Surface Map Won't Follow Object

[spardacus]

OK, here's another one ...

I have an image I wish to map as a "decal" onto an object. It is a logo image. I have read that using an alpha channel image is not good, as an alpha channel may do funny things in rendering - but that's really not the issue ... yet. I have applied the image map as a texture in my Color channel in my Surface Editor.

http://www.creativeresource.org/lw/surfacemapping.html

The above linked page shows two screen captures ...

Image 1
What I don't understand is why my image map - Planar Projection Mode - won't follow my object. I have noticed that when I clone my object with the applied color, texture, and image map the image map seems locked to the x vertices instead of following my object. When I move my object off the X axis the image map "slides" off the image, staying with the X axis rather than my object.

Image 2
Interestingly, I tried Cubic Projection Mode as well and the image map respects the vertices relative to the face of the object!

How can I get an image map to act as a decal stuck to the chosen plane of an object AND follow the object as is it TRULY is stuck to it?

thanks ...

i am spardacus

[mlinde]

What are your surface/texture editor settings? I just tested this with a PCT mapped to one face of a box, and it stays mapped to that face when I rotate the box or move it.

[toby]

Are you moving the object in Layout or Modeler?

Make sure that "World Coordinates" in the surface editor is NOT checked.

[spardacus]

Thank you both for your involvement ...

http://www.creativeresource.org/lw/crfollowup.html

mlinde ... looking at your settings, I believe I have the same type of settings applied to my image as well. (Image 1)

As ou can see however (Image 2) the image locks on the coordinates rather than the object.

Toby, you make a good point ... I am noticing all this in Modeler. LW appears to handle the object and its surface as one (Image 3) ... which is a good thing. I was hoping to apply a multiple clone to my object in Modeler to control the spatial placement of the resulting copies of the object, rather than having to move each copy in LW (I have several hundred copies of the object to be placed in my scene - moving each one will be time consuming).

Can I do this in LW at the point of making the clone?

Another point ... if you notice, I have a yellow color applied to the object in my surface editor, but the white area of the image map takes over the object's color when it is applied to the object. How can I get my alpha channel created in PhotoShop to isolate the image and leave out the surrounding white?

Seems like the only way to get the object's color to match is to place my image map over the same color break in PhotoShop before bringing it into LW - thereby making a mask or alpha channel useless?

thank you ... thank you very much

i am spardacus

[toby]

Use UV mapping instead of planar before you copy/paste your object. Also try the 'paste' tool under Multiply - it's perfect for this, it will paste wherever you click.

In the texture map palette you can set "Height" and "Width Tile" to Reset, then the base color will show thru.