Cinema 4D Python Script – Material Auto Fit Region (Top View)
When working in Cinema 4D, one of the most common frustrations designers face is getting materials to align properly on objects. You’ve probably had moments where a texture looks stretched, skewed, or simply doesn’t sit the way you imagined. This is where the Fit Material Top View script comes in — a small but powerful helper that saves time and ensures your textures look clean and professional.
🎨 What Does This Script Do?
This script automatically adjusts how a material is projected onto your object. Instead of manually fiddling with texture tags, offsets, and rotations, the script:
- Detects your selected objects or texture tags
- Applies a flat projection (perfect for top‑down mapping)
- Centers the material on the object’s bounding box
- Aligns the texture width to the object’s X axis and height to the Z axis
- Uses the Y axis as the projection direction, creating a true top‑view effect
In simple terms: it makes your material fit neatly from above, without distortion.
🖌️ Why Is This Useful for Designers?
- Saves time: No more trial‑and‑error with texture tag settings.
- Consistency: Ensures materials align the same way across multiple objects.
- Precision: The script calculates the bounding box of your object, so the texture fits exactly.
- Undo‑friendly: Every change is added to Cinema 4D’s undo system, so you can experiment without fear.
This is especially handy for architectural visualization, product mockups, and motion graphics, where textures need to look clean and aligned from a top perspective.
🚀 How Do You Use It?
- Select your object or texture tag in Cinema 4D.
- Run the script.
- Watch as the material snaps into place, perfectly aligned from the top view.
If you don’t select a tag, the script will automatically check your selected objects and apply the adjustment to their texture tags. If nothing is selected, it politely reminds you to pick an object with a material.
✨ Designer Takeaway
Think of this script as a “texture alignment assistant.” Instead of diving into technical settings, you just select your object, run the script, and let it handle the math. It’s a workflow booster that keeps you focused on design rather than troubleshooting.
import c4d
def main():
# Clear console for readability
print("-------------------------------------")
print("SCRIPT STARTED: Fit Material Top View")
doc = c4d.documents.GetActiveDocument()
doc.StartUndo()
# 1. Collect Tags to Process
# -------------------------------------------------------
selection = doc.GetActiveObjects(c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_SELECTIONORDER)
active_tags = doc.GetActiveTags()
tags_to_process = []
# Add selected tags
for tag in active_tags:
if tag.CheckType(c4d.Ttexture):
tags_to_process.append(tag)
# Add tags from selected objects (if no tags explicitly selected)
if not tags_to_process and selection:
print(f"No tags selected, checking {len(selection)} selected objects...")
for obj in selection:
tags = obj.GetTags()
for tag in tags:
if tag.CheckType(c4d.Ttexture):
tags_to_process.append(tag)
if not tags_to_process:
print("ERROR: No Objects or Texture Tags selected.")
print("Please select an object with a material, or select the tag itself.")
return
print(f"Processing {len(tags_to_process)} tags...")
# 2. Process Each Tag
# -------------------------------------------------------
for i, tag in enumerate(tags_to_process):
obj = tag.GetObject()
if not obj:
print(f"Tag {i}: Has no parent object. Skipping.")
continue
print(f"Tag {i}: Applied to '{obj.GetName()}'")
doc.AddUndo(c4d.UNDOTYPE_CHANGE, tag)
# Set Projection to FLAT
tag[c4d.TEXTURETAG_PROJECTION] = c4d.TEXTURETAG_PROJECTION_FLAT
print(" - Set Projection to FLAT")
# Reset internal offset/length to ensure matrix takes over
tag[c4d.TEXTURETAG_POSITION] = c4d.Vector(0,0,0)
tag[c4d.TEXTURETAG_SIZE] = c4d.Vector(1,1,1)
tag[c4d.TEXTURETAG_ROTATION] = c4d.Vector(0,0,0)
# Get Object Bounding Box (Local Coordinates)
# Center (Midpoint)
center = obj.GetMp()
# Radius (Half-size)
rad = obj.GetRad()
print(f" - Bounding Box Center: {center}")
print(f" - Bounding Box Radius: {rad}")
# 3. Construct the Top-View Matrix Manually
# -------------------------------------------------------
# Standard Flat Projection: v1=X, v2=Y, v3=Z (Projection Axis)
# Top View Requirement:
# We want the Texture's "Width" to map to Object X
# We want the Texture's "Height" to map to Object Z
# We want the Projection Axis to be Y
new_matrix = c4d.Matrix()
# Position: Center of the object
new_matrix.off = center
# V1 (Texture U/Right): Aligned with Object X
# Length must be the X radius
new_matrix.v1 = c4d.Vector(rad.x, 0, 0)
# V2 (Texture V/Up): Aligned with Object Z
# (This creates the 'Top' view effect)
# Length must be the Z radius
new_matrix.v2 = c4d.Vector(0, 0, rad.z)
# V3 (Projection Normal): Aligned with Object Y
# Length must be the Y radius
new_matrix.v3 = c4d.Vector(0, rad.y, 0)
print(f" - Calculated Matrix: {new_matrix}")
# Apply the matrix
tag.SetMl(new_matrix)
# Force update the tag to recalculate Attribute Manager values
tag.Message(c4d.MSG_UPDATE)
print(" - Matrix applied and tag updated.")
doc.EndUndo()
c4d.EventAdd()
print("SCRIPT FINISHED")
print("-------------------------------------")
if __name__=='__main__':
main()
