I have a case where the same parametric cell is being used on 2 different levels, but the 2nd one is taking on the color of the 1st, AND the 1st level must be turned on to display the 2nd level!
One thing I have noticed about parametric cells (and do not like) is that whatever color and line weight the cell was created with is retained and not changeable once placed as a cell. The level it was created on is also somehow tied into this "DgnComponent" thing. Even if you place the cell on a new level, the level in which it was created must ALSO be turned on to display it, despite the element information saying it is ALL on the "new" level. In this case, it appears that because the same cell is being used in 2 places, it's "DgnComponent" can only exist on ONE of those levels.
Has anyone else noticed this? ALSO, what is the purpose of that Level Usage dialog box if you can't actually manipulate anything that is shown in it?
I'll start with your last question, and then tell you what I know and believe that I have observed. The Level Usage Dialog is purely informational just as is the "dot" in Level Manager where it indicates if a level is used (I find that most annoying because I have noticed that it does not always seem to be accurate or consistent in its reporting.)
Anyway, I have experienced that same and similar issues as you, but not yet where the same cell was placed on two different levels and requiring the "created on" level to be visible for the other levels to appear. I'll have to do some research on that one.
What I can tell you is that the DgnComponent you are referring to IS the parametric cell definition. It is a model in your DGN that is hidden from the Model Manager. Know that WHENEVER you place a parametric cell in a model (whether the source of the cell is the same DGN file or an external file), it will create a parametric cell definition file (e.g.: the DgnComponent_* cell) in your DGN. There are only two ways to see this model: Cell Dialog > Show Shared and Parametric Cell Definitions or by iterating through the models in your DGN using VBA.
In terms of fixing your problem, you may want to make some changes to your parametric cell. If you created it on the default level, that has ramifications (see the Bentley documentation.) I would start there. I trust that you know how to modify and update a parametric cell definition. Again, refer to the Bentley documentation if you are not sure how.
Yes. These cells were created on a level named "Parametric" rather than the default level for some of the reasons mentioned above. That was a complicated work-around I was using, where I would place a parametric cell on level "x", go to the level manager, then remap the newly created "Parametric" level to level "x" then delete the now empty level "Parametric". This would enable us to separate tank fittings from stairway supports and the like, but this may be the first time we've run across an instance where we need the same cell on two different levels.
All the parametric cells were created with "color by level" to enable a little creative freedom for folks that want different colors than the ones the cells were created with, but that seems to only work once the "Parametric" level is deleted.
I just don't understand why the change attributes dialog box doesn't change the "whole" element... including the "hidden" DgnComponent that goes with it.
It sounds to me that in your case, you would definitely benefit from creating the parametric cell on the Default level. In theory then (according to Bentley's documentation), the cell will take on the properties of the active level (assuming that the parametric cell element properties were set to "By Level")
Jeff M said:All the parametric cells were created with "color by level" to enable a little creative freedom for folks that want different colors than the ones the cells were created with, but that seems to only work once the "Parametric" level is deleted.
I believe the above occurs specifically because you created the cell on a level other than "default". Read the Bentley documentation on cell creation closely. There are distinct behaviors associated with creating on Default level versus another level. I believe that in your use case, the allowed behavior of the cell changed because you effectively disassociated it from the level it was created on by deleting the "parametric" level" (in fact, its behavior is now more like it was created on the Default level.)
Jeff M said:I just don't understand why the change attributes dialog box doesn't change the "whole" element... including the "hidden" DgnComponent that goes with it.
If the cell was created on the Default level, then changing its attributes should change the all the cells visible graphics. The cell you see on your screen is the "instance" of the parametric cell. The "definition" is the DgnComponent that supports it. Direct access to the definition is impossible. The only way it can be changed is to update the source cell definition and then selecting "update" from the cell dialog. See attached image.
I will have to investigate this further. I'm sure there was a logical reason that I have forgotten for NOT defining the cells on the default level. That is an easy fix, but updating the parametric cells always loses the links to the local variables which is not.
Still working the kinks out of the parametrics.
This isn't a problem with non-parametric cells.
Yeah, I get it. Parametrics are a double-edged sword. Great concept, but they are finicky.
I just did some more testing this morning. Wanted you to know that links to local variables do indeed remain intact when you update parametric cell definition as I had previously described. All constraints remain intact as well.