
4	Color Editor

	The *Color Editor* is the interface you use to edit environment, shader, texture, and light parameters that have a color field in the *Control Window. In This Section: Color Editor Overview* 42 Opening the Color Editor 46 Selecting and Editing Colors 47 Customizing the Color Palettes 49 Color Editor Overview


	The *Color Editor* lets you edit or select a color using several methods: RGB and HSV range fields, color palette, color blending palette, or by grabbing a color from the screen. Title Bar The title bar indicates the active environment, shader, texture, or light name, and the name of the parameter that you are editing. Range Fields The range fields let you edit the current color by entering RGB or HSV values, using either sliders or numeric fields. RGB Range Fields The RGB (Red, Green, Blue) range fields use the standard additive color specification of electronic media. By default, each field has a range of 0 to 255. You can change the range to 0 to 1 (or back to 0 to 255) by clicking the *Range* button. If all fields are set to 0, the color will be black. If all fields are set to the maximum (255 or 1), the color will be white. You can enter values greater than the range maximum (255 or 1) in the numeric field (for example, to create special effects). HSV Range Fields The HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) range fields use the more intuitive tint (Hue), shade (Saturation), and tone (Value or grey scale) color specification. The Hue field has a range from 0 to 359. The Saturation and Value fields have a range from 0 to 1. You can enter values greater than the range maximums in the numeric field. Color Blending Palette The color blending palette represents a blend of four colors (the colors in the four corner squares of the palette). You can use the color blending palette to select a color by clicking anywhere within the palette. If you click-drag within the palette, the current color will update interactively. You can change the corner colors of the palette by setting the current color (for example, using the range fields), and then clicking a corner square of the color blending palette. Current Color Palette The current color palette displays the current color. If you edit the color (for example, using the range fields), the current color palette updates interactively. Undo Returns the active parameter (in the *Control Window) to the color it had when you first opened the Color Editor* (or if the *Color Editor* was already open, when you first selected the environment, shader, texture, or light, or first selected the parameter). Grab Lets you grab any color from the screen and use it to customize the color palette. This is particularly useful if you are trying to match a color from an image file. The *Grab* button is designed to work with any RGB window. Other display types may not return the correct color. Color Palette The color palette lets you select a color from a customizable collection of colors. The *Drop* and *Pick* buttons toggle between the two modes: adding a color to the color palette (*Drop), and selecting a color from the color palette (Pick). The default mode is Pick. Drop Lets you add the current color to the color palette. Click Drop* (unless it is already selected), set the current color (for example, using the range fields), then click in any square of the color palette to place the color in it. Changes you make to the color palette are only maintained during the current working session. Pick Lets you select a color from the color palette. Click *Pick* (unless it is already selected), then click on a square in the color palette to select that color. Opening the Color Editor

	You can open the *Color Editor* either from the *Control Window, or from the Multi-lister. To open the Color Editor from the Control Window:* Click the color field of the parameter you want to edit. The *Color Editor* opens. Notice that the parameter's color field in the *Control Window* is highlighted with a white border, and the *Color Editor's* title bar contains the shader name and parameter name.

	Once the *Color Editor* is open, you can select any swatch in the *Multi-lister* and/or any parameter's color field in the *Control Window, and the Color Editor* will automatically update. *To open the Color Editor from the Multi-lister:* Select *Edit > Color. Selecting and Editing Colors*

	You can set the current color by selecting a color from the color palettes, editing the current color using the range fields, or by grabbing a color from anywhere on the screen. *To edit a color using RGB values:* Adjust the RGB sliders, or enter the RGB values in the RGB numeric fields. *To edit a color using HSV values:* Adjust the HSV sliders, or enter the HSV values in the HSV numeric fields. *To select a color using the color palette:* 1 Click the *Pick* button (unless it is already selected). 2 Click on a square in the color palette to select that color. *To select a color using the color blending palette:* Click in the color blending palette to select that color. If you click-drag within the palette, the current color will update interactively. *To grab a color from the screen:* 1 Click the *Grab* button. The mouse pointer becomes a medicine dropper. 2 Move the medicine dropper over the part of the screen you want to grab a color from, and click the mouse button. The grabbed color becomes the current color. You cannot use this method to grab a color from a *Show Pix* or `wrl` image (that is, a pix file that you are viewing using either *File > Show > Pix* or the UNIX command `wrl`) because the image's window will close when you click on it. Use the following method, instead. *To grab a color from a Show Pix or wrl image:* 1 Click the *Grab* button. The mouse pointer becomes a medicine dropper. 2 Move the medicine dropper somewhere outside of the *Show Pix/wrl* image window, and click-hold the mouse button. 3 Move the medicine dropper over the part of the *Show Pix/wrl* image you want to grab a color from, and release the mouse button. The grabbed color becomes the current color. *To undo a change you have made:* Click the *Undo* button. The active parameter's color is reset to the setting the parameter had when you first opened the *Color Editor* (or if the *Color Editor* was already open, when you first selected the environment, shader, texture, or light, or first selected the parameter). Customizing the Color Palettes

	You can customize the color palette and the color blending palette to make it easy to select certain colors. *To add a color to the color palette:* 1 Click *Drop* (unless it is already selected). 2 Set the current color (for example, using the range fields). 3 Click in any square of the color palette to place the current color in it. *To add a color to the color blending palette:* 1 Set the current color (for example, using the range fields). 2 Click a corner square of the color blending palette.