Adding Color to Content Center Parts

[ThomasSwanson]

I am trying to add color to my content center parts.  For example I want all M10 hex head bolts to be red and all M12 hex heads to be blue. 

I have My library configured in content center and I take from the "Inventor ANSI" catalog the "Heavy Hex Bolt -Metric" and right click and copy to my library. I switch the sort back to merged view and right click  on the "Heavy Hex Bolt - Metric" and select family table. I scroll to the end of the table and insert a new column and set the "Column Name" To "Color" and set the "Column Caption" to "Color" , "Map to Inventor Property:" is set to "Member.Color"

Now going back to the family table I have to enter simple color names like, Red, Green, or Black, I cannot enter names like Water Bubbles, Particle Board, or any of the Inventor Apperance names. If you do you will recive an error on placing the part stating " Unable to create componet"

Futhermore when you click on the Material Column you get a drop down of all the different materials.

Why do I not get a similiar drop down for the colors/apperances?

What is the list of working colors names? 

[cbenner]

Tom,

What version of Inventor are you working with?  This could affect any possible advice on this issue.

[mpatchus]

I haven't tried this so I'm not 100% positive that it would work, and it would depend on how many different colors you desire.  Too many variation would be prohibitive.

That being said, why not create a material style for each color that you wish to utilize.  Something along the lines of STEEL_BLUE, STEEL_RED, STEEL_GREEN, etc.   Since the material can be access via a pull down in the CC Editor, you could then control the appearance of selected items by applying the appropriate material style.

[lesmfunk]

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@ThomasSwanson wrote:

Now going back to the family table I have to enter simple color names like, Red, Green, or Black, I cannot enter names like Water Bubbles, Particle Board, or any of the Inventor Apperance names. If you do you will recive an error on placing the part stating " Unable to create componet"

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This statement appears to be incorrect. I can enter Water Bubbles or Particle Board and it does update to the new appearance (IV2014). Don't forget to refresh the file.

I know it is an old post, but it steered me in the wrong direction, so I don't want that to happen to anyone else.