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Color style migration problems - existing color style to appearance, how?

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Message 1 of 15
thegreatyashu
2121 Views, 14 Replies

Color style migration problems - existing color style to appearance, how?

Alright, so not a single color style we used migrated properly to inventor 2013, and there doesn't seem to be many default appearances that match any of them. Almost all the default colors we used to use have been removed from inventor! but, it won't be a huge problem if I can easily add the color styles already being used by our parts and assemblies into the library.

 

For example, when I open a part that uses the color Yellow (Dark), inventor obviously is picking up this color information somewhere because it is listed in the title bar appearance selector, and it also shows up listed if you right click a face and select properies. However, when I go to the appearances editor, there is no appearance for this color and there doesn't seem to be a way to create a new one from the color style currently being used in the part. 

 

How in the world is this done? 

 

I copied the colors.xml file from an inventor 2011 install, and tried to use the migration tool, but it failed to migrate a single color. This wouldn't be a huge problem if there was a way to simply add the color style being used in a document into the appearance library on the fly. You used to be able to do this pretty easily in 2012 or prior. Any color being used showed up and you could right click them and add to your own library. 

 

Inventor won't even let you select it with the new "adjust" tool.

 

I am really scratching my head on this one and trying to figure out how any of this is an improvement... will we have to create every single color we used to use as an appearance manually one by one? Is there a way to migrate colors being used in a document into a new library?

 

14 REPLIES 14
Message 2 of 15

So Wikihelp.autodesk.com is down, however, I found a google cached version of the color equivilent chart for appearances. This helps a lot, however a problem still remains in that inventor is not translating any of these colors over automatically like it is supposed to when you choose to update the appearances (when you open the file for the first time). All the old names still show up, but they are not selectable in the appearances library. Also cutom color styles from the colors.xml do not migrate when you use the migration tool. As well, when you use the appearances pallet with the eye dropper and paint bucket, it will crash inventor when you use the dropper tool on one of the colors that is in the model that has not translated over to the library. 

Message 3 of 15

Hi,

 

First thing to do is to search this forum for InvCM_ForceConvertToGeneric=1

 

That will reveal several discussions relating to all of this.

 

Ensure you are current on your 2013 instllation - the latest version is Update2 for SP2 - see http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=9242019#section16

 

Set InvCM_ForceConvertToGeneric=1 as a system environment variable as described in the previous discussions.

 

Then when you open your existing data, you will see only very minimal difference between what you were used to previously. If you've already opened/saved though then the color migration has already occurred.

 

In relation to migrating your colors.xml files - what errors are you seeing ? If you're on 2013 SP2 Update2, then I'm not aware of any major migration problems.

 

Thanks
Chris



Chris Mitchell
PDMS Customer Engagment Team
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 4 of 15

The environment switch fails to change anything. It still asks if you want
to convert to appearances, and whether clicking yes or no, there are no
color styles available in the manage styles. It still fully tries to force
appearances, and continues to place an astrix next to all the color styles
it does not recognize in parts and assemblies, even when those are default
color styles from 2011, and according to the migration chart, *should* be
migrating. It will continue to crash inventor if you try to use the eye
dropper tool on a style that has not migrated.

I would absolutely love it if the color styles panel would come up, and we
could still use it. We have no use for the realistic appearances. I really
did like the way Inventor 2012 handled it. You could use advanced
appearances if you wanted or simply color styles if you did not need the
realistic option. It was great...

Any idea why the environment switch doesn't work?
Message 5 of 15

Hi,

 

That env variable basically limits the degree of change that occurs to a color when it is migrated to an appearance, so it essentially looks the same. It converts it to a "generic" appearance so that every attribute that is allowed for each category of appearance is available, otherwise some of the attributes are hidden depending on how the migration determines that color should be defined. Also, without this environment variable, if you say Yes to migrate your appearances on open, then what you used to see in the realistic mode will now appear for the default shaded view. With the environment variable this does not happen.


The asterisk in the drop-down means that the current appearance defined to the part is different to the default appearance for that material as defined in the active material library.

 

The appearances shown in the dropdown are those defined by the default appearance library, which is defined in your current project (.ipj) file. By default it will show the Inventor library. If yo have custom colors then you need to migrate those to a custom library & then add the file path to that library to your project setting.

 

It's probably best that somebody takes a look at your system to see what's going on, & explains all this to see if it matches with your expectations - do you have any local support there ?


Thanks,
Chris



Chris Mitchell
PDMS Customer Engagment Team
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 6 of 15

Not really... we are a mid sized office, but there isn't really a CAD administrator. I usually try to figure this stuff out and then help everyone else in my team. 

 
When I tried to migrate colors.xml, what I was hoping for it to do, was bring in every color style (which would be all the inventor 2011 defaults + a couple custom ones) into a new appearance style library .adsklib file. What happened was first I got an error and nothing would import, and then after trying it again after putting the environment variable in, I did not get an error, but still nothing imports. It mounts the library file with nothing in it. 
 
So the astrix denotes when an appearance differs from it's material default? This makes sense. What I don't understand is how inventor obviously can read the old color style (default or custom) because the name for it shows up in the title bar pull down. There just seems to be no way to get to it's properties, or to conveniently add it to the local appearance library. Clicking yes to the dialog asking to convert appearances doesn't change this behavior. It still picks up all the old color style names, but no way to access their properties.  
 
I really appreciate all the help by the way. 
Message 7 of 15

Hi,

 

From those screenshots, I can see that you have an issue there - you see that yellow warning triangle icon next to the Inventor library ? If you hover over that you might get some more info as to why that library is not being loaded properly.

 

What do you have defined in your current project file for appearances & material libraries ?

 

You "should" get a new .adsklib file when migrating your old colors/materials.xml files - once you have that you can define it as the default in your project file.

 

Can you supply your legacy colors & materials.xml files please so we can see why the migration is failing ?


Thanks
Chris



Chris Mitchell
PDMS Customer Engagment Team
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 8 of 15

We have a shared folder our project is using for it's libraries. I am not sure they were ready for the 2013 update. I have had to go in and update some of the libraries to 2013 files already. I just grabbed the default InventorMaterialLibrary.adsklib and put it into the shared project folder. Now it seems things are starting to work.

 

Document appearances are showing up finally! I didn't think that was the problem because it was a material library and the problem was with appearances.

 

I assume that I can just drag the ones I'd like to keep into a new library file that I can create and mount? In fact, I just tested this, and it works! 

 

Thanks for all the help, fixing that file path has solved the problem. I still have the environment variable enabled. I am going to leave it alone though if it is helping. 

Message 9 of 15

OK Thanks for confirming.

 

Yes, I'd suggest leaving that env variable in place. I'd also suggestthat you lust leave the Inventor material/appearance adsklib under the default design data folder structure. Any/all of your custom materials/appearances should then go in your custom library, as opposed to making changes in the Inventor library. This should help when you go on up to 2014 or 2015, as you'll only need to maintain that custom adsklib file & not worry about the Inventor one as that'll be shipped with each major release.

 

Let me know of any further issues.

 

Good Luck !

 

-Chris



Chris Mitchell
PDMS Customer Engagment Team
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 10 of 15

Would setting the file to read only serve the same purpose?

 

Basically, this project ipj looks to a shared folder for all the libraries. Should we not do this? Instead have it point to the default local design data folder? 

 

What is the best way to set up a vault project for inventor 2013 as far as libraries and design data?

 

For saving custom/old styles I want to keep and frequently use, I mounted my own personal adsklib file to drag styles into.

Message 11 of 15

I'd suggest putting your entire Design Data folder in a central location & pointing to that from your project setting. Yes, set the InventorMaterialLibrary.adsklib file under the Materials folder to be read-only. Put your custom adsklib there too & set the permissions on that for only those who are 'supposed" to be making changes.

 

If you use vault you can go one step further & check in the entire Design Data folder to vault. Then if you need to make changes then you can check out the appropriate file(s), modify & them check them back in, so that those on disk are left read-only. Many customers currently do this with good success.

 

Thanks,
Chris



Chris Mitchell
PDMS Customer Engagment Team
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 12 of 15

Wow, thank you so much for the tips and all your help. I feel grateful that
I was able to speak to an expert about all of this.

I have the project setup in much the way you describe, but placing those
files in the vault is such a good idea and I will included it as a
suggestion for the next project.

Truly, thank you for your time.
-Yashu
Message 13 of 15
Innercia
in reply to: ChrisMitchell01

Hi
I have a troble so hard, because i use materials apperance in Inventor 2015 to difference by colors, a different type of material, but in inventor 2016 everything be so complicated, because when i modified a material in the library this not actuallice in the others parts and i have to do manually for all parts, change the material and the apperance. It is not working to me for review and my dessing process. I wanna to Do a material and when changed it all the others part including the apparence for material be automaticll actualice and do not have to do twice. I wanna use the simple metod of actuallice my material including his apperance, just from the library.

 

Thks



 

Message 14 of 15
SBix26
in reply to: Innercia

If I understand correctly, you have modified your materials and appearances in your Material & Appearance library.  For each part, then, you must open it and update the materials and appearances from the library.  On the Manage tab, select the Update Styles tool, which will show you all the mismatches between the library(ies) and the active file, and allows you to select which ones to update.

 

I believe that there is also a way to do this for many files at once using the Task Scheduler, but I have not tried it.

Sam B

Inventor Professional 2016 R3 SP2
Vault Basic 2016 SP1
Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit, SP1
Autodesk_Inventor_Certified_Professional_Badge.png

Message 15 of 15
ChrisMitchell01
in reply to: SBix26

Sam is correct; if you have changed the master material/appearance definitions in your library & then you want to update that back to a large number of files, Task Scheduler, Update Design will enable that. After you select your project or files to update with TS, click on options & then deselect everything except Update Local Materials and Appearances.

 

Another way is to open the top level assembly which contains all of the files, & use Update in Inventor as Sam suggests & check the option for all children. That can be much slower than TS for very large assemblies though.

 

Hope this helps,
Chris



Chris Mitchell
PDMS Customer Engagment Team
Autodesk, Inc.

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