Nax Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Hi, I have a problem with changing solid face colour where the Solidhas a material assigned to it. I have searched the forum and not found any threadto help me I have drawn a meter and need to add text to the face. Trying to imprint the text is a mission and Idon’t seem able to make the text stand out. If I explode the text, Create asolid, Union the text, position the text on the meter face and union the textto the meter face the text takes on the colour of the material. I then try to change the colour of the textface and of course it will not change. The only way I can seem to change theface colour is to convert the solid to a surface which then defeats the object. As an interim solution to overcome my problem I have createdthe text and positioned it where I need it and then created a block to keep itall in place. It looks ok and providedthe block is not exploded it works ok but i am sure there must be a moreprofessional way of doing it. Does anyone have any suggestions? Regards Nax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 So it's not like the text has been cut into the surface of the solid? It's just flat right? Can you post an image? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 ... I then try to change the colour of the textface and of course it will not change. Works here. Attach your file here. Search on 8-ball or eight ball or billiard ball for an example. If using materials rather than color you will have to attach by face rather than by part (that has been covered here a month or 2 ago). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Well, it has been a couple of hours. Did you find the references? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nax Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Hi, See attached jpg Regards Bax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nax Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Hi, Sorry to take so long, I have just arrived at workn now. Guess there must be quite a time delay. I have had a look for the thread and could only find a reference to Imprint. I will carry on serarchin anyway. Many thanks Nax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nax Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Hi, I I have now found a reference and downloaded a DWG file forthe 8-ball billiard ball. I could not find the tutorial explaining how the balland text were unioned to the sphere? Many thanks for the reference Regards Bax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) I have now found a reference and downloaded a DWG file forthe 8-ball billiard ball. I could not find the tutorial explaining how the balland text were unioned to the sphere? Well what was the url - so I don't have to search for it. OK, I found this http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?43598-Purpose-of-Imprint&highlight=8-ball I thought I laid out the steps step-by-step. For the ball Revolve the Sphere Extrude the circle as cylinder and Imprint txtexp then extrude the text and imprint solidedit color faces and change the face color In later versions of AutoCAD you can skip the Extrude step before Imprint IF the face is planar. I think Tutorial 12 in my signature explains the process. Appling textures (materials) to individual faces is a bit different than changing face colors. You posted an image file rather than a dwg file - I am only familiar with editing dwg files in AutoCAD. Post your dwg file (or a representative example) here. Edited August 16, 2012 by JD Mather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nax Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 (edited) Hi, Many thanks for our reply. I will send the top part of the meter dwg and post it as soon as I have a chance. Once again many thanks for your help Regards Brian Edited August 17, 2012 by Nax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Given JDM's explanation and image I don't see why you could not duplicate the steps on a flat surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 JDM's explanation worked for me. I have no use for this feature in my line of work so it isn't as though I use this technique every day. The one thing I did run into was I had to color the face of the individual letters and at the same time make sure to remove any unwanted faces (the white rectangle behind the letters) from the selection set. A bit cumbersome even with four letters but I'm sure there is a way around this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumfatnhappy Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 so this is an "imprint" command"? I just hade to put numbers on big tanks... ended up going about it differently but worked ok none the less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Yes, the IMPRINT command was used with the lettering. In vanilla AutoCAD it can be found by clicking on the down pointing arrow found here on the Ribbon: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumfatnhappy Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I'll have to play with that. Thanks Remark! (Soo many options.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 It is easiest to change the face colors while in wireframe shademode. The trick is to click somewhere in the middle of a face (if you accidently get an edge - it picks edges of two contacting faces). Just to emphasize - if you have a planar face and your ucs is set to the face, then the Extrude operation can be skipped in later versions of AutoCAD (I think 2010 on - in earlier versions you had to always do the extrude or revolve or whatever to get a second solid before imprint). Would you like to hear how much easier this is in Inventor? by part, by feature or by face - material textures same way..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I did not extrude my text but I did neglect to set my UCS to the face I was working on. Thanks, but "no thanks" for the offer re: how easy this is to do in Inventor. I just push my Easy button I bought at Staples! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nax Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Hi, Hi Although I can get the imprint to work I still find it very time consuming.You mention Inventor and how easy it is? I have Inventor Fusion (which I havenever used) as part of my AutoCAD package. Could I use this package to simplifythe process? Regards Nax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Hi, I have Inventor Fusion (which I havenever used) as part of my AutoCAD package. Could I use this package to simplifythe process? I have not tried this in Inventor Fusion. If it is possible it will be called Split rather than Imprint. I will do a check and come back with the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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