I need to change the print color in a Detail of a layer in a referenced file. V8 now tells me “Cannot change layout print color of referenced layer”. Works fine in V7. Unsure how lines from referenced layers can have different appearances in Detail views without this function.
Ok, Right Click on Layer, Properties, Layout Print Color, does allow you to change the color.
I don’t think this work around counts as a ‘solution’.
The term “referenced” tells me the layer in question is not in the current file.
Do you have any externally referenced block instances?
If so, you would need to open that other file where the geometry exists, and make the change in that file.
Exactly, I want to change the appearance of a layer in a Detail, of a referenced file. This works in V7. It works in V8 with right click. I don’t understand how it would be possible for a referenced layer to have different appearances in Details without this. Is this a deliberate change?
I dunno. I don’t use the tool.
If you can provide us with a simple, repeatable example that works one way in V7 and differently in V8; one that I can follow to repeat it, I’m happy to get it on The Pile as a regression so it can be fixed.
Thanks
Ok, this is confusing, but I’ll try to clarify. And I made an example file.
(Make sure PrintDisplay is on to be able to see the changes to Print Color, and exit an active Detail to see the color change)
In V7
To change the global printing color of a referenced layer, go to the Layer panel, click on the colored diamond in the Print Color column.
To change the appearance of a referenced layer in an individual Detail only, activate the Detail, go to the ‘Layout and detail information’ panel, change the color. Exit the detail.
In V8
I think the Layers panel has absorbed the ‘Layout and detail…’ panel.
The Print Color diamond changes the global appearance of referenced layers fine.
To change the appearance of a referenced layer in an individual Detail only… I activate a detail…the Layer panel then automatically changes to display the ‘Detail Print Color’ diamond on the far right… and… ‘Cannot change detail print color of referenced layers’.
If I right click the referenced layer, go to Properties, Detail Print Color, it does allow the change. BUT it also changes overall Print Color, changing all other views.
I would expect changing the Detail Print Color to only change that, and not the Print Color.
Main Model.3dm (2.7 MB)
Reference.3dm (3.6 MB)
Hi @NeilE,
Thanks for the files.
It looks like a bug. I can see it on Rhino 8 Windows too. These definitely need to work the same. There has been issue in the past where Mac dis something different than Windows.
We will get the YT logged and I will reply with the tacking number soon.
Thanks for letting us know.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Fugier
Thanks! Generally, the new Layer panel looks great though.
On the latest version, still having the same problem.
@NeilE - seem to work here in Rhino 8. Are you using Rhino 7?
– Dale
Using my test example in v8 8.16. To clarify, referenced layers should be able to be have different display properties in multiple Details.
Left click Layout Print Color = error “Cannot change…”
Right click Properties/Layout Print Color = works fine, but this changes the properties on all Layouts, as it should.
(‘Restore Defaults’ remains grayed out even after changing the properties.)
In an active Detail
Left click Detail Print Color = error “Cannot change…”
Right click Properties/Detail Print Color = allows the change, but changes the color of the other Detail, as it should not. When I exit the detail, it shows the Layout Print Color has also been changed, which it shouldn’t be.
Also, I’m unclear what the difference between Layout Color/Layout Print color and Detail Color/Detail Print color is and how that would be used. Only the Print colors can be changed under properties.
Hi @NeilE,
There are requests for this that we have logged over the years.
Currently 3DM file format has nowhere to save this additional layer detail. So when it can not be saved, the message pops up that it can not be changed.
These are the only linked block Reference layer properties that are saved to the parent 3DM are:
Global visibility, Model color, Lock,
Layout Layer Visibility, Detail Layer Visibility
and the new Rhino 8 Model On (visibility control for model viewports only)
The message is issued when a selected layer property can not be changed or saved to the parent 3DM.
So rather than letting you change it you will see:
These messages appear on layer properties and can not be modified in the parent model:
Section style, Material, Linetype, Print Color & Print width.
Layout color, Layout Print Color, Layout Print Width
Detail color, Detail Print Color, Detail Print Width
We already YT RH-68718/Save-More-Settings-for-Linked-block-in-Model-and-Details-Views (private because of customer files.) I just updated it and added more details and link to this thread.
Another bug to log, Rhino 8 New Detail visibility should either save or give a warning and currently does not. (RH-86302).
I came up with a graphics to review the current state of linked block with reference layers.
Finally, a workaround: if you use Active when you link or change a linked block layer style to Active instead of reference, then the standard layer properties that are save will apply to the referenced linked models that use this layer. You can get creative with your layer naming to group all the layer together by prefix.
- Layout Color → Curves on the Layout only (not in the detail);Print color set to Display in the Print dialog
- Layout Print → Curves on the Layout only (not in the detail);Print color set to Print in the Print dialog
- Detail Color → Curves in the Detail only (not on the Layout); Print color set to Display in the Print dialog
- Detail Print → Curves in the Detail only (not on the Layout); - Print color set to Print in the Print dialog
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Fugier
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Sooo, you’re saying if I have onee main file with 10 linked reference files, I need to open each file and change the print color in there for it to plot to my desired print color in the main file?
I’ve found this to be the case.
I rarely use the reference setting, because you cannot finely control the layer settings. It is also really difficult to completely delete the reference layer if you are done with it.
I insert my referenced files as linked-active blocks onto a dedicated layer / sublayers - Default or 0. This allows me to control overall visibility of references, and control the active layer properties for printing or visualisation purposes.
The major downside to this is your referenced geometry and working file geometry can now exist on the same layers + you may have introduced junk layers to your file that need to be managed.
This is not bad for my workflows but might be for others.
Would it work to change the geometry print values to “by parent” in the reference file? Then you should be able to control the appearance by the properties of the instance layer.
For those watching this thread, you can track the issue here:
https://mcneel.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/RH-68718
– Dale
RH-68718 is fixed in Rhino 8 Service Release 20