Make a lot of appearances at once (with excel, xml, ilogic or table in inventor)

[jaco011]

Hi all,

I have one appearance I am happy with, but now I want it in a lot of different colorshades (only RGB value should change). Is there a quick solution to create all these at once? I have an excel file with the new appearance names and their RGB values. I hope to find to way to prevent my to typing all these values manually to inventor.

It doesn't matter if its via excel, xml or a table in inventor. If someone has some code to duplicate an appearance or material in ilogic, I will be able to make to work.

Hope someone can help

[Gabriel_Watson · Accepted solution]

Try this suggested solution from the Inventor VBA/iLogic/etc. forum:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-programming-ilogic/batch-create-appearences-maybe-with-macro...

Sub main()

    Dim name(200) As String
    Dim red(200) As Integer
    Dim green(200) As Integer
    Dim blue(200) As Integer
    
    Dim i As Integer

    For i = 1 To 200
                
        Call CreateAppearance(name(i), green(i), red(i), blue(i))
                
    Next i
    
End Sub


Sub CreateAppearance(ByVal name As String, ByVal red As Integer, ByVal green As Integer, ByVal blue As Integer)

    Dim oDoc As PartDocument
    Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
    
    Dim oTG As TransientObjects
    Set oTG = ThisApplication.TransientObjects
    
    Dim docAsset As Assets
    Set docAsset = oDoc.Assets

    Dim appearance As Asset
    Set appearance = docAsset.Add(AssetTypeEnum.kAssetTypeAppearance, "Generic", name & "Appearances", name)

    Dim generic_color As ColorAssetValue
    Set generic_color = appearance.Item("generic_diffuse")
       
    generic_color.Value = oTG.CreateColor(red, green, blue)
    generic_color.HasConnectedTexture = True
    
    Dim generic_texture As AssetTexture
    Set generic_texture = generic_color.ConnectedTexture
        
    Dim generic_image_fade As FloatAssetValue
    Set generic_image_fade = appearance.Item("generic_diffuse_image_fade")
    generic_image_fade.Value = 0.75
    
    Dim generic_glossiness As FloatAssetValue
    Set generic_glossiness = appearance.Item("generic_glossiness")
    generic_glossiness.Value = 0.3
    
    Dim generic_highlights As BooleanAssetValue
    Set generic_highlights = appearance.Item("generic_is_metal")
    generic_highlights.Value = False

End Sub

[jaco011]

Thank you for that link, I tried to search but did not find this one myself.

It works, so I am very happy!

Do you also happen to know if there is a list how to address all the different aspects of an appearance? (for example reflectivity or description)

[Gabriel_Watson]

See the Inventor API help > Materials and Appearances:
https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-2912C0FB-885F-47ED-81C3-AF19584EA9C1

And another sample here:
https://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing/2018/01/vba-code-to-create-new-appearance-in-a-document...