Sharing / Exporting Material Libraries?

[Streetwise]

I need to be able to share material libraries with a client. What is the best way to package a .mat file so that it includes all the associated material files with it so that they don't have to re-link everything? I would just like to be able to send a .zip which would include the .mat and assets, already linked. I'm sure there must be an easy way.

[fixeighted]

You can run the Resource Collector in the Utilities panel. They'd only then have to point to that folder on launching the scene file.

[Streetwise]

You can run the Resource Collector in the Utilities panel. They'd only then have to point to that folder on launching the scene file.

I think that's the right idea, but it looks like its a utility that's specific to collecting files from an open scene? I'm wondering if there's a "resource collector" for the Material Library?

[fixeighted]

Well it'll collect all associated maps, with the exception of....possibly ies files and I think hdrs for some reason (unless they fixed it since I last tried)
So they'll just need linking at the other end, which is simple. All the material settings will remain within the scene file. Would that not be all you'd need?

[Streetwise]

The issue for me is that there are maybe 30 materials in a particular .mat file that I wish to share, but a scene may only reference half of them for instance. So to run the resource collector for that scene wouldn't catch everything. It's too bad there's not a resource collector for *just* the Material Library.

[fixeighted]

Why not just create a library and include just those you wish to share?
Or maybe I'm not understanding correctly.
The collector collects all materials that are used (applied to objects) in the scene but if there are others, for instance alternatives, then you would need to create a library containing all those separately.
Depending on the amount, of course that could be a ball-ache but as I see it there is no other available option.