Creating a Custom Theme Layer Style Range

[JPaullXKUFL]

I am using Map 3D for land use mapping and need the thematic colors to be specific to the Provincial standard. How do I create a palette I can select in the color fill option of the Style Range dialogue box?

[ChicagoLooper]

@JPaullXKUFL 

What's your data? Shapefile? Geodatabase? Can you upload a screenshot of your Database table view?  

You can create a THEME using a FIELD.

For example, if you have a FIELD named LandUse (the name of your Field may vary) that contain values such as, Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Conservation, and Institutional, then use LandUse to create a THEME. 

Your land use map then will display five random colors inside each parcel boundary:

Orange: Residential

Blue: Commercial

Yellow: Industrial

Green: Conservation

Cyan: Institutional  

Once the five random colors are displayed in your map, you may go to the Display Manager and 'edit' a color to make it a specific color of your choice. The KEY  is to leverage the Feature Class's data, which in your case is the database column named LandUse, that will give your map a Theme. If land use data doesn't exist, then you won't be able to theme your map unless you create a land use FIELD first. How to create a land use field can be, should be, a completely separate post altogether.  

If you share your data, a more detailed answer can be provided.  

[JPaullXKUFL]

Thanks for getting back to me. Here is a screen shot of what I have so far. I am using shapefiles by the way. I did exactly what you described and changed the colors of each designation to the preferred color. 

I think my main question is how can I save those colors and apply them to another dataset. Let say I am working in another municipality and want to use the same colors. Or how can I save a custom palette similar to how AutoCAD has default palettes and load them into my file?

I am trying to know what this person did in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtldNq-cNn4 (skip to 18:30 minute mark).

Thanks!

[O_Eckmann]

Hi @JPaullXKUFL ,

Palettes are .PF files. You can find them in langage folder  of Map/Support.

For me in France, this folder is :

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2025\Map\Support\fr-FR

and if you edit a PF file with notepad, you can read something like that

;AECIPALETTEVER 1
;Autodesk Raster Design Palette
;Title: Palette DEM USGS 
165,123,57
181,165,99
189,189,123
74,156,74
123,189,82
165,206,132
255,255,255

I think it's just RGB component to describe colors you want.

If you want to export association between color and value (of field), you could do that by saving a .Layer file, but this file contains data source. So if you want to apply same thematic to other source SHP file, you have to edit .layer file and search/replace original folder/file name source by new folder/file name, and then drag&drop this .Layer file into Map workspace.