Inventor 2022 - Model States - Colors

[helena.cech]

How can I control Color in Model States assembly.

I have 2 assemlies, they are painted wiht diferrent color after final assembly.

Thank you.

[swalton]

Take a look at @Curtis_Waguespack's post in this thread:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/model-state-view-in-part/m-p/10320867/highlight/true#M...

It seems like there is an undocumented workaround for linking appearances with model states.

[helena.cech]

I was able to use this for Part - Model States, but it is not  working for Assemblies.

How can I control color of the Model State in Assemblies?

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi @helena.cech 

I think swalton was intending to point you to the method of adding a column to the spreadsheet, that is detailed at that bottom of the link he posted... 

here's a direct link to that:

Provide a more discoverable method to add different color/appearance styles to each model states - A...

But if you are wanting to do this via code, then there might be away to edit the table to do so, but I don't have an example on hand... I'll post back with something if I come up with one.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[helena.cech]

As I mentioned in my previous reply I was able to use this for Part - Model States, but it is not  working for Assemblies.

How can I control color of the Model State in Assemblies?

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@helena.cech wrote:

As I mentioned in my previous reply I was able to use this for Part - Model States, but it is not  working for Assemblies.

How can I control color of the Model State in Assemblies?

---

What do you mean by "use this"? .... what is this?

There is some ilogic code in the original link that swalton provided that links view reps an model states, but it was written for parts... is that what you're saying you were able to use?

Or are you saying, that you were able to manually add the Appearance/Style column via the spreadsheet for parts, as described in that link... but can't do the same for an assembly?

I understand what you want to do, and that something isn't working for assemblies, but it's not clear what you have tried.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[helena.cech]

Yes, I was able to manually add the Appearance/Style column via the spreadsheet for parts, as described in that link... but I can't do the same for an assembly.

So there is no way to change the color for assemlies?

When I'm in assembly and right click on Model States, I can click on Representation. In Representation box you should be able to change the Model State  and Design View, but this doesn't work...

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi @helena.cech 

Once you have model states created, when you click on the Model States folder, you should see an option to "Edit via Spreadsheet", that same as with part files.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[helena.cech]

I tried approach as noted above .....In assembly.....click on the Model States folder,  "Edit via Spreadsheet"

For some reason software doesn't accept any other input except "Default" in Appearance/Style column for assembly

I'm getting this messages.... and color doesn't change.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi @helena.cech 

The color name needs to match exactly, so unless your Appearance library has a color named "Yellow" it will error... so maybe that's the issue?

 You could use "Smooth - Yellow" for instance...

Or as I wrote in the link that swalton provided, just set them all to Default, and then you can change them in the model after you close the Spreadsheet.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi @helena.cech 

I apologize, but I just took a minute to look at this, and I'm not sure that the same syntax that we used in the part is going to work in the assembly 😕

Let's ask @johnsonshiue if he can check and see what we need to add for assemblies.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Curtis and Helena,

I think for assembly level, the colors are managed by designed view. You cannot specify on the Model State table. For example, you can set up Model State1. Then create a design view called DesignView1. You can color the components however you like (no table to see unfortunately). Then create an iLogic rule to activate DesignView1 when Model State1 is active.

Many thanks!

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi @helena.cech  and @johnsonshiue ,

I just backed up and looked at the way we did this with ipart and iassemblies in older versions of Inventor and the same workflow will work here:

First we create an Appearance column in the model state tab of the part, and set each model state to be the color we want

Then we just choose the part Model States at the assembly level and they bring across the colors for each 

If the goal is to have all the parts set the same color at the assembly level, then I think we have to use the View Represetnations as mentioned by Johnson.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[helena.cech]

In the assembly, I don't have access to appearance, it is grayed-out, I can't select color.

In the Part, I have access to the Appearance, I have color named "Yellow" in Appearance Library.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Helena,

In assembly, you have to select a component to assign an appearance. Without selecting anything, the appearance list will not come up.

Many thanks!

[helena.cech]

It looks like iLogic is the way to control color in assembly. Unfortunatly I do not have expeience with iLogic. I have to look in to it. Do you have some sample to show how it works?

[mickhall64]

Should have just stayed with Solid Works. Inventor can do a lot of things, but the path to results is way more complicated than it needs to be.

[Cristian.Toquica]

Did you manage to change the color of your parts when switching between different model states?

I am currently trying to achieve the same with no success. I Ilogic is needed, I would appreciate some instructions to start with.

THX

[Rob_Windsor]

I know everything is spelled out above in this post, but there is a lot of extra info to sift thru as well.  Try this.

In your Part file, take note of the names of the Appearances you would like to switch between; spelling matters.

Once you have a second model state, open the spreadsheet to edit the model states.

Add a column with the heading of "Appearance<style></style>". 

Add the Appearance names that you made note of above to the appropriate model states.

Member                        Appearance<style></style>

[Primary]                      Anodized - Light Gray

Part 2                            Smooth - Black

[christian.postma]

I Managed to do this in parts just recently in INV2024 by applying a finish.

In assemblies, colors change when switching between model states.

You have to set the state of the part you want to change in the browser of the assembly in the part itself.

To do so, in the 3D Model ribbon in the MODIFY section you'll find "Finish".

Just add paint, with 0 microns of thickness.

This is saved in the model states.