Preset System and Edit Menu

Copy

Paste

Use these commands to copy values between parameters. Select the parameters whose values you want to copy. Choose Copy. Next, select the parameters that should receive the copied values and choose Paste.

Select All

Deselect All

Use these commands to select or deselect parameters.

~~Set as Default~~

The Cinema 4D Preset System

Tip. There are several exceptions that are not saved in a Preset, e.g., object coordinates (newly-created objects will always appear at the world origin), element names or animation key properties. Animation key properties have their own preset system in the Project Preferences menu in the Animation tab. Furthermore, links in list fields will not be saved (e.g., a Cloner object's linked Effectors (in the Effectors tab)). This can result in paradoxical behavior: The Voronoi Break object has a point generator in the source list of its Source tab. If, for example, you call up "Default" for this object using the button at the top right above the Attribute Manager, the list will be emptied. There are several dialogs in Cinema 4D (such as numerous BodyPaint 3D tools like Brush) that do not function that well with the Attribute Manager due to legacy code. The presets will then not work there.

Presets can be saved at many locations in Cinema 4D. Presets are elements with predefined parameter values that you can use, e.g., if a newly created cube should always be 300 cm high or if the Noise shader should always be gray-orange. This now also applies to BodyPaint 3D brushes and color presets as assets, for example.

Generally speaking, presets can be created for all elements whose properties can be displayed in the Attribute Manager. Objects, tags, materials, shaders, tools, etc..

NoteThere are numerous exceptions for what cannot be saved in a preset such as object coordinates (newly-created objects will always appear at the global origin), element names or animation keyframe properties. The latter have their own preset system in the Project Settings' Key Interpolation tab. In addition, links will not be saved in the list fields (e.g., a Cloner object's linked Effectors (in the Effectors tab)). This can result in paradoxical behavior: the Voronoi Break object has a point generator in the Source tab of the source list. If, for example this object is called up via the Default button at the top right of the Attribute Manager, the list will be cleared.

Three are two primary types of preset types:

Element Preset: This preset defines all element-specific values for new items (but also later, when desired). This type of preset can, for example, only contain a few specific settings, see also Save Selected as Preset).
- Save: Save command in the Attribute Manager's Edit menu (e.g., the button at the top right of the Attribute Manager).
- Load: The button at the top right of the Attribute Manager for the selected element.
Special Presets: Internally, elements often have predefined parameter combinations for special purposes (e.g., the Caps presets in the Sweep object or Spline presets for function graphs).
- Save: Button or command preset at the respective location
- Load: Button or command preset to load or selection menu at the respective location.

Presets are basically saved in the Asset Browser in the Presets directory with a fittingly named sub-tab, e.g., Cube Presets and can be managed there with all the functions you know from the Asset Browser.

Note that only parameter values of presets will be saved. Meshes, linked elements (e.g., assigned layers, polygon selections, object links, etc.) will not be taken into consideration. In such cases you can of course save the entire object or the entire scene as an asset.

Note also that there are tabs that have a special icon (e.g., those assigned to objects).

The settings of these tabs will NOT be saved in the preset.

Save as Default Preset

Using this command, the current parameters for the object currently displayed in the Attribute Manager (e.g., cube, Noise shader or tag) will be saved as an element preset. Simultaneously, this preset will be assigned a default status, i.e., newly-created elements will be assigned these parameters.

This status can be changed by simply clicking on the crown in the Attribute Browser.

Note that only the parameters of a single element can be seen in the Attribute Manager. This command is otherwise grayed out, which will also be the case if the element does not work in conjunction with the preset functionality..

Save Preset

This command can be used to assign the currently defined parameters as an element preset to the element currently displayed in the Attribute Manager (e.g., cube, Noise shader or tag). This preset will then only be made available for selection but not used as a default setting (see also Save as Default Preset above). This command can also be found in the preset selection at the top right of the Attribute Manager.

Element Presets in the Attribute Manager

At the top right of the Attribute Manager you will find a selection of presets for element presets. Except for the previously-described command, this will be fairly empty if you haven't created a preset.

The preset selection menu will be activated once you select an element (e.g., a cube, Noise shader or a project preference setting) and display its settings in the Attribute Manager.

To do so, select the preset for the for the element shown in the Attribute Manager. Click in the left area of the preset selection to display a watered-down Asset Browser list with fitting presets and click in the right area to display the presets as a list. For the former, you can make minor modifications to the presets (e.g., define the default status).

If you hover over the left area with the cursor you can use the mouse wheel to scroll through all options.

If a preset is selected, the corresponding parameters will be shown as selected. This makes it possible, for example, to see which parameters are saved for partial presets.

Multiple selections in the Object Manager work if you select elements of the same type (e.g., 2 cubes). These can then be defined concomitantly.

NotePresets will be marked with the following symbols: ♔ (for new creations defined as default, ○ (normal preset, controls all parameters), ◑ (Partial preset, only selected parameters will be controlled). (This tab's settings will be ignored when saving presets - see above).