Problem Description

After changing the color of an element in a file by changing the color of the elements' level in Level Manager, the line changes back to its original color when the file is reopened. For example, a Level has the color yellow when the file is opened. This is changed to green in the Level Manager and saved - any elements on this level change to green as expected. However, when the file is closed and reopened and the Level (and element) are back to the color yellow. How can the change be retained?

Steps to Resolve

This could be caused by a configuration variable, MS_LEVEL_AUTO_SYNC_ATTRIUBTE_LIST. If the ByLevelColor, or ByLevelSymbology attributes are set, then these would have the effect of synchronizing the color of levels in the file with the levels in a DGN Library file (or reference file).

For example, in the case above, the DGN Library file has the level with the color yellow. This level is then used in a DGN file and changed to green by a user. However, when the file is reopened, the variable is processed for the ByLevelColor attribute and synchronizes (matches) it with the color of the level in the DGN Library, which is yellow. Therefore, the level in the DGN file changes back to yellow and it appears as though the file is not saving level changes. 

To check this; 

1. While in one of the files, go to the menu Workspace > Configuration
2. In the Configuration dialog, select the Levels category on the left hand side
3. From the top right hand section, select the entry named 'Level Attribute Auto Sync', this is the variable MS_LEVEL_AUTO_SYNC_ATTRIUBTE_LIST
4. Check in the Expansion section to see if there are any attributes defined for the variable, if there are, it would look something like image 1 below
5. To change this action, the attriubte ByLevelColor (or ByLevelSymbology as this encompasses ByLevelColor) needs to be removed from the variable
6. If it is just set to ByLevelColor, and this is the only attribute set in the variable, it's only function is to synchronize Level Color, and when this action is not desired, the whole variable can be removed
7. Since the attribute ByLevelSymbology affects Level Weight and Style as well as Color, check if Level Weight and Style are needed for automatic synchronization with the Level Library. If they are, ByLevelSymbology can be removed and ByLevelWeight and ByLevelStyle added. If they are not, then ByLevelSymbology can be removed (again, if ByLevelSymbology is the only attribute in the variable) 
8. To find where the variable is set, it depends on the configuration level the variable has been set at, typically it would be set at Site, Project or User level, this can also be seen in image 1;

1. 1. If it is set at Site level, the CAD administrator may need to modify this and would need to find the variable from Standards.cfg (or other config file at Site level) and remove the attribute/or variable as in steps 6 and 7
   2. If it is set at Project level, find the Project pcf used when the file is opened and remove the attribute/or variable as per steps 6 and 7 (the pcf can be edited with notepad)
   3. If it is set at User level, this can be edited in the Workspace Configuration dialog or, find the User ucf used to open the file and remove the attribute/or variable by repeating steps 6 to 7 (the ucf can be edited with notepad)
   4. The User Configuration File (ucf) and Project Configuration File (pcf) location can be found by going to the menu Workspace > About Workspace

Image 1

See Also

Overriding and Resynchronizing Level Attributes

How to Synchronize reference symbology