Assigning shaders issue
 

I have a surface shader with a mia_amb_oclusion connected to the out colour of it
But when ever I try to assign it to objects (quite low poly objects) it takes a very long time, longer with more objects at once and if I try to assign it to several objects at once maya crashes
what is causing this? Ive never had this problem before

Surface shaders = death to most computers. Of all the computers I've used in production, none of them liked them; which is strange as everything else is built off of them.

One way you could get around this, it create a lambert, set it's color to zero, and map the out color of the ambient occlusion shader to either it's ambient color, or incandescence. I can't check at the moment, but what it should do, is mimic the surface shader.

Give it a go!

Thanks, it worked ;)
seems strange though, whats so special about surface shaders?

I'm not too sure, as all the other surface types use the surface shader as a base. What I'm guessing is that it's there, but not supposed to be used. Much like the mental ray standard shaders(mib_ilum_blinn) for example. Best to stay away from them however.

I have that problem at times - but only when I have alot of poly`s eg Grimlock (it did it alot on him). Before setting the surface shader press 4 for wire frame view and then switch back once you have the shader on it.

thanks, ill try that ;)