Content Browser Introduction The content browser is a great place to find and store materials, models and other assets that can help streamline your creative process. The Presets listing found within the Content Browser is a treasure chest of models, expressions, materials and scenes that can help you reverse engineer how assets are composed or even help you create your own masterpiece. Assets in the Content Browser will vary depending on the version of CINEMA 4D.
Layer Browser CINEMA 4D: The Artist’s Project Sourcebook, Third Edition As with most graphics programs, layers can be an excellent way to organize and arrange elements within a file or scene. In CINEMA 4D, you have a lot of options as to how layers are displayed in the editor and renderer. In this quick exercise, we will look at the basics of using layers within C4D. Open the Layer_Browser_Start.c4d file in the DVD_Support_Files folder on the DVD. Step 1 You can access the Layer Browser in three ways. The first option is to choose Window>Layer Browser.
Step 2 You can also click on the large rounded rectangle to the right of an object in the Objects Manager. Click on the rounded rectangle to the right of the Light at the top and choose, Add to New Layer
Step 3 The third option is to click on the drop-down arrow to the right of the Layer field in the Basic tab of the Attributes Manager. Select the Floor object and choose Add to Layer to drop into the existing Layer 1.
Step 4 Introduction Now, add both of the lights to this layer by clicking on their Layer buttons
Step 5 Click on one of the Layer buttons to the right of a parametric object in the scene and create a new layer.
Step 6 Figure Layer_Browser_05 Open the Layer Browser, rename Layer 1, Scene Elements and rename Layer 2, Objects. Click on the S column for the Objects layer and you’ll see that all of the objects not on this layer will disappear from both the Viewport and Object Manager. This is called the Solo Column.
Preferences
The Preferences within CINEMA 4D are extremely customizable. From the level of Undos and memory allowed, to color scheme and units of measure, the Preferences panel gives you the flexibility to optimize C4D for your workflow. One of the first things you may be interested in doing is raising the level of Undos. Press CMD+E Cntrl + E (PC) or go to Edit>Preferences. Scroll down to the Memory settings and raise the Document Undo Depth to a value suitable for the type of scene you are working on. If you are doing heavy modeling, I suggest this number be at least 50 and you may wish to take it up toward 100. Notice that there is a separate Undo for BodyPaint textures which is crucial when texture painting. It would probably be sufficient to set this number equal to that of your typical Photoshop Undo level. Again, I recommend this number be set no less than 50.