Appearance Malfunction

[wimann]

So this is what I'm seeing:

A few years back, I created a "Grating" Material and Appearance style to approximate the weight of and to illustrate grating in my department's models. There have been a few bumps along the way as far as updating/migrating this material style and ensuring proper function. All of those aside, this is what bothers me now:

Every so often, I'll have a part or assembly that takes on the grating style's appearance for no apparent reason. Furthermore, the part's appearance name does not actually change, just the properties therein. I had a part I modeled some time ago that was "Smooth - Burnt Red". One of the times that I opened the assembly containing the model, that particular piece and a few others appeared to have the grating "skin". When I opened the part and checked the appearance properties, it was still "Smooth - Burnt Red", however Smooth - Burnt Red had adopted the image I used for the grating skin. This sort of thing couldn't really occur by accident. It takes some intent to go into the styles editor and set up an image as an appearance color. It must be a bug. Is it avoidable?

I've attached a part file the exhibits similar behaviour. The only difference is that the part doesnt' show the grating skin normally, however it does so when the "Realistic" view style is activated (even stranger). You'll notice when you look through the local appearance styles that there are 3 styles that have adopted the grating skin. I have no idea why.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

I'll attach the grating skin bmp as well. It should be saved in "users/public/public documents/autodesk/Inventor 2014/Textures/Surfaces"

That location used to be the only place that Inventor would search for appearance skins. Now it seems I can have them elsewhere but I still use this old spot.

Thanks again.

[blair]

Starting in IV2013 the "Materials" and "Appearances" changed and became separate items. Materials deals with the physical properties (FEA) and mass. Appearance only deals with the finish/color of the items. If you created a "custom" material/appearace in older versions, this must be "Migrated" before migrating your ITP's and IAM files.

I have attached a PDF that helps explain the changes and process required.

[wimann]

blair,

Would these procedures keep the skin from being applied to random appearances? That's probably my biggest issue. That and for some reason, some parts will reference where the skin used to live "...documents/autodesk/inventor 2013..." instead of where it is now. This causes problems with checking in parts that contain the skin even if the skin is not actively being used.

Thanks,

[blair]

I would think that as soon as the item is migrated to the current release you will have issues (don't hold me to this). This was an issue when IV2013 was released. People had custom material/appearaces and upon migration they lost these "custom" as they aren't in the new Styles Library.