## Editing Dimension Colors

Selecting the Edit | Graphics Display Window | Dimension Color menu option brings up the Edit Dimension Color dialog box. This dialog box allows you to define colors and tolerance zones for your entire tolerance band.

Edit Dimension Color dialog box

Defining Dimension Colors

1. 1. Define the Number of Tolerance Zones.

   2. Set the Tolerance Zone Multiplier as needed.

   3. If desired, select the Show Colors in Two Directions check box to extend your color range to the -Tol value.

   4. Pick the colors for the tolerance zones in one of two ways:

   1. - Method 1 - Select each tolerance zone one at a time from the tolerance zone drop-down list, and click the Edit button to set a specific color for each zone.

      - Method 2 - Use the color wheel to select the start and end tolerance zone colors, and allow PC-DMIS to define colors for the other zones.

   3. Click Apply Colors.

   4. Modify the options for the Dimension Colors bar as desired.

   5. Click OK.

Dialog Box Description

Item | Description
Tolerance Zone Multiplier box | This increases the negative and positive tolerance by the percentage specified. If it is set to 200%, then the range of tolerance zones will become: 2.0*(-Tol) through 2.0*(+Tol) For example, if you gave this a value of 200% then the tolerance zone would be double its normal range:

Example Tolerance Zone Multiplier set to 200%

If you typed 50%, the zone would be half its normal range:

Example Tolerance Zone Multiplier set to 50%

This provides you with greater control over the tolerance range for your tolerance zone, allowing your range of colors to extend into the out of tolerance zone, letting you visually see how much out of tolerance something is.

The default value is 100%.

Number of Tolerance Zones box | This determines the tolerance zones for your part program. Tolerance zones essentially divide your entire tolerance band into these tolerance zones. Each tolerance zone has a unique color associated with it.
Tolerance Zones list | This list contains all the tolerance zones. You can select a specific zone from this list to manipulate its color in detail. The Dimension Limits item from this list is used to create a border at the absolute positive or negative limit of the feature tolerance. The color used for this corresponds to color used to draw the tolerance band.
Show Tolerances in Two Directions check box | This determines whether or not your tolerance zones for the current part program display the same color range in two directions, one heading towards the Positive Out of Tolerance range and the other heading towards the Negative Out of Tolerance range. This effectively expands the lower dimension color range to –Tol instead of zero.

Example of Tolerances Displayed in Two Directions

You can then use the Edit button to define the negative dimension colors and positive dimension colors separately.

If you want to change the default value for all future part programs, use Default button to store your selection in the DimensionColorShowInTwoDirections registry entry contained under the Parameters tree of the PC-DMIS Settings Editor.

Recall button | This button returns the colors to the default setting.
Default button | This button lets you override the previous default color settings with the current values.
Edit Color button | This displays a Color dialog box letting you change the color associated with the currently selected tolerance zone.
Color Wheel | This provides you with a quick way to define colors for all your tolerance zones. It lets you pick the colors for the first and last tolerance zones. A small x appears on the color wheel for each color selected: Example Color Wheel Selection showing the selected start and end colors

The remaining tolerance zones will have colors spaced evenly between the start and end colors. The direction of the spacing depends upon the option selected.

Clockwise option | This sets the end color to have the same brightness as the start color, and will space the colors in a clockwise direction.
Counter Clockwise option | This sets the end color to have the same brightness as the start color, but will space the colors in the counter clockwise direction.
Straight Line option | This spaces the colors from the start color to the end color, regardless of the brightness, in a straight line direction.
Apply Colors button | This applies any color changes you made without closing the dialog box, allowing you to immediately test your color selection.
Visible check box | This check box lets you show or hide the Dimension Colors Bar once you click OK. For information on the Dimension Colors Bar, see "Using the Dimensions Colors Window" topic in the "Using Other Windows, Editors, and Tools" chapter.
Default Tolerance box | This edit box lets you change the default tolerance value for the Dimension Colors Bar.
Display Actual Deviation option | This displays tolerances as the actual deviation in the Dimension Colors Bar.
Display % Deviation option | This displays tolerances as a percentage of the deviation in the Dimension Colors Bar for the current part program. If you want to change the default value for all future part programs, use the Default button to store your selection in the DimensionTolerancePercentage registry entry contained under the Parameters tree of the PC-DMIS Settings Editor.