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MDL library | Substance 3D Designer

MDL library

This page presents the library of content related to MDL graphs and materials included in Substance 3D Designer. It also explains installing and managing custom content in the Library.


MDL content in the Library

Nodes usable in MDL graphs are available in the mdl section of the Library. The nodes are arranged into filters according to the MDL module they are defined in.
If modules are stored into subfolders, this hierarchy will be mirrored in the Library as categories.

This section includes content from the following sources:

Built-in content

Designer includes MDL modules which contains basic building blocks for authoring MDL graphs, as well as full material definitions ready to be used.

This content is stored in this location under the installation directory : ./resources/view3d/iray/

Custom content

In addition to the built-in content, you may add your own MDL modules to the Library.

Indeed, any MDL module found under the directories listed in the MDL section of the Project settings are added to this section cumulatively across project files.

NVIDIA vMaterials

If NVIDIA's vMaterials library is installed, it is automatically added into the Library under its own category.

MDL resources in Library

"mdl" section in the Library, the vMaterials library and custom content are framed


MDL content in the 3D View

All MDL modules available in the Library may be used in the 3D View when the Iray renderer is used.

Open the Materials menu, and open a scene material's submenu to browse the available MDL modules. The lists includes:

MDL materials in 3D View

MDL materials in the 3D View

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