VRayBlendMtl and setProperty function in maxscript issue

[phill_moris]

To set the required values in the coat properties in VRayBlendMtl I use this code:

myBlendMat=VRayBlendMtl()
myBitmapTexture=Checker()

setProperty myBlendMat "blend_0" (color 50 50 50)
setProperty myBlendMat "texmap_blend_0" myBitmapTexture
setProperty myBlendMat "texmap_blend_mult_0" 50.0

But nothing works and the values do not change, although no errors appear.
When I use the code below, everything works as expected:

meditMaterials[1].Blend[1]=(color 50 50 50)
meditMaterials[1].texmap_blend[1]=myBitmapTexture
meditMaterials[1].texmap_blend_multiplier[1]=50.0

What could be the reason for such strange behavior of properties and how can I make the "setProperty" function work in VRayBlendMtl?

[hermit.crab]

Not sure if you can make it work with setProperty, since from what I notice the "blend_0", "blend_1", etc. derive from the "blend" array (i.e the VRayBlendMtl gets the info from the Blend array, whilst the individual "blend_x" parameters seem to be for read-only purposes). I am not sure if there's a method of reading part of the array as a property name. Otherwise, doing it the regular way works as expected:

myBlendMat=VRayBlendMtl()
myBitmapTexture=Checker()

myBlendMat.Blend[1] = (color 50 50 50)
myBlendMat.texmap_blend[1] = myBitmapTexture
myBlendMat.texmap_blend_multiplier[1]= 50.0​

What's the reason for using setProperty?

[^Lele^]

this works:

(
    myBlendMat=VRayBlendMtl()
    myBitmapTexture=Checker()

    setProperty myBlendMat #baseMtl (vraymtl name:"myBaseMaterial")
    setProperty myBlendMat #coatMtl #((vraymtl name:"myRedCoatMaterial" diffuse:red), undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined)
        
    setProperty myBlendMat #blend #(red, green, blue, white, black, orange, yellow, brown, gray)  
    setProperty myBlendMat #texmap_blend #(myBitmapTexture, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined)
    setProperty myBlendMat #texmap_blend_multiplier #( 50.0, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0)

    meditmaterials[1] = myBlendMat
)
​

It stands to reason that if the properties are also there individually, they should work.
Perhaps it's a bug, perhaps it's a limitation, i'll ask the devs.