> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://manual-1-3.karamba3d.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://manual-1-3.karamba3d.com/3-in-depth-component-reference/3.4-material/3.4.2-material-selection.md).

# 3.4.2: Material Selection

The **“Material Selection”**-component in the menu subsection **“Material”** lets you select a material by family, name or index from a given list of materials (see fig.[ 3.4.1.1](/3-in-depth-component-reference/3.4-material/3.4.1-material-properties.md) or fig. [3.4.3.2](/3-in-depth-component-reference/3.4-material/3.4.3-read-material-table-from-file.md)). Input the list of materials via the plug **“Mat”**. In case no list of materials is supplied, the material table that comes with Karamba3D is used.

The input-plug **“Name|Ind”** expects either the zero-based list index of the selected material or its name. The names of materials are not case sensitive. A “#” in a material name means that the rest of the line is a comment. “&” starts a regular expression – in that case material names are case sensitive.

For quick access materials may be selected via the drop down lists **“Family”** and **“Name”**, which unfold when clicking on the components **“Select”** bar. These two entries serve as additional criteria which act on the list of materials selected through the **“Name|Ind”** input.

The inputs **“Elem|Id”** and **“Color”** have the same meaning as in the **“Material Properties”**-component (see section[ 3.4.1](/3-in-depth-component-reference/3.4-material/3.4.1-material-properties.md)). Any element identifiers already present in a material get overwritten by the values input via **“Elem|Id”**. Without a color supplied at input **“Color”** the original material color persists.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://manual-1-3.karamba3d.com/3-in-depth-component-reference/3.4-material/3.4.2-material-selection.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.