Inventor 2013 Appearance problematic issues

[Orest_iy]

Hello

I just want to share my couple day experince with new Appearance feature in 2013 and no-ways-out from certain situations. Perhaps somebody knows how to be.

We used to have Material and tied to it Color in Inventor 2012 regarding parts and assemblies appearance. I could have a custom Steel + Black = STEEL_BLACK style for instance.

In order to make a distinguished assembly picture I could assign this material for custom bolts library for instance and have them all permanently black. I could override this color if needed but I was sure I can retrieve the assigned color at any time. In order to make a realistic picture after the job is done I could assign the other color to this particular style and update everything instantly.

So what is now?

The trick with custom library does not work. If I assign the specific Material with written and saved to custom library Appearance (i.e. color) the inserted part takes only correct Material but some other or Default color. It does not obey of Clear override because somehow it does not have override in this case. The same libary works well with just parts and do obey the Clear override if override used to be done, see videolink http://screencast.com/t/77mCMbiK4Z

If I assign the certain Material to part it stores it in Document.

So if I would change the assigned to this Material Appearance (Colour and etc) it will not follow the change for already done parts. It will affect only new one. In order to reassign the new default Appearance to part I should 1) assign some other material 2)delete the Document material (otherwise I cannot, I cannot also overwrite it from Library) 3) assign the changed Material back from library ..... looks quite tricky dont it?

This creates some sort of color mess without clear possibility to make an order and liberty to make any colour changes as used to be.

As well as most of other engineers I actually create parts, assemblies and then mechanisms and machines and only then after job is mostly done make some realistic pictures by changing my blue, red, white, yellow colors to realistic one.

I need clearness in this process but not this weird overwhelming material and color mess...

No doubt I can make a realistic picture much better now in 2013 but there is a long way from begining to the ready project and I was sure Inventor is designed for overcoming this way, not for creating decorations. Seems like painters did much more influence over the engineers in this edition of Inventor

Best regards,

Orest Yavtushenko

[ChrisMitchell01]

Orest,

This is an issue that we are currently investigating. There is some important information regarding the migration of content center libraries in the BeingInventive Blog:

http://beinginventive.typepad.com/being-inventive/2012/05/migrating-content-center-libraries-with-cu...

Was this the procedure you followed ?

Are you able to send me the following for further investigation :

• 2013 OREST_LIBRARY (.adsklib file)
• 2012 & 2013 Content Center libraries (.idcl files)
• 2012 colors.xml
• 2012 materials.xml
• The actual problem .ipt file that is shown in the video
• Your active project (.ipj file)

Many Thanks,
Chris

chrisDOTmitchellATautodeskDOTcom

[Orest_iy]

Chris

Here is some further investigation with ALL negative results.

1)  I did not migrated neither standard nor custom Content Center libraries

I have copied the Custom library to Library 2013 directory and by means of Configure libraries convert them to the new format. Then in this library I have replaced the Material by taking the other one I have created in custom library in 2013.

The custom library is set to Project and it is active. Result is negative. Inventor do not care about color installed and set its own.

OK perhaps I should go by certain procedure to migrate my existing custom libraries from 2012 to 2013 which I did not follow. Let try everything brand new than

2) Here is Make-ALLNew-Custom-Content-Center-Library scenario.

I created the brand new 2013 Custom Library "OREST_LIB_2013"

I have the Custom Material library "2013 OREST_LIBRARY" created in the 2013.

I set this Custom library to Project as Appearance and Material and set both Active.

In the Inventor 2013 Content Center Editor I have created the new custom content library by copying the existing one (ISO 7380) to my just created Custom Library "OREST_LIB_2013".

Now I am open the custom content library and change the Material.

The Material is taken from Custom Material library "2013 OREST_LIBRARY".

This Material has some certain Appereance (i.e. color assigned, see video)

----Nothing against rules and logic so far?

http://screencast.com/t/oTFRLIwf7QFz

As you can see from video inventor does not care about assigned to this Material color. It brings some phantom Steel-1, Steel-2 and etc with every next attempt to change the appearance color but none of them does not work. Please make at least two attempts to change the color of custom content center library.

There is no possibility to chose between default and custom Standard Part taken fromContentCenteras used to be in 2012.

I do not think the special procedure of migrating is worth trying since Inventor 2013 not able to create all brand-new custom library from scratch to work properly.

Best regards,

Orest Yavtushenko

[ChrisMitchell01]

Hi Orest,

Thanks for taking the time to post the second video & associated workflow. You are not doing anything illogically; this issue seems to be due to an incorrect .adsklib file. We're still investigating how the adsklib file gets in to this state.

Can you confirm the steps you took to create the adsklib file ?  Was it newly created in 2013, or did you migrate your 2012 colors & materials.xml files ?

Sorry for the additional questions,

Thanks,
Chris

[Orest_iy]

Chris

As I mentioned, the creation of custom content center library was done without any migration.

It is pure creature of Inventor 2013 from very begining.

All "ingredients" were done in 2013 Inventor (I mean no other software involved)

Due to the problem I have tried a lot of custom libraries (adsklib) I've created in 2013.

The one I sent to you is probably eights version of them.

The main reason of creating the cutom Material library (adsklib) is to create colors similar to 2012 version. When I open my assemblies in 2013 almost everything was shining as just polished shoes. The reflection is added almost to everything. Except probably the creating the nice looking pictures I mostly do not use reflections in designing. Some of simple colors are missing too in 2013.

My custom Material library (adsklib) has altered (copied and altered) Materials and altered Appearances. Here is video added how I do it.

I hope I did everything correctly.

http://screencast.com/t/NkjsXp5W9xt

How i created my libraries (as shown on video):

Create a custom Material library from Material Browser.

Duplicate some Materials from existing libraries and drop the copies to Library.

Alter the dublicated items. Adding the custom made Appearances to copied Materials.

As result I have the custom Material with custom Apperence. Appereance color differs from original.

The every library I've done (including the one I've sent to you) is working great with parts.

The problem begins with custom Content Center libraries.

Best regards,

Orest Yavtushenko

[ChrisMitchell01]

Orest,

Thanks for the extra info. A few suggestions:

1. When you are testing this, please try using the "Refresh out-of-date standard parts during placement" option from Tools, App Options, Content Center tab. it's likely that the CC part you're testing with is already on disk & the changes to the CC family are not being made unless this option is set.
2. If you test using an assembly that already contains an instance of that same part (even though you have made changes to it's definition), you will not see the changes until you close/reopen that assembly.
3. If you are doing testing which involves lots of material/appearance library changes including adding new libs to your project settings, then it's recommended to exit Inventor to ensure that all previous material/appearance definitons are removed from memory.
4. It's recommended to use a new part/assembly doc when making changes to your material/appearance definitions so that any conflicts with those already stored in the open document are avoided.
5. Regarding your comment about your 2012 parts migrating to 2013 with that unwanted "shininess", that is most likely due to the fact that the appearances used in 2012, had a realistic display option as well as the normal shaded option. What you see in 2013 by default is what you would have seen in 2012 if you used Realistic view mode. If you do not want this to happen then your only recourse is to switch off the Realistic option in 2012 before going to 2013. The attached document is cut from a larger doc (that is still work in progress); it should help to explain this further.

Hope this helps,

Chris

[Orest_iy]

Chris

I have created the custom Material Library at the office machine.

Insted of doing work I spent a whole day in unsuccessful attempt to return the view of 2012 version.

Now I am on my laptop. I am trying to open the same file with custom library I used for making video. Inventor surely and inevitably crushes on attempt to open the Material Browser. Office machine used to work well.

http://screencast.com/t/ePZow3q0EEc

On the attemt to open my custom Material Library Inventor greet me that my material missing the Physical asset. It does work on office machine.

As you can see from video neither Physical nor Appearance did not survive for unknown reasons.

http://screencast.com/t/oDcvHlQVeNvx

The other attempt to open or edir the custom library are resulting the crush.

I already sent probably ten or more "greetings" to Autodesk

http://screencast.com/t/Bw5GY2FkG2X

I never use a realistic mode. I just tried it once to play with shadows but not more.

I am definetely not a painter.

Here is story for now. Still trying , will inform later, I am still wih 2013 but have my 2012 flash disk ready...

Orest

[Anonymous]

Chris, I am seeing a similar problem to Orest although not in the same context.

I simply created a custom material - Steel 4140 and assigned the stainless - semi-polished color to it, but whenever I select the custom material, the default color (steel) is applied. I then have to apply an override to get the stainless semi-polished color.

Just thought you should know, as my problem is very similar to Orest's problem.

Cheers

[ChrisMitchell01]

Orest,

Looking at your crash reports, your current issue on that machine, seems to be due to a material in your library has a reference to an appearance asset that no longer exists. I don't know how that coul dhave happened. You "should" be able to take an adsklib file from one machine to another without seeing those problems.

Can you attach the exact adsklib file that is causing your crash ?

Andy, similarly we can take a look at your library to see why you are having issues, if you attach the file.

Thanks,
Chris

[Orest_iy]

Chris I have both machines in sync by means of flash disk and SyncToy2.0. I cannot blame this software so far for years it makes exact update without errors. Anyway I have attached my several test Material libraries crushing my machine and my opinion of 2013 all this evening.. Anyway I just created the new library for testing. I checked the Refresh out-of-date standard parts during placement as you advised I did just one copied (duplicated) Material and change Appearance color to Yellow in this lib. I opened the another project and another assembly where I did not test or insert anything custom in 2013. I wrote the new library as active in both Material and Appearance in Project Manager. I created the new custom Content Center Library and set it to new Custom Library. I have change the Material in that custom library for yellow one taken form just made Material lib. Inserted part takes just right material but not Appearance color Result is still negative. Regards, Orest

[Anonymous]

Thanks Chris, hopefully I've attached the correct file?

[Anonymous]

Try to delete your content center folder or at least the part you are inserting? Doesn't it get updated then?

[Orest_iy]

I have resolved this and plenty of other 2013 problems in sure way...

I keep using Inventor 2012 nevertheless I paid for 2013

Orest

[Anonymous]

Orest,

I have taken a look into your screencast at http://screencast.com/t/oTFRLIwf7QFz and what notices me is that you select a bolt from a different library than your Orest Library.

You are not selecting the DIN7380 bolt from your custom library but the one from your Autodes Library.

Everything works just fine with me now...

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am using inventor 2013 and having lots of issues with new appearance. When I change the mental to stainless steel it come up something like in attached picture. I dont think stainless steel look like this in realistic.

Is there any ways to get back 2012 colors and appearances.

thanks.