True Color not displaying in AutoCAD

[juanjp123]

Hi, so I sent some DWGs to someone and they said that when they opened them "everything displayed as black, all the lines were black" that they were having trouble viewing them (some lines are meant to be in color). They said they think it's because my DWGs are using True Color instead of Index colors and that sometimes "AutoCAD has trouble opening True Color", that for now they would manually change the colors in the Layer Properties manager from True Colors to Index Colors, e.g. True Color 0,0,0 Black to Index Color Black #250. I'm using AutoCAD LT 2021 and exported the files as 2018 .DWGs. They said they also have AutoCAD 2021 but that they also use AutoCAD 2013, they tried to open the files in AutoCAD 2021 but said what I stated above. They requested 2013/2010 .DWGs so I exported my files as such and sent them to them. But they said the 2010/2013 DWGs were having the same problem.

My question is basically if anyone knows why they could be having these problems with the colors in the files I sent them? Is it a compatibility issue? Does AutoCAD 2013 support True Color? Is it true AutoCAD sometimes has trouble opening True Color and Color Books? I've only been using AutoCAD for a few years so I'm still learning. Thank you.

Also I'll attach one of the files, in it's 2018 .DWG format and 2013 .DWG format so you guys can have a look. 

[cadffm · Accepted solution]

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@juanjp123  schrieb:

Hi, so I sent some DWGs to someone and they said that when they opened them "everything displayed as black, all the lines were black" that they were having trouble viewing them (some lines are meant to be in color).

All other Layers are turned OFF, only layers with color 0,0,0 are turned  ON

And: Change your BACKGROUND to black or near to black and you will also have problems to see lines in 0,0,0 😉

Is there a reason for 0,0,0? If not, don't use it, take color7 instead

They said they think it's because my DWGs are using True Color instead of Index colors

See above, it is difficult to see black lines on a black background.. Color7 would displaying white in that case

and black - if the background is white.

and that sometimes "AutoCAD has trouble opening True Color",

technically not, but not every user can handle truecolors well and

you can not controle truecolor objects by CTB Plotstyles, but this is offtopic.

that for now they would manually change the colors in the Layer Properties manager from True Colors to Index Colors, e.g. True Color 0,0,0 Black to Index Color Black #250.

250 is not black, use color7

I'm using AutoCAD LT 2021 and exported the files as 2018 .DWGs.

No, you just saved the file in the native format (dwg2018 is the native format of your program, best choice)

Or what command did you take to create this file?

They requested 2013/2010 .

Doesn't make sense, but for a test while you searching about a problem, why not. Useless in yout case.

My question is basically if anyone knows why they could be having these problems with the colors in the files I sent them? Is it a compatibility issue?

No issue, but you turn OFF all colored layers and color 0,0,0 is hard to see on dark background.

Does AutoCAD 2013 support True Color?

Yes, since dwg2004 Format

Is it true AutoCAD sometimes has trouble opening True Color

Never heard about it, and I read a lot in decades.

and Color Books?

If we just talking about OPEN&Plot such files, also not with color book colors, no problem.

But using color book colors in an older file/files from another on, can make trouble for some colors

(Some color book color definitions changed in the last two decades, and in this case you can not use

 this color book color - if your version uses another color definition/with the same name)

but I've only been using AutoCAD for a few years so I'm still learning. Thank you.

The only questions are: Why are all colored layers OFF, is it what you did and what you want?

0,0,0 - Think about, not every one uses the same program background color.

My own simple rule: Use ACI colors (1-255) , IF you don't have a good reason to use TCcolors or ACBcolors

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?

Open your own attached file in model, open Layerproperties-Manager and sort by ON/OFF,

share a screenshot if it looks different to my shot:

As you can see: All layers with another color than 0,0,0 id turn OFF

Isn't it the same on your side?

With all layers ON

[juanjp123]

Thank you so much! This is very helpful! I've just realized, embarrassingly, that this file I sent was in fact a version where I intended to hide all of the colored layers as they were not needed at the time. Totally forgot about that, guy I sent them to must've been confused as well. My apologies. I've still learned a lot of important stuff nonetheless. So for future reference, I'll avoid True Color and will use color7 instead. So the issue can be that he is using a dark background and since I have the colors set to 0,0,0 he can't see them right?

[I started using True Color 0,0,0 for black because my lines where plotting in slight grey (they were set to 250, which I thought was black) but I asked about it in the forums and someone said to use True Color 0,0,0 that the grey lines were a glitch in AutoCAD LT. ]

Yes you're correct they were saved as the default 2018 .DWG that 2021 exports.

Thanks for answering the backwards compatibility concern, so now I know the whole 2013 thing was not useful.

Yes I opened the Layer Properties Manager and sorted by ON/OFF and it looked the same.

Thanks so much for the help!

[cadffm]

Hi 

- wrong file/state, lol - **** happens 🙂

- Grey lines a LT glitch, really funny.

   Color7 is black (sometimes different on screen, but black on prints)

-*So the issue can be that he is using a dark background and since I have the colors set to 0,0,0 he can't see them right?*

Yes! Try it on your side. Go to Options,Display, Colors

Modelspace Background -> Color7 

Open your file with 255,255,255 objects 😄

And another problem, sometimes a feature,  with truecolor: Your can't objects in truecolor can not controled by ctb