Configurator 360 Forum (Read Only)
Welcome to Autodesk’s Configurator 360 Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular Configurator 360 topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Configurator 360 custom colors?

14 REPLIES 14
SOLVED
Reply
Message 1 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
1146 Views, 14 Replies

Configurator 360 custom colors?

Hi,

 

I see the post below where someone was having troubles with modifying colors, but I wasn't sure this was the same thing.. My company has never really messed with color libraires, most of our customer drawings are black and white, however we are looking to use the configurator and would like to be able to use our custom colors, and would like to make the quality of those images as high as possible. 


Anytime I bring in a model with a custom material it turns generic in the configurator. Is there a way to use custom colors and I'm just doing it wrong, or is this not possible at all? It's pretty much a deal breaker for us.

 

I guess I should add, I'm making my models in Inventor 2014, I have my custom colors set up, to where they work in Inventor, but there is a good chance they aren't set up properly since this isn't something we have put emphasis on in the past.

 

Thanks,

Daniel

14 REPLIES 14
Message 2 of 15
MjDeck
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

If you're only setting a custom color in an appearance, it should work in Configurator 360 without any extra steps. But if you have a bitmap file (bmp, jpg, png etc.) to define a texture, then it has to be defined in an appearance library. Here's an outline describing how to move an appearance to a library:

 

- copy the texture bitmap file to the same directory as your part (if it is not already there)

- open the part that contains the custom appearance

- change the appearance of the part to Generic (or another pre-defined appearance)

- start the Tools > Material and Appearance > Appearance command

- click on the folder icon in the bottom left corner and choose Create New Library (see screenshot below)

- once your new library is open, drag the appearance from the part into the library

- if you copied the bitmap file in the first step, edit the appearance and point it to the new location of the bitmap file

- delete the appearance in the part

- on the Appearance drop down list at the top of the Inventor window, change the part appearance to the custom one. It should show up in that list, and now it will be coming from the library.

 

Make sure your model is working in Inventor with the new appearance.

Include the bitmap file(s) in your upload zip to Configurator 360.

 

CreateNewLibrary.png

 

 

Change appearance:

 

ChangeAppearance.png

 


Mike Deck
Software Developer
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 3 of 15
MjDeck
in reply to: MjDeck

Note that the method above will work only for assembly (and assembly with skeleton part) models. For a part model (single ipt file) you can't include the bitmap file.


Mike Deck
Software Developer
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 4 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: MjDeck

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I think I've set it up as you said, however I'm still not seeing my images in the Configurator.

 

My folder hierarchy is as follows:

 

Main folder

   Assembly.iam

   Parts Folder

      image.jpg

      image2.jpg

      part1.ipt

      part2.ipt

 

I then Zip the Parts folder and Assembly.iam together to bring into the configurator.

 

Do I appear to be doing this all right? If so, what about how I'm showing my colors..?

 

I have material set to Generic on all the part files. Then the appearance of each part file starts as default. 


Then in my ilogic I have:


Component.Color("Part1")=Finish

 

Finish is a parameter that has a drop down of a list of all my finish options. When I change the parameter via my form within Inventor, the colors all change correctly. 

 

Hopefully I'm just missing something simple!

 

Thanks,

Daniel

Message 5 of 15
MjDeck
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

The statement
Component.Color("Part1")=Finish

will only work for the final image in Configurator 360. Before the final image is rendered, you won't see the component color. The final image will usually be rendered a few seconds after you have changed a parameter and stopped moving the mouse.

 

Do you ever see the correct appearance after you let the model sit for a few seconds?


Mike Deck
Software Developer
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 6 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: MjDeck

No, I see what you mean about "Final rendering" though, it starts off as a plain color and then "renders" to a generic color. So I see it finishing, just not to the color/image I want.

 

I'm not set on using Component.Color("Part1")=Finish I just started using that as part of trying to get it to work. Previously I was using iproperties.material and I was changing the material, with my custom images as material appearances. I don't have a lot of time/work invested in that code right now, so if there is a better/more proper way to do it that will work, I'm all ears!

 

Thanks,

Daniel

Message 7 of 15
MjDeck
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

I'm thinking that your material might not be defined in an Appearance Library. It won't work if it's defined only in the part.

 


Mike Deck
Software Developer
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 8 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: MjDeck

I double checked the procedure you gave me, everything looks fine. I do notice, when I close all the way out of Inventor and get back in, I have to reload the appearance libray. Could this be the problem? Would it have anything to do with project files? I don't use project files/folders correctly.

 

Thanks,

Daniel

Message 9 of 15
MjDeck
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

I think it could have something to do with projects. How do you work with projects in Inventor? Do you use the Default project?


Mike Deck
Software Developer
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 10 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: MjDeck

Smiley FrustratedI was using Default, I just tried creating a new project file and added my new material library to the appearance section, it now opens with the file when I cloe and reopen Inventor, but it still doesn't load into Configurator.

 

Thanks,

Daniel

Message 11 of 15
MjDeck
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

If you post a link to your latest model on the configurator360 website, then with your permission I can download it and look at it in Inventor. If you want to do that, please make a new upload and include the Appearance Library file in the zip.


Mike Deck
Software Developer
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 12 of 15
bob_holland
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

Daniel,

 

I suspect that the issue is with your use of a form in you iLogic.

I have attached a PDF describing the know limitations of the use of iLogic with Configurator 360.

 

Please check and see if this is not the case.

 

Thank you.


Bob Holland
Autodesk Product Support
Message 13 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: bob_holland

Here is a link to my model:

 

Custom DA - Model

 

 

 

Something weird happened this time.. I was double checking all the color options, and one of them is working! Copper Vein is displaying correctly, but RAL 1004 is also displaying Copper Vein..


I think the final solution to this will be I've set up my materials incorrectly somehow and I just need to get it all straightened out, but I'm having a really hard time 😃

 

I'm going to do a copy design, remove my form and upload a 2nd rev of it.


Thanks,

Daniel

Message 14 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

Custom DA - No Form

 

Well we are getting better... I have removed the form and the trigger that launches the form. Now all but 2 of my colors are working.. I didn't change anythign else though.. weird.

 

Thanks,

Daniel

Message 15 of 15
DPolsky-VAH
in reply to: DPolsky-VAH

Mike Deck solved my problem via email, I'm posting it here for others:

 

The procedure is really a workaround. I’m hoping that it won’t be required in a future version of Configurator 360.

 I recreated the Antiqued Hammered Copper appearance from scratch, using your bitmap and other settings. I’m not sure if this was required, but it’s not too much extra work.

  • In the assembly document, change the Finish parameter to Stainless Steel. This is a simple appearance, with no bitmap. Selecting it allows us to delete all the other appearances in the document.

  • Start the Tools > Material and Appearance > Appearance command and delete all appearances in the document.

  • Exit from the Appearance Browser.

  • Cycle through all available values of the Finish parameter.  This will copy the appearances from the library to the assembly. Save the assembly.

 It is important that the appearance:

  1. is in the document
  2. comes directly from the library

When you edit an appearance, you are editing it in the document. After editing, copy it to the library. Then delete the version in the document.

 But before you upload to C360, you have to get the appearance back into the document. Do this by changing a parameter that drives an iLogic rule (in this case the Finish parameter). Don’t do it directly in the Appearance Browser.

 If you upload using the addin (which works in Inventor 2014 and 2015), make sure to select the …include: All files… option

  Thanks,

 Mike

 

 

 

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report