Feature Colors in Part Files

[jdg268]

When you change the color of a part in the feature tree, say to orange for example, then the color of all FUTURE features will be orange. If you go to options, document properties, colors, and change the color of any feature, say a boss changes to red, then any future bosses change to red. So far so good.

The problem I'm having is if I decide to change the part color to something else, say yellow. When I do this, all future features will be yellow, except the boss, which remains at red. Is there a way to "cancel" the red I assigned to a boss, and have it link back up to the part color? It seems like once a feature color is globally changed within a document, there's no way to undo it and have it's color follow the part's color.

Thanks

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[ctopher]

Select the feature/face and select "Remove color" in the feature manager.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[jdg268]

If I do that, future features will still be wrong. I have to manually change the color, and I want them to follow the part's color automatically.

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[ctopher]

Maybe this will help?
thread559-139678

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[jdg268]

Thanks, but this seems to have more to do with face colors and their relationship with assemblies. I think my issue is a bug in Solidworks.

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[smcadman]

I use ModelProperties from Lenny's site. You have the basic colors, and also a drop-down list of different color palettes. The "Remove Feature Colors" button is what you are looking for. You can also use it on assemblies to remove colors of parts at the assembly level.

http://webpages.charter.net/mkikstra/SWX-macros.html

Flores
SW06 SP4.1

 

[jdg268]

Thanks! I will try it soon!

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The thread that ctopher suggested also applies to part features, not just faces.

If you change the colour of a part or its features within an assy, the colours will only apply within that assy ... not in the individual part. It is usually much easier/better to set the colours directly in the part files so that the colour remains the same wherever the part is used.

It is not a bug, I believe it is a misunderstanding of how & where colours are applied.


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[jdg268]

What I'm talking about is a bug. The thread referenced by ctopher is irrelevant to the issue I have. I'm not bringing the part into an assembly. I'm in the part file the entire time.

If you change the color of a feature type (not an individual feature) in the options, doc. props, color menu, there is no way to undo that change and have the color natually follow the part's color. If you change the part's color, future feature's color will be what you set them to in the options menu and not the part's color. I know it's confusing, but I'm pretty sure it's a bug.

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Ahhh, I understand now. I have never needed to use that function. I will try it and see what happens.


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[Eltron]

Have you tried to reset the defaults or check the ignore feature colors box? Swearing sometimes works, too.

 

[jdg268]

Ignore feature colors does work, but it's a workaround. This isn't causing me a lot of pain, but it's annoying.
I have a macro that changes file properties from a given file to another. When the colors are changed doing this, you can't go back.

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Tools > Options > Document Options > Colors > Reset All To Defaults > OK, then select all the features from the FM tree, RMB click and select Appearance > Color > Remove Color ... that seems to reset things.


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[jdg268]

CBL,
I don't think your method remedies it. If the color of bosses has been globally changed to green, and the part color has been changed to red, bosses still show up red. After you cahnge the part color, go to Tools > Options > Document Options > Colors, and you'll notice that bosses are still red, even after resetting to defaults and removing colors of individual features. I still think it's a bug.

John Graham CSWP

Mechanical Design Engineer

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Hmmm ... it seems to work OK for my company computer.
I will re-test on my home computer.


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[CorBlimeyLimey]

Hmmm ... yup, it looks like a bug. Resetting the options colour & removing the feature colours works for existing features, but new features take on the previous option colours. Removing the new feature colours works as a workaround, but would be a PITA if you were always having to do it.
I guess you should report it as a bug if that function is important to you.


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