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Change color / appearance of faces on part file

16 REPLIES 16
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Message 1 of 17
divingdoug
5245 Views, 16 Replies

Change color / appearance of faces on part file

I quite often import hardware models downloaded form various mfg or supplier websites. McMaster Carr for example provides a great deal of hardware models.  While they offer native formats for SW they do not do this for IV (not many places do)

 

Since the [imported] models often open up with default properties, I change the material to something that closely represents the actual hardware or item.  In some cases, there are certain portions of the item that are in reality colored or textured differently and I sometimes want to duplicate that for aesthetics and a more accurate view for people that use my assembly files.

 

In SW, it was always real easy to select just a face (regardless of whether the surface was part of an entire part, a feature, an imported solid body, etc.  I could always change the properties of just a face or slection of faces.  Since it was a standard pc of hardware, I had no concern about updates.

 

Now, please tell me there is a way to do this in IV.   I have a part file that contains two imported solid bodies.  If I select just a single face and try to change the color of it, it changes the entire part.  Not what I want.

 

Doug

16 REPLIES 16
Message 2 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: divingdoug

Maybe you could feature recognition, then you could change the way you want.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/feature_recognition

Message 3 of 17
karthur1
in reply to: divingdoug

You should be able to select the single face, right click and choose properties.  Then change the color for just that face.  You can select multiple faces by holding down the shift and then selecting the faces you want to change.

 

Be careful when you are multi-selecting and not select an edge.  If you do, when you right click, the properties will not be there.

 

2012-12-19_1500.png

 

Kirk A.

Windows 7 x64 -12 GB Ram
Intel i7-930 @ 3.60ghz
nVidia GTS 250 -1GB (Driver 301.42)
INV Pro R2013, SP1.1 (update1)
Vault Basic 2013

Message 4 of 17
divingdoug
in reply to: divingdoug

Tried the feature recognition.  No dice.

 

Found the properties.  Guess I missed that the first time.

 

Thanks

 

Doug

Message 5 of 17
karthur1
in reply to: karthur1

Like I said, you might have selected an edge and that is why the "properties" was not there.

 

I just wish we had a properties painter that would work on faces.  That has already be asked for many, many times.

Message 6 of 17

Message 7 of 17
SBix26
in reply to: divingdoug

It's important to post the Inventor version with your question so we don't have to ask.  Since you didn't, I'll assume the current version (2013).

 

I'm not sure why your original attempt didn't work-- in 2013 you can select a face or multiple faces, then simply pick the Appearance you want from the drop-down menu in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the Inventor window.  That drop-down applies to whatever you have selected-- faces, solid bodies, the whole model, etc.  If nothing is selected, it applies to the whole model.

Message 8 of 17
divingdoug
in reply to: divingdoug

I indeed did try the appearance drop down, many times and it always changed the entire part, regardless of how much or how little I had selected (faces, bodies, etc.)

 

I have attached the part that started this for anyone whofeels inclined to try and work with it.  Was last saved in IV 2012.  I will be interested to see if you can change only a face by using the drop down at the top of the screen.

 

I have already changed the colors of the faces on each end to match the effect of the actual item by using the right click / properties command.

 

Doug

Message 9 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: divingdoug

12-20-2012 12-55-27 PM.png

Message 10 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: divingdoug

Make sure your selection filter is set to face and edges,

Message 11 of 17
divingdoug
in reply to: Anonymous

Screen shots of what I did

 

1) Verified the selection mode

 

Face_Prop_1.jpg

 

2) Select surface

 

Face_Prop_2.jpg

 

3) Select alternate color/matl

 

Face_Prop_3.jpg

 

4) Result - Notice face is still selected

 

Face_Prop_4.jpg

 

Tell me what I am missing, please

 

Doug

Message 12 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: divingdoug

Select the middle of the face, stay away from the edges.

Message 13 of 17
karthur1
in reply to: divingdoug


@divingdoug wrote:

I indeed did try the appearance drop down, many times and it always changed the entire part, regardless of how much or how little I had selected (faces, bodies, etc.)

 


If you want to change the whole body to a certian appearance, select the body under the Solid Bodies node, then select the appearance from the appearance drop-down.... done.

 

Heres a video of how to change the color of the faces.

 

2012-12-20_1311.png

Message 14 of 17
divingdoug
in reply to: karthur1

I do know how to select faces.  The pic shows the face being highlighted, not an edge.   I can zoom in so that no edges are visible, select only the face and it changes the entire part.

 

Watched the video.  Did exactly the same thing.  Changes the entire part.

 

Version info:

 

Build 190,  Release: 2012 SP1 - Date: Mon 08/08/2011

 

32-Bit Edition - 2.00 GB

 

 

3 clicks, pick surface, click on dropdown, select new color.   Doesn't work.

 

As long as I have a workaround, I can live with it. Will just cuss a bit every time I do.

 

Doug

 

Message 15 of 17
SBix26
in reply to: divingdoug

Ah, I see now.  You are not using Inventor 2013.  2013 has both the Material and Appearance drop-downs at the top of the window, but prior versions did not.  And in prior versions, the Color drop-down that you are using was only for the entire part.  For 2012 and earlier, the only way I know of is the one that you used-- Face properties. 

Message 16 of 17
divingdoug
in reply to: SBix26

One of the drawbacks of working for a fortune 250 company. You use what the say, when they say and how they say.  My limited history shows they only up the version about every 2 years so I don't expect anything until 2014.

 

Since my frame of reference for the tools I expect to see is SW, I am still surprised that this simple function has only been added in the latest version.  I had way more properties control in SW as far back as 2007 (and maybe before that if I could remember back that far)

 

It is painful to have to use so much time on the job learning to use your tools but as I have previously indicated, I find limitations, obstacles and such in nearly every function I use.  To that end, as I am doing a lot of finalization and cleanup on the documentation for an entire production line I implemented,  I will be using this forum quite a bit to look for answers.

 

I have found the built in IV help to be completely useless.  Searching for an answer results in topics that have no connection to the search term(s)

 

It is just frustrating because in the 7 plus years I used SW, I only had to look for help maybe 4 or 5 times total.  SW is a synonym for intuitive while IV appears to be an antonym. (Within a week of starting one project, I was able to do complex fly through animations of self assembling assemblies in SW with no outside help)

 

I would ask many things in a single post but I'm sure that it would appear to be nothing but a bitch session and would solicit little response.

 

And so it continues......

 

Doug

Message 17 of 17
SBix26
in reply to: divingdoug


@divingdoug wrote:

One of the drawbacks of working for a fortune 250 company. You use what the say, when they say and how they say.



I feel your pain!  XP 32-bit and IE7 are my lot in life until the IT gods decide differently.  Fortunately, I do have much more control of our Inventor setup.

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