Help with Component Materials

[Argyll9846]

I've created a single glass panel with fittings (4) and posts (2) at either end, which works fine and can be inserted into a project. I've save the file in the Detail Components/General folder (right or wrong?). My main problem, however lies with applying the materials, which are glass and stainless steel. I've applied the glass in the family editor, which I think is correct (newbie here) but can't get any other material on the other components apart from glass - even when I pick metal it stays on glass. I've changed the render material to show stainless but it renders as glass. Could someone tell me what I'm doing wrong and how to apply more than a single material to a component? This type of thing is kids stuff to do in 3ds max but in Revit it's a nightmare. Thanks.

[luke.s.johnson]

I'm assuming your component family is made of a number of different 3D elements (glass panel, posts etc). When in Family Editor, after you select one of these elements, and go to 'Element Properties', you can then apply the material. However, if you want to be able to change the material once the family is in the project, you need to click the little '=' sign next to Material - you are now creating a parameter, which will be visible when you save / load the family back into the project.

See how you go...

[Argyll9846]

Yes I've made a number of 3D objects (7 in total) and have gone to the Element Properties and clicked on Material. In the dialog I have these classes available <All>/Metal/Miscellaneous/System. If I select Metal from the dropdown list, Glass is displayed in the material. I've gone to the Render Appearance tab and set this to 'Stainless Steel Polished.' This changes the colour in the editor but when I load into a project, the metal is rendering out as standard flat grey though the glass is clear as it should be.

So what you're saying is that I need to add parameters for every object in the model and once I bring the component into the project I can then apply the material I want? I've tried that and it works fine but seems totally counter intuitive.