Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
(OP)
We had a recent request for an option to change the display of an NX model from the normal full color to a gray-scale display. Unlike Photo Shop we don't have a 'Grayscale' mode, however since we use a color definition file (.cdf) which every object references, all you have to do is replace the current .cdf file with a modified one and you can make a global change to all of the object colors in an NX model or assembly. Now this will have no effect on Photo-Realistic rendering, since that's based on rendering material assignment, nor will this effect the new True Color display mode since again this is based on a special set of predefined hardware rendering colors. Rather the .cdf files control the normal shaded display (or for that matter, the display of any geometric object shaded or otherwise) of any NX part file.
So we did a little research and found a conversion scheme which is used to alter the RGB color video feed into black & white TV. So we took the standard 'ugcolor.cdf' file and used these conversion factors for each of the Red, Green and Blue values in the table. And what you get if you replace the default table with this new one is shown below with a pair of images, one using the standard .cdf file and one with the new gray-scale .cdf file:


Anyway, I've attached this new modified .cdf file for your enjoyment and usage in case there's ever a need for a gray-scale 'mode' when working with an otherwise full color NX Model or Assembly.
So we did a little research and found a conversion scheme which is used to alter the RGB color video feed into black & white TV. So we took the standard 'ugcolor.cdf' file and used these conversion factors for each of the Red, Green and Blue values in the table. And what you get if you replace the default table with this new one is shown below with a pair of images, one using the standard .cdf file and one with the new gray-scale .cdf file:


Anyway, I've attached this new modified .cdf file for your enjoyment and usage in case there's ever a need for a gray-scale 'mode' when working with an otherwise full color NX Model or Assembly.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
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.





RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
Attached are a pair of .pdf files exported from NX showing a drawing with a shaded view added for illustration purposes, one in full color and the other gray-scale, based on my described workflow above.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
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.
RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
I really like these grey scale settings. I made up my own a while back, but only for the colors that we use the most.
RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
You mean the .cdf file?
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
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.
RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."
Ben Loosli
RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
RE: Have you ever wanted to work in Gray-Scale...
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
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.