MULTI BODY PART

[AnthonyHarris90842]

I create a multi body part with 3 solid bodies.

I then click on Make Components

All the bodies go to an assembly of the same name.

I save that assembly and all the new solids have an initial save.

The problem then is the background in the new solid files show up in a different colour then what my setup is and I need it to be black in my BOM as I send it to a spread sheet and then I have a black background for some parts and blue for others.
I can fix this by opening each new solid and then saving but I have too many parts and this becomes a problem.
Also if I change the multi body models then the all the effected solids go back to the blue background.
See pic

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! This is a very interesting issue. I guess it has something to do with when the thumbnail is taken. Was the multi-solid body part save with a blue background? If you open the MSB part and change the background to black. Go to Manage -> Rebuild All -> Save. Does it update now?

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Hi Johnson,

That has been a problem for quite some time by now. I have been writing about it as well. What difference does it make when the thumbnail was taken? The thumbnail should reflect what is on the screen when the file is saved and closed. Period. But no, it is not that simple! Open an assembly - it is asked the operator to update it. For absolutely no reason whatsoever, BTW. The assembly was saved and closed and the Inventor was just started. Why there is a request to accept the changes than? Accept the DB anyway. Now - most of the preview images are reverted to some sort of bitmaps with different orientation and different background. Where those images are coming from?!!! Now, if you open Design Assistant - you can not see these thumbnails in the bottom left of the screen. It is just blank in there. Try to guess - which file are you dealing with in DA!

In iProperties there are FOUR options to deal with the thumbnail creation! Why on Earth are they needed?! It was working nice and easy in IV2010. Who did ask for these changes?

Best Regards,

Igor.

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@johnsonshiue wrote:

Hi! This is a very interesting issue. I guess it has something to do with when the thumbnail is taken. Was the multi-solid body part save with a blue background? If you open the MSB part and change the background to black. Go to Manage -> Rebuild All -> Save. Does it update now?

Many thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

I still need to understand the behavior better. I am relatively ignorant of thumbnails and how they work. I am aware of those options in iProperties. I recall they have been there for a long time. It is not a recent addition. Also it is likely we received competing requests and it is the way we accommodated them. Like I said, I need to understand it better to comment further.

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Hi Johnson;

I do appreciate your input. And if there anything I can do for you to clarify the behaviour of thumbnail preview creation - please let me know. In a meantime I can suggest - that particular function has to be simplified and made more robust. The preview image should not get overridden on the background (i.e - without opening the file) by the routine save command. At a moment however, to have a stable thumbnail image  - it is a three clicks effort. Open iProperties DB --> Save--> Capture. That's if "Active window" is a default option in template. If not - then one has to select this option prior to capture the image.  Two other options (above "Active Window" option) do not deliver a stable result any more.

I hope - what I have described is clear enough.

Cheers,

Igor.

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@johnsonshiue wrote:

Hi Igor,

I still need to understand the behavior better. I am relatively ignorant of thumbnails and how they work. I am aware of those options in iProperties. I recall they have been there for a long time. It is not a recent addition. Also it is likely we received competing requests and it is the way we accommodated them. Like I said, I need to understand it better to comment further.

Many thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

I took a closer look at the process. Like you mentioned, there are 4 options to capture the thumbnail preview. The default option is "Active Component Isoview on Save" and the background is based on the current session setting. After the snapshot is captured, it will only be updated on next save (background depending on the session).

One can argue that the 4 options seem excessive. But, I am pretty sure we got users wanting these options long time ago. Once the options are offered, it is very difficult to remove them. I will work with the project team to understand the behavior better and see if we can improve further.

Regarding how to update the thumbnail background, you can simply move EOP to the top and back down to dirty the file. This will trigger update pending to all push-derive parts. Update them and save. The background will be changed.

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Hi Johnson,

Thanks for the push. Unfortunately - this time the suggestion of yours is way too cumbersome to administer. For years I have been using "Active Window on Save" option. And it did work fine. From IV2018 - that options is broken. As I have described to you in my previous post - the problem with preview images is - they get changed on it's own without a file being open by the operator. It happens when using a Muscular Modeling and assembly is asking for an updated.

I will try to create a simple assembly for you to  see that phenomena.

Cheers,

Igor.

[IgorMir]

Hello again, Johnson;

Here is a simple assembly for you to have a look at. IV2018 format. Open an Assembly1.iam to see how it looks like. In Open File DB select each of the three parts and see how the preview image for everyone of them looks like. Now - close the assembly. Open up Part1.ipt. Change the parameter for the square. Save and close. Open the assembly file. You will be asked to update it. Along with all the other files, since they have dependency on each other. Accept the DB, save and close the assembly. Now - in Open File DB select Part2.ipt. Or Part3.ipt. Look at the preview image. Where did that image came from?!!! I guess - the attempt of the software developer was to indicate that the files are in need for  updates. Yet the files have been updated through the Save Changes DB in the assembly file - have they not? I could live with that if the pesky preview image was available in Design Assistant once it's reverted to whatever it is. But it is not. And that creates a problem. For now in Save tub in iProperties DB I have to use Active Window option and click on Capture button. But that is just a nasty workaround - not a proper workflow. Since with that option select the preview image is not getting updated when the file just gets open and save.

Best Regards,

Igor.

[AnthonyHarris90842 · Accepted solution]

Hi Guys I found the solution

See picture. make sure all the colours in the red circle is black or what ever background colour you prefer.

[IgorMir]

It bits me what your reply has to do with the topic discussed, sorry. Besides, in IV2018 I don't see "Customize Schemes" button.

Cheers,

Igor.

[AnthonyHarris90842]

The customize scheme button is only in 2019 version and in there you can specify background colours

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

The color scheme editor was added to 2019 only, not available in 2018.

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Hi Johnson,

That's fine but how does that relate to the problem of Inventor changing the preview images? Just as I have shown in the files sent earlier?

Cheers,

Igor.

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@johnsonshiue wrote:

Hi Igor,

The color scheme editor was added to 2019 only, not available in 2018.

Many thanks!

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[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

No, I am not saying using Color Scheme Editor is the solution. I was purely commenting that CSE was available on 2019, not 2018. I am still trying to understand the thumbnail behaviors and how we can improve them.

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Thanks, Johnson;

I, for one - will be pretty keen to learn the outcome of your research.

Cheers,

Igor.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

Just to provide some update on this discussion. I did work with the project team to understand the function better. We cannot come up with a better reasoning that the 4 options existed in the first place than it was designed as such. The ability to save thumbnail in transparent background is doable. It is because we are doing it for Save to Image (transparent background option in 2019). But, it will likely require a new option (5 total).

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Hi Johnson,

You see - in IV2010 I had never have such a problem. The years of improvement to the software created an issue with thumbnail preview. I wonder if you have a copy of IV2010 laying around. To recreate the model I have sent to you is not a big deal. And then you will be able to compare the two outcomes when the preview image is created. Since I can not explain the issue any better then I had.

Cheers,

Igor.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

Honestly, I really do not remember any "enhancements" in this particular workflow. Based on my understanding, the the thumbnail behavior should be consistent across releases. It is possible there is a bug leading to behavioral change.

Certainly, I agree that not all enhancements are helpful to everybody. But, most of them were requested by some people. It is over-generalizing to say enhancements are not helpful. Like I said repeatedly in the past, Inventor is a tool of choice. It is not perfect but it has to be useful. If it is not useful, we got a serious problem.

I do have 2010 installed on a machine. I can try the workflow and understand the behavior better. It is either a bug or a limitation. Regardless, I want to know it better.

Many thanks!

[IgorMir]

Hi Johnson;

That's what I meant - it could be a side effect from something else. 

I look forward to your comment once you compare the files. My main issue with it is, that once the preview gets changed - it is not visible in the DA. And that's wrong!

Cheers,

Igor.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Igor,

I think I understand the issue now. The default Save Option in Thumbnail (Save -> Options or Open -> iProperties -> Save) in any template Inventor ships is "Active Component Iso View on Save." This means the thumbnail will be captured in the Home View of the given component window with the background.

The files you shared here have the option set to "Active Window on Save." I am not sure if we have a change in behavior within "Active Window on Save" option. But, I cannot seem to reproduce the behavioral difference between 2010 and 2018 if the same options are used. Could you try changing the Save option to "Active Component Iso View on Save" in your template file? Are you able to reproduce it?

Many thanks!