing the correct material (if you have just the one texture on the jeep, the default name for the new material should be something like "2 Mat 2").

Loseing materials on append
When I append the files, they lose their materials. When I link the files, I can't move or resize them.

I just figured out that my file is glitching. Append should make it possible to move and resize AND it should keep the material.