I wonder if this old tip from Link would work for you. (Is this the technique you used Dwight?). Bear in mind that it is from 2004, Link hasn't appeared here for some time so you may not be able to get the PDF version of the technique from him, but the image files should be enough. It may not be exactly what you are after, but might give you an idea for an alternative means of getting there.

If i'm understanding the requirement correctly, i have used solid element oprators in the past for this task, as follows:

- setout the required areas of various textures using slabs; set the materials of each slab to the texture required (only one will apply per slab, for reasons shown in next steps, but i can't remember which if it's the top, bottom or edge texture; it doesn't matter, make them all the same);

the slab thickness doesn't matter either, just make sure the slab intersects the surface of the mesh for it's whole area;

- use SEOs;

select mesh as operator and slabs as target and use the intersection option; set new surfaces to "use their own attributes"; exectute.

- use SEOs again;

select slabs as operators and mesh as target and use the subtraction with upwards extrusion option; set surfaces to "inherit attributes of operator"; execute.

i've found this technique handy, especially as the different areas of texture are 'live', changing with revisions of the paving/garden/paths/roads etc.

I would expect there would be some limitations based on complexity of the mesh (as mentioned in other threads).

Thankyou to everyone that replied- its been really helpful. Kombibob- you cracked it, that technique does exactly what I required.

Thanks again,
Emily