Projection Duplication

[super80]

Hi everyone,

I have recently taken the plunge to learn Maya 8.5, and I have a question about projections. I am comfortable with creating a projection map onto a surface using an external texture file, but I am lost with how to duplicate it in the scene without the textures becoming misaligned on each object. Here is what I am doing/trying to do:

-Create a rectangular plane
-Assign a Blinn to the plane and map the color node to a 2d file projection of a dollar bill.
-I then select the projection node and manipulate the projection to fit the rectangle using "fit to bbox"

Ok, so far so good!

The problem is now I want to duplicate that dollar bill surface/projection some 30 more times but don't know the most efficient way to do so in the program. I have done some research but so far can't figure it out. Copy/paste seems to be an incorrect way to do this as it bogs down my pc tremendously. I have tried Edit/duplicate special, but when I move the duplicate surface to another location in the scene, the texture swims.

I have also looked into "create texture reference" but the tutorials I found don't mention duplication and how it is done.

If someone could guide me through this, I would be greatful.

Thanx

[jason-howey]

Hey,
if your cpu is getting bogged down, you might not want to use a projection at all and use a normal 2d texture using UV's instead, but in terms of the texture reference. that will work, the easiest way to do it is duplicate all the bills you need but don't move them yet, then create a texture reference for them. THEN move them into the posistion you want so that the references stay in the same place as your original projection.
g-luck
-J

[super80]

Thanks! That worked perfectly.