Add default color to structural members in content center

[aprajapati3C]

I am creating a custom structural library. The material is set to "Steel, Mild". By default this material has appearance "Semi-Polished". I want to change this default appearance to "Default" in content center editor itself.

I tried to add a column named "Appearance" and mapped it to "Material.color" and then in added "Default" to each item. But unfortunately it didnt worked.

IS there any other way to get this done?

[CGBenner]

@aprajapati3C 

Hi.  Are you placing these directly, or with Frame Generator?

[aprajapati3C]

I use for frame generator

[CGBenner]

@aprajapati3C 

Thanks for the information.  I do not think there is a way for Frame Generator to generate a member using a custom color from the Family Table.  I'm pretty sure appearances will need to be assigned after the frame is created.

If you place a member from this table outside of Frame Generator, I believe it should give you the appearance you specified.

@johnsonshiue is this correct that this behavior is as designed?

[Gabriel_Watson]

What about changing the appearance of a custom CC library used within FG?
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/how-do-i-change-the-appearance-of-a-custom-content-cen...

[LT.Rusty]

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@Gabriel_Watson wrote:
What about changing the appearance of a custom CC library used within FG?
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/how-do-i-change-the-appearance-of-a-custom-content-cen...

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This is the way.

Changes made to the family template file should be reflected when the part is placed by FG.

[CGBenner]

@Gabriel_Watson @LT.Rusty 

Unless I'm reading the OP incorrectly, they have added a column to override the Material's default appearance, but it does not generate with FG.  In my own test, I added a column to the Family Table, called Color, and set it to Red, mapped to Member.Color.  Material is set to Steel, Mild.  When I place a member using Place from Content Center (either Custom or Standard) the generated part comes in as Steel, Mild with Appearance Red.  When I place the same Member with Frame Generator, it comes in as Steel, Mild with Appearance As Material.

[blandb]

Even removing the "Apply appearance to part" still does nothing:

I was assuming this was taking the appearance selected in the insert frame dialog box and was overriding the actual appearance from the family.

[Gabriel_Watson]

Ok, I haven't tested this, but wouldn't it make a difference to also replace the appearance in the material itself for the custom CC template? You know, alter the template to have those appearance changes and save it to the CC family.

[blandb]

But one doesn't have to do that for placing from CC. It follows the table. I do this for fasteners such as: (Black Oxide, Zinc Plated, etc). Appears that FG is just overriding. The color that is defined is in the appearance browser once the part is placed from FG, its just that it is not applied.

[LT.Rusty]

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@CGBenner wrote:

@Gabriel_Watson @LT.Rusty 

Unless I'm reading the OP incorrectly, they have added a column to override the Material's default appearance, but it does not generate with FG.  In my own test, I added a column to the Family Table, called Color, and set it to Red, mapped to Member.Color.  Material is set to Steel, Mild.  When I place a member using Place from Content Center (either Custom or Standard) the generated part comes in as Steel, Mild with Appearance Red.  When I place the same Member with Frame Generator, it comes in as Steel, Mild with Appearance As Material.

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Hm.

What about defining a new material, called... dunno, "Steel, Generic" and then setting that in frame generator?

[aprajapati3C]

I tried to add a ilogic rule to set the required appearance in the template file. I also added a event trigger to run the rule. This solution kind of works but not ideal.

I need to set different colors to differentiate existing and new members. So this rule will reset the color every time i save.

The issue with the semi-polished appearance is its reflectiveness, specially when its appended in Navisworks. It looks very weird.

Last option would be to have material of "Steel, Non-Alloy" or "Steel, Wrought" which has appearance "Steel" which reflective properties but not as bad as Semi-Polished.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I have to check with the project team. The only way to make it work seems to be authoring an iPart (add an appearance column). Publish it to Content Center.

Many thanks!

[jan_priban]

Hi guys,

both ways described here

1. Add new column with values "Red", "Black" ... and map it to Member.Color

2. Create an iPart and add custom column Apperance and make it as Apperance column + publish into CC

work for Place from Content Center. So when you Place from CC, then fisrt placed member can be Red, second Black and so on.

But Frame Generator creates frames different way than Place from CC which means frames generated by FG have appearance defined by Insert (Change)dialog

The option Apply Appearance to Part

defines, what happens when you open frame / part created by FG. If this option is checked then frame / part itself inherits appearance from FG assembly (appearance defined by FG / image #1), if this option is not checked then  frame / part itself has appearance defined by material that was defined in Insert dialog (image #1)

So basically: Frame Generator overrides Content Center appearance / color, FG has "last word" 

Insert FG dialog - Apply Appearance to Part

https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-715AD26B-42BB-46F6-8FB0-8D9B2BCAF732

How to define appearance in iPart

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/adding-appearances-to-a-ipart/td-p/3944060

Regards

Jan Priban