About Colors Assigned to Imported Geometry

 

When importing geometry from one document to another, the application lets you choose between reporting original colors or assigning new colors.

Topics discussed are:
 

Transferring Original Colors                                                            

 

To transfer original colors from features 'sub-elements to imported features 'sub-elements, you must first select Inherit colors from the reference featurein the Options dialog box (accessed by using Tools > Options > Infrastructure > Part Infrastructure > Part Document).

The colors transferred are the colors that you can get on sub-elements, no matter how original colors are assigned to a set, a feature or from the Graphic Properties toolbar.

In the example below, the part body is made up of a blue colored pad, a pocket and a non-colored pad. A face of the pocket has been colored yellow using the Graphic Properties  toolbar capabilities.

After copying this part body and pasting it in a new part file using As Result With Link, the colors are kept on the imported geometry:

With Inherit colors from the reference feature cleared, you would get default colors on imported geometry:
 

Colors of Parts Created Using Pre-V5R18 Applications

When opening a pre-V5R18 part in your session, the current selected status of Inherit colors from the reference feature (selected or not) available in the Options dialog box applies to the part.

If later you paste (using As Result With Link) geometry onto this opened part, Inherit colors from the reference feature controls the way colors are assigned to imported geometry.

The selected status of Inherit colors from the reference feature is saved along with the geometry when saving the document.

Modifying the Way Colors are Transferred

You can modify the way colors are transferred to the part by accessing the Properties dialog box, the Color Management tab and selecting or clearing Imported features in current part inherit color from reference feature.

Selecting or clearing Imported features in current part inherit color from reference feature does not affect the status of  Inherit colors from the reference feature (selected or not) available in the Options dialog box . It does not affect the color already assigned to the imported geometry either.
 

Assigning a New Color

If colors issued from an import operation do not suit your needs, you can assign the color of your choice directly to an imported sub-element.

In the example below, the user has applied the red color (using the Graphic Properties toolbar) to the top face of the pad:

Initial state:

Result:

Removing this color by using the Automatic option from the Graphic Properties toolbar gives you back the color obtained by doing the copy/paste As Result With Link operation.
 

Rules

The following rules determine which color takes priority:

  • A transferred color takes priority over a color assigned to imported features or bodies aggregating imported features. When setting a color on the imported feature or its aggregating body, only the faces that had no color get colored as illustrated below:
    Initial state:
    Only one pad was assigned the blue and yellow colors.

    Result:
    After applying the red color on the whole body, only the cylinder get red.

    After applying the green color on Solid.1, only the cylinder turn green.

  • Colors issued of automatic report during imported feature creation cannot be removed, unless a break link operation is performed on imported with link feature.
    Initial state:
    The colors are kept on the imported geometry.

    Result:
    Once Solid.1 is isolated using Edit > Links , it is possible to remove sub-element colors. In our example, we have removed the blue color from top face using Graphic Properties. This face is now colored as other faces that were not colored when copy/paste operation was performed. Color from copy/paste cannot be retrieved any longer.