Actual colors not consistent between part files

[DivingDoug]

I have an issue that is driving me up the wall. I download a lot of parts to use in my assemblies from content providers such as 3-D Content Central. Like in other threads I have found here, I like to use colors sparingly and have consistency across all my part files.

Problem is, many parts come in shaded in various levels (usually of grey) and it has been impossible to get the colors to match.

Here are the things I have done: (SW 2010)

Removed all colors and appearance from every thing from the face to the part.

Added and removed materials

Gone to Tools/Options/Document Properties/Colors and selected Reset All to Defaults

Change and returned all scenes to the default.

Even with no color, the colors do not match, If I apply the same color to all, some are still darker or lighter than others and the reflectivity varies. Even applying a constant material does not allow some parts to match up.

Some parts are Imported bodies while others are feature based but there is no consistency between the two.

I am at wits end and could use any help. I have attached a screen shot showing eight parts with four distinctly different shades even though every single setting is identical from top to bottom that is even remotely related to color, texture or appearance.

Thanks for any feedback

Doug

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Right click on the top line of a part or assy and select Hidden Tree Items > Lights, Cameras and Scene and compare the settings.

 

[Eltron]

Do you have access to PhotoWorks? I find it easier to deal with these issues through the Render Manager tab. Sometimes you'll find a material you didn't see before listed. I'll take a look at the 8020 parts in 3dcc and see if I come up with anything useful.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[Eltron]

Looks fine on my machine.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[DivingDoug]

Since I had to shift hours and work to cover 2nd shift this week (uhg) I was able to spend some more time just going through everything again and again and finally, yes, discovered the root cause of the problem.

I have photo works but don't use it but alas, the configurations of the various lights has a huge impact on the appearance. I am guessing that the defaults in various templates that get used by the folks that make these models have been tweaked.

Once I went through (painful) and made all the lighting match, and it must match exactly, all parts appeared the same.

Some started with Ambient and two Directionals, some with Ambient and three Directionals, and not all the directionals were configured the same and some even had alternate light color.

I'm not a macro person but would love to find a macro that would run that would re-set all the lighting to some level that I choose so I can just click and go.

Thanks for taking a look but I think I got it covered for now though if anyone can show me how to write a macro, that would be great too.

Doug

 

[SnowCrash]

Well, the starting point for macros is to turn macro recording on, then step thru the operations, then save and edit the macro. The learning curve is very flat . . .It takes a long time to learn anything about macros, not that it is so hard, but nothing is obvious. Help files are, well, not helpful.
"in my experience"

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2010 SP 4.0
HP Pavillion Elite HPE
W7 Pro, Nvidia Quaddro FX580

 

[DivingDoug]

Discoverd one additional condition that will affect color appearance. On many imported parts, the part may not necassarily coincide with the origin where as any lights are positioned based on the origin. This will therefore affect how the part appears.

Also, Got the macros down, pretty straightforward.

Thanks for the feedback

Doug