Component Colors in NX6 keep changing

[sarc21]

My problem is that the component colors keep changing and it seems that some are uniform but others change when I add them to another assembly.
Is there a sure fire way to keep the color of a component consistent through out all the applications and in different assembly files?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[joycejo]

I have run into this when adding some components that were built in NX4. They are using an "Older" color file.

Open the offending component and select preferences - color palette. Click Use System Color palette.

Save the file - It should display in the correct color. Although changing the palette will likely change the color of the component so you may need to edit the object display to change it to what you really want.





John Joyce
Tata Technologies
1675 Larimer St.
Denver, CO

http://www.myigetit.com

NX3,4,5,6 Solid Works, Pro/e, Solid Edge

 

[JohnRBaker]

All the Assembly files have to have the same CDF (Color Definition File). When you add a component to an Assembly, the color of the Component, as seen in THAT Assembly, will be based on whatever color was assigned to the color ID assigned to the solid body of the component in it original master file.

So, let's assume that you're running a recent version of NX (say NX 6.0) and you're using the out-of-the-box assigned colors and you create a Part file and assign it the Color 'Blue' (Color ID=211). You now add this Part file, as a Component, to an Assembly file which is using the same out-of-the-box colors and it that case the Component will appear to be Blue in color. However, if you were to add this same Part file to an Assembly file where someone had edited the color palette (or perhaps it's an Assembly file created in an older version of NX/UG using what would now be considered an out-of-date color palette) your Component part, in THIS assembly, will appear in the Color that has been assigned to Color ID=211, which might now be Red. In that case your Component will appear to be Red, but ONLY in this Assembly file.

Now you have two choices if you wish to have consistency across all assemblies, either edit the color of the Component file (in the context of the Assembly) to match your desired color or decide on a standard and make sure that all Assembly files are using the same Color Palette.

Note to change the Color Palette of an existing file you will need to go the Preference menu to do that. Prior to NX 6.0, you would find this under...

Preferences -> Visualization... -> Color Palette (tab)

...where you find at the top of the dialog a section where you can assign/change the CDF file.

Starting with NX 6.0, there is now a dedicated Color Palette dialog on the Preferences pull-down menu where you will find the CDF options at the bottom of the dialog.

Anyway, I hope that helps explain what's probably happening.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[hudson888]

If you wanted to be consistent then one of the best things you can have is what I can a "my way" macro. I change the CDF to the one I prefer and I change backgrounds, line thicknesses and selection colours at the same time. Then I add the macro to a toolbar icon and have my way with any files that don't quite look right.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[JohnRBaker]

Hudson,

You can also do most all of that using a Visualization Template created in a user-defined Tab on your Reference Bar.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[hudson888]

John,

I know how to add stuff as in the macro I mentioned to a tab or just and icon, but I have to confess that I haven't dabbled in Vizualisation Templates. How do they work and will they change the settings in existing parts. I can and have set up all the base parts to suit something that I broadly prefer, but you still get other users or legacy data in horrible colors etc that I'd prefer to behave consistently from component to assembly.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[JohnRBaker]

What you do is get a part file set up exactly as you would like your standard to be, using what combination of Customer Defaults or manual settings as are needed. Now open any user-defined Resource Bar tab and with your cursor over some 'white space', press MB3 and select...

New Entry -> Visualization Template...

...and when the dialog comes up, if you wish to have as many settings as possible included in the 'template', just give it some name and then hit OK. Now when you open a part file that you wish to apply the 'template' to, just go to the Resource Bar tab and drag the Template object onto the graphics area and all of the visualization settings will be applied automatically.

You can have as many templates as you wish to handle any number of custom visualization setups.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[hudson888]

Thanks John I have it work now and it seems like a pretty good thing

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum